There have been 15 unassisted triple plays in major league baseball history, but civil engineering junior PJ Simas said he tries to turn one every day — though what he does is a bit different.
The student, father and rapper will perform at the University Union (UU) Plaza on Thursday after releasing his sophomore album, “Triple Play,” for free last week.
Most 21-year-old college students who have a voicemail message on their iPhone from Atlantic Records and have opened a concert for the likes of Mac Miller think music is the biggest thing in their life, but not Simas. He said he is not even sure music will be his eventual career of choice.
For the time being, Simas will bring his act to the UU stage which fellow collaborator and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) junior Jordan Corey said is one-of-a-kind in today’s industry.
“PJ is different,” Corey said. “When I hear PJ, I’m not thinking this is a pretty decent white rapper, I’m thinking this is a great rapper. I think he could (get big), but I see totally where he’s coming from (in leaning toward engineering).”
Simas shies away from the modern pop and rap influences that narrate the lives of self-addicted stars, Instead he tells a story in each song, such as the downward spiral of someone close (“Drugs”) or the anatomy of a disintegrating relationship (“Diagnosis of a Beautiful Mind”).
“Life is dark baby, but you always bring that shine.” – Beat to My Heart
For now, the road to turning the father/student/musician “Triple Play” runs first through Simas’ son Paxton who, by no coincidence, turned two on April 29, the day he released the album.
“(Paxton) is obviously a huge source of inspiration,” Simas said. “’Triple Play’ has two songs that are directly about him.”
One of those songs, “Far From Home,” turns Simas to the mouthpiece for his son who watches him return to his hometown of Sacramento, Calif. only to leave again for college. The third-person approach to some of his songs is a stylistic choice that sets him apart from mainstream rap and hip-hop.
“I really like writing the serious deep songs that people can connect with, and that’s what music is for me; it’s like such a release,” he said. “Everyone has so much going on in their life, and everybody has a story to tell. Music is a way for me to tell it. Music really helps me express the emotions that I feel.”
Paxton is one of the main reasons Simas is unsure if his future should be in the music industry or engineering, which he considers a safer bet. Though the slight anguish in his face is clearly apparent when discussing the future.
“I don’t think that I am good enough to be the best rapper; you know like people that say, ‘Damn, make millions type of guy,’” Simas said. “Civil engineering is definitely the secure route. I’ll always do music, but civil engineering is the direction I’m going.”
Simas’ music speaks about providing Paxton with the best life he can. The rough and tumble life of a touring artist might not be the path Simas is willing to take, though he said it would be hard to deny if he has a smash hit.
“Have you been on stages, up in front of crowds that yell your name and the same words from your lyric pages?” – Livin It Up
One of the most surreal experiences for Simas thus far in his career, which kicked off last summer with the release of “The SLO Life,” has been going to venues to see people he does not know sing along with him, an experience he looks to witness again in the UU this week.
“It’s super weird, I freak out pretty much,” he said. “Everything happens so fast, just the fact that people listen to my music and actually like it surprises me.”
Simas’ first album did so well that within two weeks of releasing it on the Internet, just on his site alone it was downloaded 10,000.
Longtime friend and manager Mitch Peterson, a UCSB junior, sat next to Simas when he first realized how many people loved his music too.
“It was crazy,” Peterson said. we were at the mall eating some Steak Escape, and I get an email saying, basically, our website crashed from so many downloads. It was unreal, we never even anticipated it. Yeah he made some YouTube covers, but we never expected anything like that to happen.”
Though the increasing fame is far from all-encompassing. Simas doesn’t notice signs bearing his name promoting UU hour, and he’s only been recognized by fans a few times.
Though his profile might elevate when he takes the stage on Thursday, a chance he relishes.
“It’s so much different than giving a speech in class, he said.”It’s a different element and just being behind a guitar or a microphone I just love it.”
“I’m about to kill the future and throw my past away.” – No More You
Fans will still hear from Simas even though he released an all-original album and has finals creeping up.
“After this, I’m doing an ‘End of School: Remix,’” he said. “That’s the plan to keep the hype up, I’m just going to kill the Internet.”
In the end, Simas is just a college student still figuring out his future.
For now he’s focused on his next show — or midterm — and is ready to bring his music to the UU Plaza on Thursday.