[Video] Angel Haze: "Battle Cry" (Feat. Sia)
Angel Haze continued promotion of her debut label project, Dirty Gold over the weekend with the release of her latest video, this one for the track "Battle Cry". The videos is a bit of a parallel for the young Detroit-born Universal signee, who flexed her artist muscle by threatening to release Dirty Gold herself via the Internet a la Danny Brown as a way to force the record company's hand in releasing the project. It worked, and Dirty Gold has been a pleasurable journey of new music from one of the more gifted lyrical rappers in terms of delivery. The video for "Battle Cry" is powerful to say the least, featuring a basic shot of Haze rapping and walking down a desert rode, flanked by images of what is supposed to be her past as she reflects on an upbringing in the strict Pentecostal Apostolic Church and the abuse she faced as a child, all set to her confidently handled bars that hit with resounding urgency amid the aesthetic that is built with the surrounding images. The video, which contains a message urging fans to ""are affected by any of the themes of this video" to donate to Child Helpline International, a nonprofit organization that supports and creates tools to communicate with children in need around the world." The visual fades to black with Haze gallantly raising her fist in one of the more powerful uses of the spoken word I've heard as of late. Check out the full video, streaming below.
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[Album Stream] Angel Haze: "Dirty Gold"
A couple of days ago, Angel Haze took Danny Brown-like threats to her label, Island, to a new high by actually leaking the project herself on her personal website. Having forced the label's hand, the caved and the stream was down fairly quickly. Perhaps demonstrating the true power of artists in the music industry today, Haze did something that is often seen as problematic for artists, to herself by leaking the project after several attempts by the label to continue moving the release date further back. Well, it's finally here (officially). Angel Haze's Dirty Gold is a welcome drop for the XXL Freshman-lister and is a solid building on previously released remixes and singles. Give Angel Haze's latest a solid listen, streaming below, and read an open letter about her leaking the project early.
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"It's so annoying that my label could tell me that if I fucking finished my album before the summer it would be out this year. I have gone to bat for this music. I have gone to bat for myself. I have literally sat fucking sleepless and starved crying over this shit. I turned down so much shit to be sure that I could finish this album because actually wanting something to me means doing all you can to be sure that it's attainable. I stopped arguing my point. Stopped giving a fuck about everything. Let these other ditsy bitches disrespect me. I turned my fucking cheek because MUSIC IS ALL I FUCKING HAVE. And I know that's the same for some of you. I did everything I could for you. I did not promise an album and not deliver, unlike every fucking one else. I sat my ass down and came up with this music WHEN I HAD NOTHING. Taking shit on the chin does not mean sitting back and letting the world beat and suck you fucking dry. It's knowing something is bigger than anything you are or will ever be and sitting the fuck down and complying to get shit done. I'm sorry if I seem angry. But these are my dreams. The only thing I have in my life. Imagine having the only reason you're alive being the very thing straining your existence. Ughhhh... So sorry to Island/Republic Records, but fuck you. I got here doing this for my fans and if you guys don't feel the same, it won't stop me. Idc what happens after this. They will get the music they were promised. And you guys JUST MAY LEARN TO KEEP YOUR FUCKING WORD."
[Video] Angel Haze: "Echelon(It's My Way)"
Since blowing up as part of the 2013 XXL Freshman list alongside Trinidad James, Action Bronson and Ab-Soul, Angel Haze has been steadily increasing the weight her name carries. As one of the few female rappers out today to have a lyrical, thoughtful side in addition to just being able to spit bars, Haze has garnered plenty of attention and today drops the video for "Echelon (It's My Way)" off her long awaited album debut Dirty Gold. Check it out below.
http://youtu.be/GMw65FwtlOI