Raz Simone: Shaking up Seattle rap’s snow globe.
Hood niggas,” explains Raz Simone, “don’t listen to Talib Kweli. Hood niggas don’t listen to Common. They respect Kendrick—but they’re actually bumpin’ Future… Gucci… Sosa.” We’re heading north from the King County Regional Justice Center, where a mutual friend’s sentencing trial just went a lot better than expected. Raz was kind enough to offer me a ride up I-5 in his spanking white Tesla, a distinctly Northwest take on the baller rapper-car.
“So,” he continues, “you could have all the best intentions, but what does it mean? Are you trying to be looked at as the GOAT, the king, the most skillful rapper—or are you actually trying to create change?”…