​Steph Simon "Diamond" continues to be a staple in the Oklahoma music scene. He's had an illustrious career with more highs than lows while being able to pull off some pretty impressive feats as an independent artist. The Steph Simon of today is wiser and just as driven as Stephon R'Kel. If you know you. For so long, Simon has been the glue that's kept the Tulsa hip-hop scene together, at times putting himself on the back burner while others got their shine. That's changed, Steph Simon seems to have a new energy where he's more career focused even if that means less involvement in his peers' careers. I see this as a good thing because if GUnit hadn't have concentrated on getting 50 Cent's career off the ground, there may have never been a Lloyd Banks or The Game, and especially not a Tony Yayo. Steph Simon is back, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect with the release of his new single "Built Different". The beat starts with these long sustained piano notes that create a depth that is carried throughout the track. The song has such an energy to it, especially the kick drums that creating this building effect that feels like that drive that tells you to go harder. The snare stays on course in a very military synced cadence, it guides the lister through the verse like an NPC player in a videogame. The beat lays the groundwork for Steph to do what he does best. "Got it out the mud,
At this point Steph has a superpower to make bars that are relatable and at the same time technical in both delivery and lyrical composition. Even the beginning tell just how talented of a rapper he is as they are both relatable and build to the perfect metaphor, "I built a lane like this, it was brick by brick, every day I was perfect attendance." And this is the opening bars. "Got it out the mud, had to water that dirt, Just a seed they couldn't see, now I'm in season." Steph then goes on to rap, "Lended my hands, I can't waste no more limbs. Standing on business, and Ima be still". As you can see, it's hard to pinpoint just one bar in Steph's writing because it's that good, it's technically sound, and unpacking it fully would feel like a Genius lyrical breakdown video. Don't worry, that we may be onto something. Lastly, Steph has stepped into the knowing, and that's how his music has come across. He knows he's the best and sometimes that means throwing the oop to yourself, you can hear it in his delivery that has a confidence to it. This confidence allows him to have fun on the track and experiment with different vocal effects such as in the ending where he uses a telephone vocal effect, this very creative element also reinforces the replayability of the chorus. The song plays like and anthem and has been used in various User Generated Content such as, workout videos, work videos, and overall motivational moments. You'll get it if you're Built Different!
This single might be an indication that Steph Simon is back in album mode. 4th Quarter Release? Who knows? But what I do know is that Built Different is a hit. ​Checkout Steph Simon's new single "Built Different". Leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Make sure you follow Steph Simon on social media:
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 To people from Tulsa, LA might as well be Paris, because it seems like such a far-fetched dream to even reach there. But Steph Simon not only is reaching L.A., but he has the opportunity to be apart of a forty-day residency. Another artist who is also doing the L.A. residency is Sneak The Poet. Both Tulsa artists will be taking their talents to do something that seems so unimaginable, make art while living on a stipend in L.A. The stipend is cool. It gets them there and helps them live, but to maximize their experience they needed more funds, and that meant a fundraiser, which I went to on Sunday at the Skyline Mansion. Here’s what happened. The night was set with a really intimate setup with chairs lined along the main stage that reminded you of a tiny desk-like set up. dj noname. was the one dj spinning for the night and if you been to one of his events, then you know he knows how to rock a crowd. The stage also had the iconic backdrop banner of the Skyline Mansion. The stage had a keyboard, drum set, and multiple speakers set up. We're just setting the stage here. Before the show started, Steph and Sneak sat together on the stage to explain why they are going to L.A. and why this benefit concert was created: For Sneak The Poet, this L.A. residency will be used to make a film. It may be a low budget. It may be in non-traditional locations. But what it will be, is a Sneak Joint. A Sneak Joint has the vision to make something amazing with very little. But he’s not going out there blind, he has a network of friends already in L.A. which include actors, location scouts, and scriptwriters to help make the journey a little easier. He announced that having a routine down there is what he’s most excited about. Working out, writing, and filming being some of the activities mentioned. Sneak The Poet is an amazing artist who doesn’t perform as much, but trust me, his skills are as sharp as ever. He was a one-man show as he rapped some of his favorite tracks from the Akira album that was produced by dj noname. himself. Sneak was very laid back but confident on the stage. His style was smooth but sharp like the anime swords you see on T.V. He also mentioned that he was the only artist with a Loheim feature, and when Loheim performed he didn't do it on the stage but rather mysteriously from the side room to not be seen, only heard from the speakers was a jazzy voice singing the chorus. Take a look at Sneak's performance: For Steph Simon the L.A. residency will be an opportunity to create a new album called “Tulsa King Goes West”. What will make this album so special is that the production of this album will be using all L.A. resources. That means producers, engineers, recording studios, and shows. Luckily, he’s not starting from zero, he has the mentor of legendary rapper Murs to help him. He also already has nine beats for the album, and he’s even intending on making a beat himself. Now for his performance, it was Steph Simon backed by his wonderful band. It’s a reason he holds such high regard for them. It’s because they play off each other and complement each other so well. Steph played the composer as the band followed his lead adjusting real-time to certain requests while still playing. One of the highlights of the night was when he rapped his verse to “Shining”, which he actually rapped from Tate Brady’s kitchen, it was crazy to get the significance of it in that moment. Tate Brady's mansion was where the massacre was blueprinted, was now transformed and reclaimed by the people it was trying to destroy, also one of the best hip-hop albums in Oklahoma was created here. Hopefully Tate Brady is rolling over in his grave. Steph Simon expressed that his favorite song on “Tulsa King” is “Growing Pains” because it’s a reflection of success, and working, and of course the growing pains that come with it. He left us with this beautiful story about him and his daughter watching a caterpillar go into a cocoon, and how he never knew if the caterpillar made it or not, but he did see butterflies in his backward and wonder. Also, that nobody knows if butterflies actually fly in patterns because they know how to fly or is it just their growing pains. Watch some of his performances below: Again, the residency does provide a stipend, but this fundraiser was to help him create and do more. For Steph Simon this opportunity is a chance to become uncomfortable in a place that nobody knows his work and no one is biased. He wants to test his performance and his pen. For Sneak The Poet this is an opportunity to work with people and create in a place where the movers and shakers are, to see how a L.A. director lives. Both of them have 40 days and 40 nights to create, and from the Bible we know what can happen after that period. So go support them by giving to their fund. They also have merch for sale: hit up Steph Simon on IG: @stephxsimon To just send a donation to Steph Simon or Sneak The Poet hit them up on IG: Steph Simon IG: @stephxsimon Sneak The Poet: @sneakthepoet Album Review: Steph Simon Leaves A Reasonable Doubt With His Album "Diamonds From The Tisdale"7/2/2021 
"It may be unfair to dismiss Nas’ success as merely a piggyback ride on the back of L Boogie and her Refugee Camp, but I can come to no other conclusion for this year’s most surprising success story, as almost overnight, Nas-the-Martyr has become Nas-the-Superstar. Meanwhile, Jay-Z is somewhere lounging on a leather couch sipping an ice-cold bottle of Moet. Since he still runs his own operation and puts put his own shit, Jay-Z, when all is said, done, and divvied up, will probably make more money."
