Raz Simone | |
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![]() Simone at the June 2020 Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone | |
Born | Solomon Samuel Simone January 15, 1990 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Other names | Razpy |
Occupation | Rapper |
Children | 1 |
Musical career | |
Genres | Hip hop |
Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 2014–current |
Labels | Black Umbrella H1ghr Music |
Website | razsimone |
Solomon Samuel Simone (born January 15, 1990), known by his stage name Raz Simone (/ræz sɪˈmoʊn/), is an African-American recording artist and songwriter from Seattle, Washington. A hip hop artist who started under the name Razpy, he built his brand by releasing EPs, touring, and filming music videos through his company Black Umbrella.[1]
Simone gained recognition after releasing his debut solo EP, Solomon Samuel Simone.[1] He became the subject of media coverage for his association with the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, part of the George Floyd protests in Seattle, in which he distributed a gun to a protester amid rumors the Proud Boys were gathering nearby.[2]
Biography
Early life
Simone attended a private elementary school. In 2007, he worked for the Boys & Girls Club and was in the Running Start dual enrollment program.[citation needed]
Music
Upon release of his debut solo EP, Solomon Samuel Simone, Simone garnered the attention of 300 Entertainment executives Lyor Cohen, Todd Moscowitz, and Kevin Liles which resulted in a partnership between the newly established 300 Entertainment and his Black Umbrella Imprint.[1]
After the debut EP, Simone toured and released his first full-length album Cognitive Dissonance.[1] In 2016 Simone released Trap Spirituals. He was nominated for XXL's Freshman List. In June 2016 Simone played shows in seven cities, opening for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.[citation needed]
In May 2020, at a parking lot at Seattle Center, Simone held a "pop-up, drive-in concert" (a type of concert developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to allow for social distancing). [3]
Controversies
In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests in Seattle, Simone emerged as an active member of the self-declared Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.[4][5] CNN described him as the "de facto leader of the autonomous zone."[6]
Conservative[7] news outlets and publications including Fox News,[8] Townhall,[9] New York Post,[10] and City Journal[11] featured Simone prominently in their coverage of the zone, characterizing him as a "warlord" policing the area with an AK-47 and highlighting an interaction where he allegedly assaulted a tagger.[9][7] A Facebook video shows Simone distributing a firearm to a protester.[2][7] According to Snopes, on June 15 Andy Ngo presented a video clip from Simones’s June 8 Facebook feed where Simone takes a rifle from the trunk of his car and hands it to another protester after "rumors developed that members of the right-wing group Proud Boys were going to move into the protest area to set fires and stir chaos."[2]
Simone refuted the characterizations of him made by media outlets. [12]
Sexual abuse and assault allegations
In January 2021, two women stepped forward to publicly accuse Simone of coercion and repeated physical abuse.[13] In 2022, Simone was sued by five women alleging sexual abuse and assault. Four of them say that he sex trafficked and abused them.[14] One of the alleged victims, claims Simone sex trafficked her in Las Vegas for over a year, until she finally broke free in 2017.[15] She stated that Simone held her captive for three days within a confined space and that more than once he forcibly had sex with her and strangled her.[14][15] Court documents reportedly state Simone targets "young, vulnerable women" who are involved in sex work or susceptible to it.[14] Simone has denied these allegations.[14][15]
Discography
- 5 Good Reasons EP with Sam Lachow (2012)[16]
- Samuel Solomon Simone (2013)[17]
- Cognitive Dissonance pt. 1 (2014)[18]
- Baby Jesus (2014)[19]
- Macklemore Privilege & Chief On Keef Violence (2015)[20]
- Cognitive Dissonance pt. 2 (2015)[21]
- Trap Spirituals (2016)[22]
- Closer (2018)
- Drive Theory (2018)
- Still Love (2019)
References
- ^ a b c d Markman, Rob (January 21, 2014). "Meet Raz Simone: 300's First Artist". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
- ^ a b c Kasprak, Alex (June 23, 2020). "Does This Video Show Raz Simone Handing Out Guns in Seattle's CHOP?". Snopes.com. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
- ^ Rietmulder, Michael (2020-05-10). "Seattle rapper Raz Simone threw a pop-up, drive-in concert at a Seattle Center parking lot. Here's how it went". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- ^ News, Patrick Quinn | KOMO (June 10, 2020). "'Property of the People': Protesters set up camp outside SPD East Precinct". KOMO. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
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has generic name (help) - ^ Markovich, Matt (2020-06-10). "Police make allegations of intimidation, extortion inside Capitol Hill's Autonomous Zone". KOMO. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- ^ Toropin, Konstantin (June 24, 2020). "Leader of Seattle's 'autonomous zone' says many protesters are leaving". CNN. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ a b c Curet, Monique (November 13, 2021). "PolitiFact - Facebook post overstates rapper's role in Seattle's police-free protest zone". Politifact. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
- ^ Wallace, Danielle (June 11, 2020). "Seattle autonomous zone 'leader' denies acting like 'warlord' in 'no cop, co-op'". Fox News. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Rosas, Julio (June 11, 2020). "Cracks Are Starting to Appear at Seattle's 'Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone'". Townhall. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ Feuerherd, Ben; Italiano, Laura (2020-06-12). "Rapper Raz Simone accused of being 'warlord' in Seattle's police-free CHAZ". New York Post. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
- ^ Rufo, Christopher F. "Anarchy in Seattle". City Journal. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ Read, Bridget (June 11, 2020). "What's Going On in CHAZ, the Seattle Autonomous Zone?". The Cut. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ Hiruko, Ashley (2021-01-11). "2 women accuse Seattle hip-hop artist Raz Simone of abuse, coercion". KUOW. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ a b c d Eustice, Kyle (2022-01-20). "Seattle Rapper Raz Simone Sued By 5 Women Over Sex Trafficking + Violent Threat Allegations". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
- ^ a b c Hiruko, Ashley (2022-01-19). "5 women sue Seattle rapper Raz Simone, 4 say he trafficked them". KUOW Radio. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
- ^ CG (2012-09-24). "NEW MUSIC: 5 Good Reasons – Sam Lachow & Raz Simone". A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ^ "Raz Simone - Solomon Samuel Simone - Black Umbrella & Dream & Produce". Respect My Region. 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "First Listen: Raz Simone, 'Cognitive Dissonance'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "Raz Simone's 'Baby Jesus' Will Give You Goosebumps". UPROXX. 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "[Album Review] MACKLEMORE PRIVILEGE & CHIEF ON KEEF VIOLENCE - Raz Simone| more than a hip hop blog". Upcoming Hip-Hop | more than a hip hop blog. 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "Raz Simone - Cognitive Dissonance: Part 2 | Stream | Hip Hop Albums - DJBooth". DJBooth. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "Raz Simone Delivers Soulful, Trap Tunes In His New Mixtape "Trap Spirituals"". Vibe. 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2017-05-30.