Razi: The Art of Versatility

August 2, 2026

Few artists develop as dramatically as Razi. Originally performing under the moniker 2x Smokie, the Toronto, Ontario artist has built a reputation by refusing to remain in one lane. Since beginning his musical journey, Razi has consistently reinvented both his sound and artistic identity, evolving from hard-hitting trap records to emotionally driven melodic music, R&B, house, Afrobeats, and multilingual performances. Throughout every era of his career, one quality has remained constant: versatility.

Unlike much of Toronto’s modern rap scene, which often centers on drill production and themes of violence, survival, and street life, Razi has always approached music differently. While he occasionally explored similar aesthetics and themes early in his career, his focus quickly shifted toward themes of ambition, luxury, personal growth, emotional vulnerability, culture, and self-reflection. His music has become known for its carefully selected production, increasingly sophisticated lyricism, and an ability to move effortlessly between genres without sacrificing authenticity.

Born Razi Derrick, throughout the years, Razi’s songwriting has matured tremendously. His lyrics have become increasingly layered, incorporating double entendres, triple entendres, and complex wordplay while remaining memorable and accessible. Every release has shown noticeable improvement, reinforcing a pattern that has become synonymous with his career: every hiatus results in a better artist.

The Beginning (2020–2021)

Razi’s earliest releases arrived under the name 2x Smokie.

His first singles, Branded and Santana, introduced listeners to an artist with undeniable potential. Although both tracks were later removed from streaming platforms — likely reflecting his desire to curate a catalog that better represented his artistic standards — they remain important chapters in his development.

In 2020, he released Turn It Up, a breakout moment that immediately showcased his ability to craft infectious hooks over hard-hitting production. Featuring fellow artist Vybe Tyson, whose catalog had already accumulated hundreds of thousands of streams, the song paired two promising artists over hard-hitting production, combining simple yet effective lyricism with an instantly memorable chorus, the song became one of Razi’s earliest classics, accumulating roughly 100,000 Spotify streams while continuing to grow across other streaming platforms.

Rather than chasing quantity, Razi established a habit that would define his career: taking his time between releases. Every new song arrived only after meaningful artistic growth, prioritizing quality over consistency.

His next release, Cuba, continued that momentum. Still experimenting with his sound, the record featured clean vocals, catchy melodies, and straightforward yet effective lyricism. For only his second major release, it demonstrated remarkable polish while leaving listeners excited about the artist’s future. Compared with other artists at the time, it was difficult to place the song into a single genre.

Toward the end of the year, Razi released his debut album, Smokie Tales. Although the project was eventually removed from streaming services alongside its debut singles — likely because it no longer reflected the quality standards he would later set — it served as an important introduction to his artistry. The album showcased his confidence, early lyrical ability, and willingness to experiment, laying the groundwork for everything that followed. The album had a number of features showing the chemistry and capabilities Razi had working with other artists.

Later in 2021, Razi released No More, another fan favorite that further established his reputation. While it never reached the streaming success of Turn It Up, the record performed impressively considering the size of his audience at the time and reinforced the consistency of his songwriting.

2022: Finding His Identity

After a period of silence with no releases or promotion, Razi returned unexpectedly with On Purpose.

The song marked a turning point.

For the first time, listeners heard him fully embrace vulnerability, trading aggressive trap energy for emotional storytelling. Singing over softer production, Razi reflected on a relationship falling apart while maintaining confidence in his ambitions and future. The record also introduced heavier use of samples, expanding the sonic possibilities that would later become a defining feature of his music.

Rather than remaining a standalone single, On Purpose would later appear on his second album.

Soon afterward came Please Stand By, Razi’s second studio album.

Across ten tracks, the album demonstrated major growth. Hard-hitting 808s remained, but the songwriting had matured significantly. The wordplay became sharper, the flows more polished, and the hooks more memorable. Impressively, Razi accomplished this while only 17 years old, displaying a level of lyrical maturity uncommon for an artist his age.

One of the album’s greatest strengths was its versatility. Some songs demanded maximum volume in the car with friends, while others were introspective enough to play alone late at night. The project balanced aggression with emotion, creating what many listeners described as music that felt like “a gangster crying” — still energetic and trap-inspired, but deeply emotional underneath.

To this day, many fans still consider Please Stand By to be one of Razi’s finest bodies of work.

Following the album, Razi released Made A Way, featuring fellow Toronto artist MDS. The collaboration paired two promising young artists and immediately became another standout record. MDS had already established a growing catalog and reputation within Toronto’s music scene. Both rappers delivered some of their strongest performances to date, with Razi continuing to elevate his lyricism.

Next came On My Own, featuring Maayan The Dr and Napo D. The song highlighted another side of Razi’s artistry by blending English and Hebrew lyrics, proudly embracing his Jewish heritage. Many artists hesitate to perform in their native language, but Razi approached it confidently, adding another dimension to his already diverse catalog.

Later that year, Razi closed out 2022 with his first EP, Smokie Szn.

Released in November and the Halloween season, the title perfectly reflected both the time of year and his then stage name. Unlike his earlier work, Smokie Szn leaned heavily into melody. The hard-hitting drums remained, but they were accompanied by smoother vocals, atmospheric production, layered harmonies, and dreamy instrumentals. The EP demonstrated another clear leap in musical maturity.

