HAVi

Bickery when it comes to talent can be a all day conversation and endless to the closed minded. While the northwest scene is at a all time best as far as progression it is also at a all time high with I suddenly think I can rap syndrome. With that it sometimes makes it harder for highly talented artists like Havi Blaze to make a statement. Rapping for awhile now Havi really started to take the serious route when him and Ste-Hood hooked up as “The Realest” in 2010. Really a slept on project it was severely overlooked but since then Havi has taken the solo route gaining ground with the “Purple And Gold” mixtape in 2011. While his highlight reel is short his fanbase and press coverage continue to grow simply because people respect his talent. In preparation for his next project Havi releases his latest single “Im On It”. - Tha Northwest

When it comes to being hungry there are those that settle for the next meal and those that never want to be hungry again. Havi Blaze seems to be the latter of the two which is highly evident with his latest project “Purple & Gold: The Balance”. After an introductory phase of finding himself as an artist under the name Xplosive the new title Havi Blaze would come into introduction on last year’s group project “Till I Fall” with Ste-Hood. Collectively known as “The Realest” the album seemed to be overlooked by many even though it featured several noteworthy tracks and showcased Havi’s production genius all throughout. Seems as if the judge scale has always been tilted in favor of artists with talent vs those without talent but as the years have progressed the scales have tipped in opposition for hobbyists to add rapper beside their name. A trait that is not often recited but is crucial to success is the portrayal of being personable whether it is real or an image fans want to be a part of your world. Talent only accounts for so much of the equation which equals success but one of the strongest points for Havi is his ability to rap with personal substance and entice you into a world with his lyrics which always tell a story. Only less than a year removed from his last project the growth is tremendous. Though this particular project follows a mixtape format with several originals mixed with several borrowed tracks at some point while listening you will be in awe due to thoughts of Havi’s future potential. For an outright first solo effort Havi carries himself well and the project should serve its purpose of gaining him some more exposure. A true solo album or some EP’s are definitely in need! - Tha Northwest

Havi Blaze is talented enough to do any kind of music he wants but has never really been bout the BS when it comes to his music. While production is important part of any song the thought of hearing an artist go accapella and still have substance is something Havi addresses well. While everyone raps not everyone should be able to hold creed to the title of being a rapper, it definitely should be earned and Havi known for leaking songs regularly drops his latest “Im A Murderer”. Covering a controversial topic in his own story-toned flow Havi continues to pride Tacoma well. - Tha Northwest

We've already had a bunch of high-profile mixtapes and/or albums drop this year from some of the top Tacoma MC's. One in particular is getting mad spins, critical acclaim and props from heads all over Sea-Tac.

I speak of Havi Blaze's solo mixtape, Purple and Gold the Balance. Havi keeps it in the family, as his only feature on the album is his rhyme-partner, Ste-Hood - the other half of Havi's group, the Realest. Notable production comes from Seattle's Jester and 11:30, who each have one banger on the album.

Havi's flow and content are wise beyond his age, being that he's only in his early 20s. His flow has been compared to Phonte of Little Brother, which is good company to be in. Havi's rise to the top of the local scene happened quickly. Two years ago the Realest dropped their first album. The album got props in Tacoma and soon the Realest became a well-respected hip-hop group around town.

Then Havi started dropping quality, well-made, polished singles on all the local hip-hop bulletins. These were well received to say the least - catapulting Havi to the top of the hip-hop class. Soon he was opening for large national acts as they came through Seattle. Currently, Havi's mixtape is being featured on almost all local hip-hop blogs and is also receiving great reviews from Seattle's notoriously hard-to-please hip-hop audience.

Here's what Havi Blaze said about his project: "I just want people to listen to my music; the lyrics and the instrumentals I create and put an incredible amount of time and effort into doing both well. I tell stories, talk about my own life as well as others'. I want people to appreciate and respect my ability to do this well. At the same time I want to make an amazing amount of money and take advantage of all of the opportunities of life. I want both of these aspects to equally be at the forefront of my music career. This represents "The Balance" which is the concept for my mixtape." - Josh Rizeberg (Weekly Volcano)

There's a lot to like about Tacoma/Seattle rapper Havi Blaze, and his freely downloadable "Purple & Gold - The Balance" mixtape: clever lyrics from the heart of a college student and rapper's rapper, winningly organized around themes like being a better man, trying hard at life, remaining open to various lessons.

He's an anonymous rapper until you realize he's telling you his story and putting it artfully, with careful attention to syllable spacing, breath control, and non-cliche punchlines.

"Celebration" is a happy-to-be-alive/ready-for-the-next-move song, over a famous Willie Hutch loop, with strings and trumpets arcing overhead. - Matson on Music (Seattle Times)

Havi Blaze, nee UW student Xavier Cox, first popped on my radar with Till I Fall, the LP from his group The Realest (not to be confused with Death Row's fake 2Pac from a million years ago mind you) alongside his partner Ste Hood. The Tacoma-repping Havi stood out with his thorough bars and steady promo, earning props for a little-known crew from local lisiteners. Some time later he dropped a UW-minded remix of Wiz Khalifa's "Black & Yellow" called "Purple & Gold" (Blaze is due to graduate from UW soon); at first I wrote it off, only because I was writing off every "Black & Yellow" remix. There was no denying, however, that Havi was spitting, and he was soon seeing spins, daytime on KUBE 93, which, for better or for worse, is still the gold standard the majority of rap fans in the Puget Sound. With his stock on the rise, he popped up on Scribes' latest album What Was Lost, and via Twitter and forums like 206 Proof, continually pumped leaks from an upcoming mixtape named after his Husky anthem.

Purple & Gold: The Balance is a showcase for Havi's indeed well balanced lyricism and flow; while clearly reaching out to the masses that feel alienated by light-on-the-rap contemporary hiphop tunes (if only they'd quit the corporarate radio/TV/magazines, they might realize that real shit never went anywhere), it's no dinosaur-rap appeasal-hop going on here (aside from the ubiquitous skinny-jeans diss on "On To The Next One").

Havi can spin a yarn, boast, brag, reminisce and regret like a seasoned vet—in fact, his tireless flow reminds me a little bit of Detroit's Elzhi, a helluva MC if there ever was; he's also got a knack for putting actual songs together, songs that stay with me and beg for more iTunes clicks.

Really, it's almost too bad this is just a mixtape, because (unless I'm mistaken) there's a wealth of great songs over original beats; Havi has a good album here. Then again, what does any of that mean anymore? This is Havi's album, and lucky you, you can find it for free here. - Larry Mizell Jr. (Line Out: The Stranger)

Havi, formerly Havi Blaze (and formerly of the group The Realest), is the consummate scene underdog—scrappy, cornered-feeling, frustrated with being slept upon; he's also one of the best pure rappers (and producers) out here. His new video is directed by Art Vandelay's Ricky Pharoe, who's been making some promising forays into video work as of late. - Larry Mizell Jr. (Line Out: The Stranger)