Florida rapper Pouya (aka Kevin Pouya) has begun the new year by releasing two new tracks under the Superman Is Dead single via Apple Music. These tracks "Superman Is Dead" and "Florida Thang" showcase more of Pouya's talent as a rapper, and gives the listener something they can expect for music later this year. Although "Florida Thang" was released as a single in late 2018, the combined two tracks under the Superman Is Dead name create a small project that gives something for listeners to hold on to, until a new album or EP is released.

"Superman Is Dead" starts with a quick drum introduction and leads into upbeat background fillers. Once Pouya comes in with the lyrics "I don't wanna wake up today/Mama said I gotta put a straight face on" the listener can tell that this track is going to focus more on somber and depressed thoughts, rather than what the background fillers originally had them think. I really enjoyed the contrast between the darkness of the lyrics, and the pleasant background beat because it paints a perfect picture of what Pouya is trying to convey. The happier filler reflects what Pouya shows on the outside and its constant reiteration represents that everyday he has to remind himself to put up a good front. Whereas the lyrics reveal how he actually feels, and how his internal conflict leads him to "paranoia, hearin' noise in my head/I'm a dead man, yeah." The chorus in this track is super catchy "I thought you would be mine but now you're leavin'/I thought I was Superman but now I'm bleedin'" and makes it easy to listen to on repeat. My favorite verse in this song was "I'm not blind to fake smiles, I see right through you/I'm like Ray Charles to the f*** sh**" due to its contradiction. Ray Charles is blind, which flips Pouya's verses' meaning into that he can't actually tell real smiles from fake ones due to how they all "look" the same. This reverts back to him feeling paranoid and distrustful. The music video for this track was also recently released, and shows Pouya bleeding in an ambulance while dressed as Superman.

According to Pouya's Instagram "Florida Thang" was crafted earlier in 2018, around the time his album Five Five was released. "It was a throwaway that didn't make the album." I enjoyed this single so much and I'm glad this "throwaway" track was officially released. It also makes me wonder how many other unreleased tracks he has that are as good, if not better. Even if Pouya hadn't released information about when this track was crafted, one can her distinct similarities between this song and others on Five Five such as "Weighing On Me". Moreover, "Florida Thang" stands out amongst Pouya's other tracks due to how catchy it is, and how quick he hooks the listener in. The song begins with the chorus "Back then you was holidn my gun/These days you the one I gotta run away from/You a heartbreaker, my lil Florida thang" and its catchiness quickly embeds itself into the listeners head. This song tells a story about a love interest that Pouya had, and how toxic it was for both people involved. In the song, he goes back and forth with emotions like "I don't wanna be alone" to "When I see you, I'ma ride right by." This back and forth turmoil creates an addiction he has with this person, to the point where he's "hangin' out the window just yellin' your name."

I love each of these songs equally due to how each one of them represents different ideas, conflicting interests, and his use of catchy lyrics. I can't wait for Pouya to release new music later this year and these songs can be found on any streaming platform. Overall each of these singles received a 7.5 out of 10, and I wouldn't purchase these individual songs on vinyl.