This quote is from the legendary Elliott Wilson who recently re-released an article called “Elliott's 1996 'Reasonable Doubt'. In the article Elliott Wilson compared and contrasted two hip-hop legends who both dropped critically acclaimed albums within a week of each other. Nas’s 'It Was Written' and Jay-Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’.
 And I was never the perfect ki-d, The church has always been a staple in the black community. For generations it has been a place of not only worship, but has also been a place of family, community, values, and overall a place that prepared you for living a Holy life. And anyone who has lived on the northside of Tulsa knows that church is a way of life. Especially on a Sunday. Sunday is The Lord's day, and in north Tulsa this means churches are filled with family and friends who are all coming to hear The Word. The church is more than just a building, It's sacred land. One church that's a symbol of northside churches is the Praise Center Family Church located between North Peoria and MLK right on Apache. It's here that local rapper Steph Simon chooses to shoot a scene from his video Silver n' Gold which features fellow artist and churchgoer Dialtone. The two actually went to church together and have a long time friendship and have numerous collaborations together. But it's 45 seconds into the video that you hear Steph Simon disrespect this sacred land as he raps, "starring at the baddest bitches off in the serv-ices".
 Vinson: "The prisons and the graveyards are full of boys who wore the crown." Rap has always been a competitive sport. And like all sports everyone is looking to wear the crown. No matter how it happened or when it happened as Marlo put it so assertively, "Point is: they wore it." It's a respect that comes with it no matter how much you like or dislike the one who wears the crown. The sport of hip-hop is no exception. It's become a sport within itself where the winner takes all. And once you wear the crown you realize that there's always someone younger and hungrier looking to take it. The Tulsa hip-hop scene is an example of this. Tulsa has a rich history of royalty who wore the crown and have been celebrated during their time. But time is a funny thing, especially the past and the present. In a world of overthrows and takeovers the saying goes, " le mort saisit le vif" or "Long Live the King". Because many times the transfer of power comes at the demise of the former king, and makes way for the new king. But what would happen if both kings could exist? Both helping each other and championing the other? Now that would be an empire. That would be a land of kings. And with that Playya 1000, The Deeksta, and Steph Simon are proving it's possibe on their new record entitled "All Love".
 Spark. Is a very complex concept. The perfect variables have to happen for such a relatively small thing to happen. Even more interesting is that spark can be both a negative and a positive. Spark a fire,and it means destruction, it means pain. But spark a mind and the light can be so bright that it can help heal the destruction caused by the former. OmaleyB's track "Kerosene" is the spark that has the power to change the history of a city. 
Travis Scott's AstroWorld Tour "Wish You Were Here Tour 2" will be in Tulsa on Feb. 8th. That's right Tulsa, Oklahoma will have a rap artist who is Grammy nominated headlining the BOK Center. For the many hip-hop lovers this is a dream come true. A dream that wouldn't have happened 5 years ago. Because at that time it was perceived that there wasn't a "Hip-Hop" audience here. Especially with artists like Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga selling out the BOK Center each time they stopped by. But what the BOK and other venues that were not in-tuned with the scene there was a storm brewing and it's name was Hip-Hop.  Paige Howard. A movie that was written and shot by the Oklahoma City team Daily Devotion became more than just a movie. The Christmas Eve premiere was shown in a local theater room in Oklahoma City. And by the end of the movie it was clear that more was on the line than awards and accolades. There are still real life consequences. Consequently it was when you really stopped and looked around the room that you noticed the people who were genuinely happy to see each other, and genuinely proud of the team of people that had put so much into a project. As the movie ended and the applause from the audience began, it was nothing but love that filled the theater room. This was an important moment in time. This same feeling is most felt on the Paige Howard Soundtrack that became more than just a soundtrack. It became a celebration of the bridge that was built between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the perfect "Love Affair".
 BOBWS Steph Simon World Culture Music Production: Papa_74126, George Young, 2Peece, Deaneaux, John Mooreland, TK Nasa, Charity E. Vaughn   With 2 successful hip-hop music festivals, a critically acclaimed album, sold out music documentary screening, and the lists goes on. Steph Simon has continuously done what has never been done before. One would think is there any more "Upside" left for him to achieve. But for Steph Simon what he's already accomplished doesn't even compare to what he has planned for next. It's with this attitude that Steph Simon drops his latest video "Upside". |
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