Seattle via Honolulu hip hopper Pompeiii lists Lil Wayne, Bob Marley, and Martin Lawrence as influences — which doesn’t make any sense until you listen to his debut album, Blue Jay Flew. A record of his mid-twenties awakening, the LP channels Weezy in its trap beats, Marley in its spirituality, and Lawrence in its utterly relatable skits (first track, “The Call,” features the rapper answering a phone call in the midst of a wedding) and improvisational attitude. After beginning his musical career writing tracks like 2020’s “Jewels in the Bag,” which garnered almost 15,000 Spotify plays, Pompeiii since gave up writing altogether in favor of freestyling. A man of God and the moment, his freestyles allow him to tap into a deeper understanding of himself and what he’s feeling at the moment — and how to pull the crowd into that vibe.

Pompeiii has performed behind artists like Ski Mask the Slump God and, since moving to the Emerald City, partnered with Seattle mainstay Marshall Law Band. Both his faith and the therapeutic nature of the Seattle rain propel Pompeiii’s creativity, and, in 2021, he’s channeling those sources into a resounding new sound for R&B and rap. Pompeiii is currently working to release several music videos, two albums, and Higher Power — a collaboration with Marshall Hugh of Marshall Law Band about how to spread the love and light of God.