Will Schube is a better coach than Jason Kidd.
Simmie season has returned. Again. Dade County native Yung Simmie has followed up the success of his breakthrough mixtape Simmie Season just a mere four months later. Simmie Season 2 is like its predecessor in its no-frills adherence to solid rap. It’s never flashy, but being solid without being boring is hard. Simmie’s figured this out, and he’s still just a kid.
On Simmie Season, the young Florida rapper had a tendency to let his laconic flow lull the listener into a passive experience. With the sequel, Simmie sounds energized and excited, with more youthful energy than the former Raider Klan member has previously displayed. The record keeps a tight-knit group of producers, and because of this, aesthetic coherence is one of Simmie Season 2‘s greatest strengths. Beats from HIGHAF and PURPDOGG—who makes incredible use of the Grass Roots’ “I’d Wait a Million Years” on Simmie standout “Why???”—keep the mood sticky without ever slowing down.
On “Bucks,” Simmie traverses familiar territory: weed, money, and the occasional basketball allusion. He never strays from this comfort zone but he’s creative enough to inhabit this world and this world only without things growing stale. The video trades Florida swamps for the grime and glamour of New York City. Simmie raps in front of bridges and treats the camera as both an audience and a target. He raps, “I should play for Milwaukee because I’m all about my bucks.” If he keeps moving at this pace, it won’t be long before Simmie gets that Giannis money.
