Houston, TX · hip-hop · pop-rap

Riff Raff

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A performance-art rapper who has never once broken character — braided, neon, endlessly quotable, and far more self-aware than the bit lets on.

Riff Raff is the stage name of Horst Christian Simco, a rapper from Houston who first drew attention in the late 2000s and early 2010s through a mix of mixtapes, internet videos and a much-copied visual persona: cornrows, jewellery, tattoos and constant brand references. His verses lean on absurd boasts, non-sequitur punchlines and a drawled Texas delivery, delivered with a comic timing that keeps the character intact whether the track is party rap or something closer to pop.

He signed to Diplo's Mad Decent label and released the album Neon Icon in 2014. He is also widely cited as an influence on the look of James Franco's character in the film Spring Breakers, a comparison Riff Raff himself has discussed publicly.

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