r e g n i r p S i j Ha world sonalities in the medical hen you have multiple per moncom it’s ld wor rap but in the it’s called schizophrenia, inger. Spr i Haj now Lil Wayne and place. It worked for Diddy, an all-white at rs colo ht brig ring wea Springer stands out like he’s raised on the grimy ian ethnicity, that he was party due partly to his Ind and for one of the s rap as importantly he streets of Oakland, and just . Bay the in most prominent rap labels
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record for the eration of Thizz artists who Unlike some of the new gen Haji is one of the few whom he shared a Dre, label but never knew Mac Mac Dre are cool,” h the King himself. “Me and personal relationship wit ance in Humboldt form per a r afte m roo el a hot he says reminiscing from up a lot of shows ned ope I and ne, r the pho and J. Diggs County. “I talked to him ove me th] [wi ’ nin away. ‘Rims Spin when he big for him before he passed l rea a certain time, and it was was actually my song at album?’ It gave me my on it put I ‘Can me, asked ustry.” my jump-start in the ind classic Thizz-certified In 2007 Haji released the financed videos for ally son per (he dy Bud Hello “Indian Rapper/I’m and k” Bac ji’s “Ha the singles the album by ted mo pro and A Do My Thang” mble a taxi cab) rese to i wrapping a Chrysler Hem first record, the his d ppe but eight years prior dro er the moniker und , Talk . P.I.D d uce rod Bambino-p P.I.D. alot had changed in Between the seven years hy movement was hyp the and a, the Bay Are t name in exchange tha d dde she taking off so he s “was getting say he m for Haji Springer, who on tracks for his king wor le Whi .” ney mo re mo ortunity that would next album Haji saw an opp explains, “[A] He . life his nge eventually cha when I seen so fed closed mouth don’t get , ‘Cuz, what’s up? I like was I day one gs Dig J. , I see your posters know you fresh out the pen I’m that Indian g; son a do s everywhere, let’ g purple clouds alin exh ly dude,’” he says slow fucked with me, and and e cam “He air. the in ‘Rims Spinnin’. It the first song we did was t me into Thizz and ugh bro gs was big how Dig . It was a blessing ody ryb introduced me to eve them even lettin’ for doing all that stuff [and] se I wasn’t black. ‘cau shit this in me a boy like I keep it real so but y alit ion nat I’m a different ” me. h wit that’s why they fuck l sounds of Bay artInfluenced by the musica Nickatina and Dre re And ily, fam ists like GLP h Keak the Sneak, wit ked Dog, and having wor i’s third album, Haj h Yukmouth, and Baby Bas Hindu version to a also re’s (the ce Prin Indian this year), is more be released in India later than the hyphy ent vem about the Haji mo conceited, but I’m on movement. “Not to sound doing,” he says, still I’m t wha of l leve r anothe India. “I can get to trip nt rece a weary from re about bringing mo it’s but hyphy sometimes rappin’ in my I’m le. that real music to the tab showing people it of e som on , too ge, langua h this shit. I let ‘em that I’m really flexible wit e spit it; it’s not a dud ian know that this Ind kid.” // the game. Do not sleep on Words by Kay Newell Photo by D-Ray
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