This past Friday I went to see Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers. Calling it fucking nuts would be an understatement. Korine always finds a way to mesh together brilliance and bullshit in a way where you as a viewer begin considering his bullshit brilliant. It’s a nothing story, with phoned in performances from everyone aside from Franco and the ATL Twins, but I liked it. Albeit I did fall asleep for a portion, but that is no fault of the movie, more a fault of my own for going out for drinks prior to an11PM movie after working a 12-hour day. I was soft that night. I got sleepy
I know this column is about music and I’m getting to that. The soundtrack to this movie is seizure inducing. There are these long drawn out transition scenes that feature topless chicks and dancing bros in an all out beach-fest frenzy, all to Skrillex’s Scary Monsters and Nice Spirits, Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame’s Young Nigga, and Waka’s Fuck This Industry. I was introduced to party music and a party scene that I have never been, nor will ever be a part of. Like so many other spring break locales, South Florida is home to the “banger”. If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘banger” just imagine any hard-hitting hip-hop song that blew up the charts for a bout a month and there you have it. The most recent example of the “banger” is Ace Hood & Rick Ross’ track Bugatti.
At first I hated this song, but soon I couldn’t get the hook out of my head. 
The beat is so-so, the lyrics are atrocious, but for some ungodly reason I can’t stop blasting this song. I used to do it in private where I wouldn’t be judged, but now I’m pumping the volume everywhere I go. That god damn hook can’t be stopped.
Bangers have never really been for me though. They generally aren’t my vibe. Hip-hop has always been a lyrical thing in my mind. A good beat has never been that important. My enjoyment comes from whats being said. This week’s artist of the week is a man who’s got the words. I was turned onto this him about two weeks ago when a buddy of mine sent me this teaser video that was released prior to dropping his EP.
The documentary-esque images, the richness of the composition, all backed with the spoken words of Raz. It’s a powerful combination. It lifts the curtain back and gives the public a glimpse at the work that went into this EP. Raz now has my attention. I went from not knowing of his existence to ready and waiting for whatever he would release at the drop of a hat. This 
week’s Artist of The Week: Raz Simone.
This being his first EP, and it only coming out FOR FREE two days ago, there isn’t a whole lot of information out there for me to draw from. He’s got a few videos out and is starting to gain some momentum in the local Seattle scene getting played on stations like 90.3 KEXP and KUBE 93.3. He recently peaked the interest of hip-hop heads over at NPR with his “beatless” story track They’ll Speak. This doesn’t appear on the EP, but damn it packs a punch.
Despite local nods and NPR sniffing around, for the most part this guy remains an unknown to the media. The only real information on him comes from his own website.
Raz, a Seattle native, did not get his musical start in hip-hop but rather singing in church. Rap music didn’t first hit his ears until the 6th grade. His first flirtations with rhyming came when he began writing 
and performing at poetry slams. Years later her began putting his words to music and beats. His website is pretty vague on what happened next saying only, “after signing to a label, leaving a label, starting a band, taking a hiatus from music and having a “real” job and then traveling, Raz came back to Seattle.”
Where did he go? What was his real job? These are the thing’s I’d like to know. Hopefully we will find out sooner rather than later. Whatever did happen during Raz’s hiatus, it influenced him deeply and moved him back to music. For that, we can all be thankful. His words are personal, his voice, a deep blues rasp that overlays his EP’s melodies perfectly. His song Cold has been on repeat in my iTunes since Tuesday.
His latest video is for his track with collaborator Sam Lachow titled Sometimes I Don’t. Raz is on point. The hook, softly sung over the jazz horns, is really something. I’m not wild with my first taste of Lachow though. Maybe that’s just because I saw the video first rather than simply hearing the track. I can’t take that guy seriously in that stupid hat.
These songs give you taste what this EP is all about. Sure they aren’t bangers but that’s not what Raz is going for with Solomon Samuel Simone. These songs may not make you get up and move; rather these songs will move you. Download this EP now and get in on the ground floor with this guy. You will not be disappointed.
SOLOMON SAMUEL SIMONE EP DOWNLOAD
http://www.datpiff.com/pop-
Big Hugs,
Kelly
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