Angel Haze
Dirty Gold
(Universal)

Rap newcomer Angel Haze may have rush-released her debut album, Dirty Gold, in early December, but to be honest, leaving it on the shelf until its March release date might have helped the creative process.

The rough and rugged Angel Haze from 2012’s Reservation mixtape is the artist I was expecting on Dirty Gold; no less honest, but definitely still grimy in a sense of her Detroit upbringing. However, the Angel Haze presented on her major-label debut is an artist that is definitely gunning for a Top 40 spot. Not that there is anything wrong with wanting a mainstream career after being underground for many years. It has its perks with better tours, promotion, marketing and the like, but at least remain original in creating music that has a beating heart — music that tells your story. Dirty Gold is a story but it lacks the originality and chutzpah of her previous projects.

Either way, after “leaking” her own album, Haze’s record label, Republic Records, decided to officially release it December 30th.