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Angel Haze

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ROES
Wilson performing in October 2012
Wilson performing in October 2012
Background information
Birth nameRaykeea Angel Wilson
Born(1991-07-10)July 10, 1991(age 33)
Detroit,Michigan,U.S.
OriginBrooklyn, New York
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
Years active2011–present
Labels
Websiteangelhazemusic

Raykeea Raeen-Roes Wilson(born July 10, 1991)[1][2][3]known professionally asROES(fkaAngel Haze),[4]is an American rapper and singer. In 2012, Wilson released the mixtapeReservationand later signed a record deal withUniversal Republic Recordsbefore moving toRepublic Records.[5]On December 31, 2013, Wilson released their debut albumDirty Gold,which featured the singles "Echelon (It's My Way)" and "Battle Cry.”Wilson has released a number of mixtapes, the most recent beingBack to the Woodsin 2015.[6]

Early life

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Wilson was born inDetroit,Michigan[7]to a military family. Their father, who died from a gunshot wound before their birth, wasAfrican Americanand their mother is ofCherokee descent.[8]They have said their mother did not raise them "to be anything—not black, not native, not Creole, not anything...we didn’t have any regard for any of that shit" and that Black and Native children at school regarded them as not "black enough" and not "native enough". They have also said they are of Blackfoot and Creole ancestry.[9][10]When Wilson was a young child, their mother met a preacher in theGreater Apostolic Faithand the two moved into his home with his wife and children, into what Wilson describes as a cult.[8]Growing up in the church, Wilson witnesseddomestic violenceand manipulation at a very young age.[11][12]As a child, they weresexually abusedby a man close to the family.[8]Wilson also recalls being told that they would die spontaneously if they did not behave correctly.[8]In an interview withThe Guardian,Wilson stated: "We all lived in the same community, within 10 minutes of each other. You weren't allowed to talk to anyone outside of that, you weren't allowed to wear jewelry, listen to music, to eat certain things, to date people… you weren't allowed to do pretty much anything."[13]

After a pastor threatened Wilson's mother, the family left the church, moving toBrooklyn,New York,[14]when they were 15 years old.[15]The pastor told Haze's family that God was going to kill them, and they lived in fear for years afterward.[12]Wilson's family moved around frequently, mainly due to their mother running away from the church.[16]At one point the family was living in a shelter and Wilson was teased at school for it.[17]They were also mocked for their clothes and had difficulties making friends and connections due to moving around. They switched betweenhomeschoolandpublic schoolfor many years and finished high school a year early.[17]

Wilson began writing as a form of therapy and expressed an interest increative writing,poetryandjournalism.[18]Their first poem was published at the age of 13 after winning a school competition.[18]As a child, Wilson took creative writing lessons and wanted to be a songwriter orgospel artist.[18]Eventually, they began makingYouTubevideos andfreestyle rappingat the age of 18.[19]Wilson began distributing music on the Internet through sites such asTumblr,where a fan base began to form.[8]

Career

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Wilson performing live atØyafestivalenin 2013

From 2009 to 2012, Wilson put out a number ofmixtapesfor free download on the Internet:New Moon,Altered Ego,King,andVoice.In July 2012, they released the free mixtapeReservationto critical acclaim, receiving an 88/100 score from Metacritic.[20]The titleReservationis an homage to theirCherokee heritage.[21]Wilson was nominated forBBCtheSound of 2013poll.[22]

In 2012, Wilson recounted their experience of being sexually assaulted as a child in "Cleaning Out My Closet," a song from the mixtapeClassickthat uses segments fromEminem'ssong of the same name.[2]

On August 28, 2013, Wilson released "Echelon (It's My Way)" as the lead single from the debut albumDirty Gold.The entire album was leaked on December 18, 2013, prior to scheduled March 2014 release.[23]The album release date was advanced, and it appeared throughIsland Recordsand Republic Records on December 30, 2013, to positive reviews. It had low first-week sales[24]of just over 500 copies.[25][26]On September 14, 2015, Wilson released the mixtapeBack to the Woodsannouncing that the project was just "something to share before a sophomore".[27]In March 2017 Wilson released "Resurrection".[28][29]

Artistry

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Influences

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After Wilson moved to New York and began listening tosecularmusic, they became inspired by artists such asEminem,Kanye West,Nicki Minaj,DrakeandLil Wayne.[11]"The artists that I identify [with] mostly are the ones who are so uncompromisingly themselves," Wilson said in a 2014Rolling Stoneinterview. "Like, 'Fuck you. I don't care what you think about it. This is who I am. And I can either force-feed you this shit, or you can take it as you will.'"[15]

Public image

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Wilson raps about themes such ashomophobia,rape cultureandracism.They use their personal experiences to condemn a culture that breeds the self-harm of queer youth.[21]Wilson has also been open about their experience withmental illnessessuch asaddiction,posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD),depressionandanorexia[30]in their music and in interviews and social media.

