Angel Haze had a prolific year dropping no fewer than three mix tapes in 2012. You would be forgiven for assuming this abundance of material would also result in a lot of filler but the ‘Voice EP‘ as well as the recently release ‘Classicks‘, complete with her stark take on Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet“, offered a true talent on the ascent.
‘Reservation‘, released in August, is arguably the best of the three emphatically showcasing the multifaceted artist’s many skills. Right from the start the tone is set that this isn’t going to be your usual “guns, bitches n bling” hip-hop release.
“This Is Me” opens the album as well as literally laying bare some of Haze‘s most candid feelings in startling fashion. It is rare that an artist in the public eye is so candid about their background yet she recaptures this gut-wrenching confessional streak on tracks like “Suffering’s First” and “Castle On A Cloud“.
Angel Haze is far from a one trick pony as demonstrated on the edgy “Wicked Moon“, featuring a haunting hook sung by Nicole Wray, proving that Haze can rap with the best of them and even drop a bit of patois for good measures. She clearly is equally comfortable crooning sweet melodies as she is delivering cut-throat rap verses.
It is this very diversity thats sets her apart from other contenders to the female rap crown and the hip-hop game as a whole because one minute she offers up a sugary Rihanna-esque chorus before growling that she will “put bitches down like a neddle up a vet sleeve“. When Haze threatens there is little doubt in my mind that she means business.
“New York” is one of many standout moments featuring a Lumidee like percussion/handclap backdrop and some sweet sampling of Gil Scott-Heron. In amongst some killer lines she suddenly speeds up her verses without ever sacrificing the quality of her delivery. This chopping ability should have the likes of Twista, Tech N9ne and Busta Rhymes looking over their shoulders.
“Werkin Girls” is as good as any track in 2012 acting as her informal calling card. Haze is on the offensive again spitting tongue twisters over a brilliant futuristic beat. She sounds truly menacing throughout and you can imagine her threat “I kick shit, like dope shit, Like no shit, like oh shit, Get in my way I fuck up everything, Like ho shit” is unlikely to have been taken lightly by her rivals.
Still, ‘Reservations‘ doesn’t only consist of bare confessionals and hostile ultimatums and on ‘Gypsy Letters‘, which name drops Frank Ocean‘s Coachella performance, and on ‘Jungle Fever‘ Haze lets her hair down and has some fun recording. The latter represents a particular highlight as it features Kool A.D., of Das Racist fame, doing what he does best with Haze herself shwoing is pretty apt at this whole intelligent/ stoner/ comedy rap thing.
There has been a lot of talk of Angel Haze being the most obvious contender to Nicki Minaj‘s throne. Personally I feel that if anything a more direct link can be drawn to the legendary Missy Elliott thanks to her dual ability to both rap and sing.
‘Reservation‘ represents a huge affirmation of Angel Haze as one of the most exciting talents around and it won’t be long before other artists are likened to her. This is clearly addrressed on the aptly titled “Realest” when she proclaims “I ain’t the next nobody, I’m the first Angel Haze‘.
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