K.O.T.M. It stands for “King Of The Moshpit'', and the one who claims the throne goes by the name of Raivon Don’tez.
This dragon slayer has just released an absolute melodic banger of an EP that will make your grandparents pull out their hair. Titled “Wanna Play Vol. 3,” this is a release you don’t want to miss.
Raivon Don’tez was raised around lyricists due to his father's musical tastes, who played Tupac, Notorious B.I.G, and Busta Rhymes in heavy rotation. Poetry was a constant theme of interest growing up, and this bled into eventually writing rap lyrics while attending Butler Tech School of Arts. After dropping out of college, Raivon followed his passion for music.
These events accumulated and boiled up to his first EP release in 2019, “Wanna Play Vol.1.” It took time and numerous releases before he felt that his rebranding and sound were established when Vol.2 of the Wanna Play series was released. This is when he became K.O.T.M, perfecting the blend of metal, hip hop, and rock into mosh medicine.
Nobody brings the energy quite like Raivon. With a futuresque-punk clash and a sound akin to Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine, I’m sure you get the point. He’s bringing the noise. He’s bringing the rage. He’s bringing everything he’s got to prove that he’s imprinted his mark in the music industry. “I don’t see no competition, all I see is NPCs” is a line from “Final Boss," the last record on the EP.
NPC stands for non-player character, representing people who don’t think for themselves and cannot make their own decisions. We understand where he’s coming from, as it seems many individuals are mindless followers, while Raivon is truly leading his path, not just with his mindset but also with his sound approach to writing.
We can only imagine what his shows must look like. Songs like “Dragonslayer” are bombshells waiting to explode. The up-tempo metal basslines with raunchy rock guitars and hardcore rap production elements throughout the project create a monstrous combo of punches to the gut.
He uses his versatility between hardcore rap and melodic punk vocal melodies as ammunition to shoot down any genre barriers. “Tatted Tears” is a perfect example of this, as it reminds us of the pop-punk era of Blink 182 and My Chemical Romance that we all miss dearly. “Don’t let them see you when you’re breaking,” sung intensely, emotionally pulls heartstrings that have been waiting a long time to feel any tension.
Overall, this body of work is extremely well put together. With the first record suddenly cutting out as he explains that he’s back in his true form, he takes us on an emotional journey that encapsulates the YOUTH! Slay your internal dragons with inspiration from Raivon Don’tez’s freshly released “Wanna Play Vol. 3,” out everywhere now.
Welcome to Buzzmusic Raivon! Congratulations on your EP release, “Wanna Play Vol.3”. It is a brilliant mix of mosh and deeply emotional ingredients. How does it feel to release a body of work like this?
It feels so good to release a project like this, but at the same time, it's a little nerve-wracking. Because this is the most vulnerable I have been on a project, and that alone was a little scary for me. Because the meaning of this project was about taking risks and taking center stage in life. And I felt that emotional vulnerability, and being unapologetic about it was that risk for me. That led me to release this beautiful mosh-filled project.
You mention NPCs in “Final Boss,” saying it’s all you see. Do you find it difficult to navigate the music industry and life trying to discern the real from the fake?
The NPCs punchline came to me in silence while I was writing the final boss track. And since my love of video games heavily inspired this Ep. I felt that it fit perfectly within the song. And that line is highlighting People who would hate from the background. But at times, I feel it can be difficult to move within the music industry if you're not grounded And don't trust yourself. But also, as I've gone through life, I have recognized authenticity and genuine energy by trusting my gut and intuition.
Did you work with numerous producers/creatives throughout the creation of “Wanna Play Vol.3," or was it more of a solo venture?
With beat stars, I've discovered talented producers who provided me with the metal, punk, and rap beats Used on this ep. As a songwriter takes pride in writing their rap lyrics, each one of these producers (dook, Devilleproducer, Erigxd, Blvnkface) forced me to upgrade and hone my pen game. This made this ep even better because I knew I put my all into it.
Were there any significant events in the past that inspired some of the soul-wrenching emotions belted throughout the EP?
Some of the significant events that played a part in this Ep would have to be my battle with depression and thoughts of suicide, both of which I open up about on the track wildlin out. And I think being open and honest with those topics could bring awareness surrounding the conversation of mental health within the music industry. Especially when it comes to men's mental health, a conversation rarely discussed in the music industry. And I just really wanted to put everything on the table for this Ep. And another significant event that played a part in this Ep was my self Confidence. I had moments when that was tested while creating this body of work. I started to question my artistry, my pen, and my individuality. I also talked about this as well in the track Titled Tatted Tears. And how often, at times, we would put on a strong face to cover up the fact that we're breaking on the inside.
What do you want your fans and listeners to take away from "Wanna Play Vol.3?"
What I want the listeners and fans to take away from this project is to Take center stage in life and continue to be unapologetically yourself. And always be out of the box when it comes to anything you do in life.