Wilson sees their goal as an artist to reach out to people who are similar to them or going through difficult experiences.[21]They said, "It's not about the Bible. It's not about going to church. It's not about anything other than that we are all energies connected with a force that's greater than us. It's an energy that's omniscient, it covers the whole world, and everybody here is created for a reason. Mine happens to be to make the music and inspire the people who are stuck in dark places."[31]

In a 2014Vicecolumn, Wilson discussedcultural appropriationand white artists making hip hop, saying "There seems to be this hypocrisy because people want to appropriate black culture but only when it's cool or beneficial to them… And that's the reason that people don't have a right, to some extent, to use black music to their own gains."[32]

Personal life

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Wilson ispansexualandagender.[33]They have said: "People talking about me, like, 'I'm glad there's an actual woman of color representingqueernessand pansexuality, someone who is like me in the spotlight.' "[34]In 2015, Wilson noted that in an interview withBuzzFeedthat they identify as neither male nor female and explained, "I feel like my agenderness and my gender identity have evolved".[33]In 2016, they told theEvening Standardthat they preferred he/him or she/her pronouns, expressing their feeling that, when reading articles about themself, "I sound like four people when I get written about as 'they.' It drives me crazy... If you call me 'him' or 'her,' it doesn't matter to me. I don't consider myself of any sex. I consider myself an experience."[35]Wilson has since begun usingthey/thempronouns.[36][37]

In an interview withThe Guardian,Wilson stated that, "Love is boundary-less. If you can make me feel, if you can make me laugh—and that's hard to do—then I can be with you."[1]In 2014, Haze was in a relationship with modelIreland Baldwin.[38]The two broke up a year later.[39]

Wilson recorded a cover ofMacklemore's"Same Love,"[40]which chronicled their own personal experiences. They opened up about their struggles with family over sexuality and growing up LGBTQ. In a 2017Billboardinterview they stated, "When I was young… I didn't understand what was going on. I didn't understand that I could be attracted to men and women at the same time."[31]

In 2015, Wilson began working on a body image project titled "The Naked Eye" incorporating nude photographs and interviews of people withbody dysmorphia.[21]The project aims to create a conversation about conventional and mainstream beauty standards.

Wilson is self-taught in theCherokee languageand celebrates their multiracial heritage. They also self-identify astwo-spirit.[21]

Discography

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Main article:Angel Haze discography

Filmography

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Television

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Year Film Role Notes
2015 Catfish: The TV Show[41] Co-host Season 4 – Episode 3

Awards and nominations

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Year Organization Award Work Result
2012 MTV Brand New For 2013[42] — Nominated
BBC Sound of 2013[22][43] Third
2013 Popdust Next Pop Superstar of 2013[44] — Nominated
O Music Awards Best Web-Born Artist[45]
2014 BET Awards Best Female Hip Hop Artist[46]
MTV Video Music Awards Best Video with a Social Message[47] "Battle Cry"
2015 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Music Artist —

