Lil Haze Featuring Ying Yang Twins: “Whut It Iz”

Lil Haze is a man on a mission; determined to discover new lands and new civilizations in the vast world of hip-hop. Lyrically, conceptually and musically, he’s in another orbit hovering over earth waiting for his opportunity to make a dynamic landing that will forever change the landscape of hip-hop as we know it.

With the release of his debut CD, Doin da Most (Birmingham Records), the 22-year-old Birmingham native is determined to put the “Magic City” on hip-hop’s map and he’s vowed to do it without verbal misogyny or profanity. “I don’t really use profanity in my lyrics,” says Haze. “I’m trying to bring a whole new flavor.” The father of a young daughter, Haze stresses that his commitment to making vulgarity-free music has nothing to do with recent movements to clean up hip-hop. “Now that it’s all coming to the light I’m comfortable with it but it’s always been in me to be that way,” he says.

And so far it looks like earthlings are getting his message loud and clear. His lead single, “Whut It Iz,” featuring Ying Yang Twins, has been a favorite among local fans and has begun to spread quickly across the southeast. And there’s more where that came from.

Doin da Most is a musical constellation of non-threatening, feel-good beats and rhymes that hearken back to the early days of hip-hop when having fun was the primary focus of music.

One of Haze’s favorites, “Git to da Flo,” rekindles that old party spirit and is the song that Haze says best describes who he is and what he’s about. “‘Git to da Flo’ sends a positive messages to the kids,” he explains. “If you go out and listen to some of these rappers – I’m not knocking everybody but there’s a few – they’re disrespecting women, but this song says you don’t have to disrespect women to have a good time, so let’s have fun cause that’s what I’m all about – having a good time.”

“Haze Cares” is a joint that truly gives listeners a peek inside the rapper’s heart and soul. “It just puts you in the zone when you listen to it. It’s talking about all the kids out there who don’t have a father or mother figure in their lives right now. I’m sayin’ ‘I know life ain’t easy so I’m trying to do it for my folks that really need it.’ I’m letting them know that if nobody else cares, Haze cares.”

“Snap Shawty” is a double-edge lyrical sword, serving both as a party-starting chant as well as an admonition to would-be trouble makers. Of all the CD’s songs, Haze says it is by far the edgiest. “This song talks about all the ways shawty can snap: it can be a girl in the club, on the dance floor or a guy hitting somebody over the head with a bottle.”

On the ultra melodic “Grants and Abes,” Haze proves that even a clear-cut strip club joint can be tasteful. “We’re not disrespecting women,” he lends. “We’re doing it in a nice professional manner that even the ladies will like and respect and accept it for what it’s worth and not take it the wrong way.”

Rounding out Doin da Most is “Dubs,” a riding song spiked by a naughty, slithering track, “Bounce,” notable for its dramatic bass line and Haze’s brash vocal delivery and “What I’m About,” which boasts the rapper’s non-stop flow sweetened by the crooning of a female vocalist in the background.

Lil Haze says he is ready to show the world that hip-hop life does indeed exist in Birmingham, Alabama. “We doin’ big things down here in the ham” says Lil Haze and he’s set to show the world just how he’s livin’ the good life; having a good time doing it the only way he knows how, by Doin’ da Most.