7. Not The Same

Raina Simone is a Hip Hop artist from Harlem, NY and Englewood,NJ. By the age of 3, Raina Simone could play the piano, and was beginning to piece together lyrics. 

Filmed by Howard classmates; In 2021 a viral freestyle titled "Sometimes I Rap" to Nas and Lauryn Hill's "If I Ruled the World" instrumental; launched Raina Simone into the world of rap music. Having previously identified solely as a producer, Raina Simone began releasing songs as a rapper/singer/songwriter. The following year, a second freestyle would go viral as a "response to drill music." Originally freestyle'd on New Jersey platform "Blades and Bars," the freestyle was rereleased as "To My Hearts Outro," the outro on Raina Simone's first EP "To My Hearts" released in 2022. 

Raina Simone has proven the depths of her skills, as heard on On The Radar Radio/Sway's Universe/Bars On I95/Shade45XM's The Punchline Academy/Hot97/Power105.1/V100.7. A recent Howard University graduate; Raina Simone has also been acknowledged for her critical analyses regarding the portrayal of race, women, and sexual orientation in Hip Hop. In 2023, Raina Simone released the first single, "Swervin," from her upcoming debut album which is prepared to be released early Spring of 2024. The debut album, “Old Soul, New Conscience," she says, "is the first real introduction. Everything before has been a warmup for what we’re about to." Most recently, Raina Simone appeared on "Minority Report" by Ransom and Nicholas Craven feat. Talib Kweli.