2023: Reinvention

The first release of 2023 was 23 Freestyle, released on January 23, 2023, with its title referencing both the year and release date.

Built around a sample of Remember the Rain by the great band 21st Century, the record quickly became one of Razi’s most celebrated lyrical performances. Just when listeners believed the song had ended, he returned for another verse, extending the freestyle unexpectedly and delivering some of the strongest wordplay of his career.

Following another creative hiatus, Razi made the biggest artistic decision of his career.

He officially retired the name 2x Smokie, adopting his real name as his artistic identity: Razi.

The name change symbolized maturity, professionalism, and the beginning of a completely new chapter.

During the summer of 2023, he released Scarborough Bluffs, featuring Jay Teazer. Already respected for blending R&B, Afrobeats, and pop, Jay Teazer represented Razi’s biggest collaboration to date.

The record introduced listeners to an entirely different sound. Heavy drums gave way to smoother house-inspired production, soft melodies, and atmospheric samples. Once again, Razi demonstrated that he was unwilling to be confined by genre.

The song was later included on Almost Home.

2024: Almost Home

Razi returned on February 6, 2024, with Thank God, another release that built upon the musical direction introduced on Scarborough Bluffs.

Again, many listeners viewed it as the best version of Razi yet.

The record combined singing, rapping, intricate lyricism, double entendres, and polished vocal performances into one cohesive experience. The production flowed naturally from beginning to end, reflecting thousands of hours spent refining both songwriting and performance. References to his Jewish identity and cultural background further strengthened the authenticity of the record.

Only weeks later, after significant marketing and promotion, Razi released his third studio album, Almost Home.

The album represented a complete artistic transformation.

Tracks such as El Dorado, Good Time, Almost Home, By the Morning, Through the Storm, Scarborough Bluffs, and Thank God showcased house music, melodic songwriting, emotional vulnerability, and sophisticated lyricism unlike anything he had previously released.

For many listeners, Almost Home marked the moment Razi fully stepped into his own artistic identity. Rather than abandoning previous influences, he expanded them, proving he could comfortably create compelling music across multiple genres.

2025: Patience Rewards Growth

Another lengthy hiatus followed.

By now, fans had begun recognizing a pattern: every extended break resulted in noticeably better music.

In June 2025, Razi released Around The World, continuing his habit of delivering major releases during the summer months. The song blended melodic songwriting, Afrobeats, electronic textures, and pop influences into a style that felt uniquely his own.

The release reinforced another recurring theme throughout his career — Razi consistently delivers some of his strongest work during the summer.

Several months later, in October 2025, he followed with MIA.

Warm, relaxing, and heavily inspired by artists such as Mike Posner and the dance music of Ibiza, MIA sounded like the perfect soundtrack for a sunset on the beach. Once again, Razi refused to repeat himself, instead continuing to evolve while maintaining the versatility that had become his defining characteristic.

2026: In Due Time

Following an eight-month break, Razi returned in May 2026 with 5AM.

Perhaps his most experimental release yet, the song featured hypnotic vocals, immersive production, psychedelic textures, and visually striking promotional material. Despite its experimental nature, the songwriting remained focused, proving that even while exploring new territory, Razi never sacrificed musical quality.

Exactly two months later, on July 26, 2026, he released his fourth studio album, In Due Time.

Featuring collaborations with S2 who has millions of streams combined in his own discography and Salo, the album presented the most emotionally transparent version of Razi to date. Every sample, vocal performance, and instrumental choice carried emotional weight. This marked the first time this side of Razi was fully revealed, showcasing an artist growing stronger in both vulnerability and expression.

Songs such as Find Yourself, Holding Onto You, Temporary Highs, All In My Arms, Don’t Give Up On Me, Paralyze, and the title track explored vulnerability, personal reflection, and emotional intelligence with remarkable sincerity. The songs’ titles alone carry emotional weight. They invite listeners to wonder what emotional experiences inspired them.

Rather than portraying heartbreak as weakness, In Due Time framed emotional openness as strength. Every song invited listeners to question not only Razi’s emotional state but also their own, making the album his most introspective work to date.

Legacy

Looking back across his catalog, one pattern becomes impossible to ignore.

Every hiatus has been followed by meaningful artistic growth. Every release has introduced something new. Every project has expanded his range rather than repeating previous successes.

From the trap-heavy beginnings of 2x Smokie to the genre-defying artistry of Razi, his career has been defined by constant evolution. Whether producing hard-hitting rap records, emotional R&B, melodic house music, Afrobeats, or multilingual performances incorporating Hebrew, Razi has consistently demonstrated that great artists are not confined by genre — they are defined by their willingness to evolve.

More than anything else, versatility has become Razi’s signature. It is the thread connecting every era of his career and the reason his artistic journey continues to stand out within Toronto’s ever-changing music scene. Whether his future leads him further into house, Afrobeats, R&B, rap, or entirely new sounds, Razi has built a career defined not by staying within one genre, but by continuously challenging himself as an artist. That willingness to evolve has become his greatest strength and the foundation of his identity as a musician.