US rapper Angel Haze said she was sick of waiting for the go ahead from her label Island Records to release her debut Dirty Gold, so she took matters in her own hands. Haze turned to Twitter in the early hours of the morning to leak the record herself, months before its due date.
“Since they don’t want to put it out this year, I will. Here’s the album. HERE IS DIRTY GOLD. I hope you all enjoy it,” wrote the young artist to her fans. She also took the opportunity to air her grievances against the record label in a lengthy explanation for her surprise decision.
“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,” she wrote, followed by a series of tweets outlining her frustrations.
“So sorry to Island/Republic Records, but fuck you,” she continued. “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,” finished Haze before publishing a SoundCloud link to her album, that has since been removed.
ISLAND/REPUBLIC RECORDS HAVE SINCE BUMPED UP THE ALBUM’S RELEASE TO 30 DECEMBER.
Haze came to public attention over the past few years after building a steady underground following. She has been candidly honest about her struggles with depression and history of sexual abuse and made waves earlier this year during a highly publicised Twitter feud with her peer Azalea Banks.
The label has yet to comment on the leak of the album, though the stream has been taken down. Dirty Gold was originally scheduled for release 4th March, however recent developments may see this date bumped up a few months.
Last year, fellow hip hop crew Death Grips made a similar label-defying move, posting their record No Love Deep Web online for free without permission. Epic Records, their label, dropped Death Grips not long after after.
Since they don't want to put it out this year, I will. Here's the album. HERE IS DIRTY GOLD. I hope you all enjoy it. http://t.co/MPmWL4AhoP
— Ala$ka Yxxng (@AngelHaze) December 18, 2013
UPDATE [3:50pm/19 December]: The record company has since moved up Dirty Gold‘s release date to 30 December. More details can be found here
