Vice-owned site Broadly have released an insightful ten-minute interview with Angel Haze, in which they* talk about their life and career in such an intimate and real way. The interview with Mary HK Choi gives details about their family life, their artistry and how they see success, while providing us with some interesting advice at the same time.
The interview follows the release of their newest mixtape Back To The Woods in September. After Choi asks about the title, Haze talks about being kicked out of the house by their mother and sleeping alone in the woods, describing it as “liberating”.
They then gave us some great advice, knowingly or not, which works as an interesting metaphor for real life. “I released that [the animals are] not out there to hurt you, they don’t give a shit about you.”
Most of us think that people are constantly judging us, preventing us from doing some of the things we want to do. By being forced into a seemingly dangerous situation, Haze made us realise that it is our own fear that is preventing us from taking a chance, not the threat of others.
Although she is seen as prominently a rapper, Haze sings on this mixtape. They mention that despite their former label’s orders to stay in the box of being “a dark, grim rapper”, they still wanted to sing. “I love singing. I love Amy Winehouse, I love Tracy Chapman, I love Ani DiFranco, I love the purest voices you can have.”
After showing a track to Kayne West, he told them to remove anything that they didn’t want on there and stay true to who they are. This was also mentioned in another interview with The Huffington Post. “That [conversation] just basically gave me the mental willpower to be like, ‘Yo, this is not what I’m doing.'”
Haze’s modest nature became clear when they started talking about success. They say that they’re not that good yet, acknowledging that there is always a learning process. “I’m striving everyday to do something, to do something I want, to do something I’m proud of, to do something that, like, everything I’ve gone through was worth it.”
Everything Haze said had purpose and meaning behind it. It was like having a deep and meaningful conversation with a close friend, full of trust and free from fabricated facts. It’s a must-hear for anyone, whether you’re a fan or not.
* Haze identifies as agender and prefers the use of gender neutral pronouns.