[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] Psalm One: "Hug Life"
With all the talk of the violence in Chicago and 'Chiraq' this and that being hawked by out-of-towners on the daily, mucking up the Second City's image for personal gain, it can be easy to forget that there is still plenty of positivity in the city's streets. Chicago's first lady of hip-hop, Psalm One is out to challenge that dubious status quo with her latest project, Hug Life. A play on Tupac's seminal phrase all the way down to the "Hug Life" torso tat on the album artwork, the title is a juxtaposition of nuanced meaning that perfectly accents the message Psalm puts forth on her latest, perhaps most complete project to date.
Released via iTunes under Psalm's alter-ego Hologram Kizzie, the project is an examination of love, lust and the things that come from both. In a story for the Chicago Sun Times, Psalm characterized her different monikers and the roles they occupy as such: "Kizzie is a little — a lot — less inhibited than Psalm One,” the rapper detailed, pointing out that while her biblically derived handle is well suited to her all-ages content and humanitarian endeavors, being Hologram Kizzie “gives me a lot more freedom.” The project includes a who's who of Midwest up and comers and bedrocks alike, including the likes of ProbCause, Tanya Morgan, The Hood Internet, Young Josh of Flosstradamus and Lazerbeak and PO$ from DoomTree, among others. Hanging out at a West Town loft last weekend listening to the project, we listened through several times without noticing it had started from the top again, a true testament to a full-fleshed out project that hits the proper chords from start to finish. Check out Hug Life streaming below and pick up the full project over at iTunes!
[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."
Sasha Go Hard: "Problem" (Feat. Tink)
Chicago's own Sasha Go Hard is back with a new single with fellow Windy City MC Tink. The track, produced by yet another Chi-Town representative, Tony Roche, is a one-off release, titled "Problems". Two of the top female artists rep their hometown on "Problems", flowing over a Roche beat that is alarming and epic, with electronic aesthetics. Check it out for yourself below.