See also

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References

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  1. ^abHoby, Hermione (September 1, 2012)."Angel Haze: 'Right now, no one can beat me'".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.RetrievedFebruary 23,2016.
  2. ^abDiu, Nisha Lilia (October 13, 2013)."Interview: Angel Haze, the rapper fighting rape culture".Telegraph.co.uk.RetrievedFebruary 23,2016.
  3. ^Tom Lamont (February 22, 2014)."Angel Haze: 'My mum knew I was going to tell everything'".The Guardian.RetrievedJanuary 31,2018.
  4. ^"Officially changed my artist name to ROES",Facebook,September 30, 2022,retrievedSeptember 30,2022
  5. ^"Angel Haze Talks Universal Republic Deal, Debut Album, & Azealia Banks Collabo".Billboard.RetrievedApril 18,2016.
  6. ^"Reviews for Back To The Woods by Angel Haze – Metacritic".Metacritic.
  7. ^"Azealia Banks and ROES trade shots on Twitter".Rap-Up.RetrievedDecember 4,2013.
  8. ^abcdeLamont, Tom (February 22, 2014)."Angel Haze: 'My mum knew I was going to tell everything'".the Guardian.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  9. ^"Interview: Angel Haze, the rapper fighting rape culture".The Daily Telegraph.RetrievedJuly 6,2024.
  10. ^"Osheaga's last female rapper standing".Cult MTL.August 2, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 2,2023.
  11. ^abSway's Universe (December 20, 2012),Angel Haze Elaborates on Their Experience in Cult Life and Performs "New York",retrievedApril 19,2018
  12. ^ab"Who is Angel Haze? Their Relationship With Religion".Complex.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  13. ^Macpherson, Alex (January 31, 2013)."Rapper Angel Haze on religion, rape, and survival".The Guardian.London.RetrievedJune 13,2013.
  14. ^"33 Rappers Reppin' A City Where They Weren't Born".xxlmag.Dan Rys. March 30, 2015.RetrievedOctober 6,2018.
  15. ^ab"Angel Haze's No-Nonsense Hip-Hop Journey".Rolling Stone.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  16. ^"Who is Angel Haze?Growing Up in Multiple Cities".Complex.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  17. ^ab"Who is Angel Haze? Their Obsession With Neurology and Other Interests".Complex.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  18. ^abc"Who is Angel Haze? Their Unique Personality".Complex.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  19. ^"Who is Angel Haze? Taking Rap Seriously".Complex.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  20. ^"Reviews for Reservation [Mixtape] by Angel Haze – Metacritic".Metacritic.
  21. ^abcde"The Evolution Of Angel Haze".BuzzFeed.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  22. ^ab"Sound of 2013 Profiles: Angel Haze".BBC. December 9, 2012.RetrievedDecember 10,2012.
  23. ^"Angel Haze Says 'F**k You' to Label, Leaks their Album".Rap-Up.
  24. ^"Reviews for Dirty Gold by Angel Haze – Metacritic".Metacritic.
  25. ^"Angel Haze Isn't Bothered ByHerLow Record Sales – XXL ".XXL.January 14, 2014.
  26. ^"Angel Haze's Dirty Gold sold 857 copies first week in the UK, not the Billboard 200 – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music".FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.January 7, 2014.
  27. ^"Stream: Angel Haze's new project Back to the Woods".Consequence of Sound.September 14, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 8,2016.
  28. ^"Angel Haze's 'Resurrection' Video Premiere: The 'Spiritual' Rapper Talks Upcoming Album and Sampling John Mayer".Billboard.
  29. ^"Angel Haze Has A Point To Prove On" Resurrection "".
  30. ^"How Angel Haze Turned Tragedy Into Triumph On Back To The Woods".The FADER.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  31. ^ab"Angel Haze's 'Resurrection' Video Premiere: The 'Spiritual' Rapper Talks Upcoming Album and Sampling John Mayer".Billboard.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  32. ^"Angel Haze:" It Feels Like a Punch To The Gut When Someone Takes Our Culture and Runs With It "".Noisey.January 20, 2015.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  33. ^abKeating, Shannon (March 27, 2015)."The Evolution Of Angel Haze".BuzzFeed.RetrievedApril 18,2016.
  34. ^Symonds, Alexandria (February 4, 2014)."EXCLUSIVE: Angel Haze on questioning their family, their sexuality & God".Out Magazine.San Francisco, California:Here Media.RetrievedApril 18,2016.
  35. ^Smyth, David (January 15, 2016)."Angel Haze, interview: 'At home, I'm dead. But on stage, I'm God'".Evening Standard.London, England:Daily Mail and General Trust.RetrievedSeptember 4,2016.
  36. ^Parkins, Cameron (February 22, 2021)."Angel Haze".StandWithTrans.RetrievedNovember 9,2021.
  37. ^Weintraub, Allison (September 14, 2015)."Pansexual, agender rapper Angel Haze to release new album".The Oklahoma Daily.RetrievedNovember 9,2021.
  38. ^Cavan Sieczkowski, "Angel Haze On Relationship With Ireland Baldwin: ‘We F**k And Friends Don’t F**k’,"HuffPost,June 27, 2014.
  39. ^Gabrielle Korn, "did angel haze and ireland baldwin just break up?"Nylon,February 5, 2015.
  40. ^"Angel Haze Wants to Be a Hippie".Rolling Stone.RetrievedApril 19,2018.
  41. ^"Angel Haze on" Catfish "and helping a homophobic mom love her bisexual daughter on" Truce "- AfterEllen".AfterEllen.March 11, 2015.
  42. ^"MTV's Brande New For 2013 Nominees announced".MTV. November 28, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon November 13, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 14,2013.
  43. ^"BBC Sound of 2013: Angel Haze".BBC. January 2, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 2,2013.
  44. ^"VOTE NOW! Help Decide The Next Pop Superstar of 2013!".Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2015.
  45. ^"Best Web-Born Artist".Viacom.Archived fromthe originalon February 6, 2015.RetrievedAugust 1,2013.
  46. ^"Best Female Hip Hop Artist".BET.Archived fromthe originalon May 17, 2014.
  47. ^"2014 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations: Get The Full List".MTV. July 17, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon July 17, 2014.RetrievedAugust 26,2014.
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