New Artist Spotlight - Hayes

If you're wondering, Hayes is the one in the picture above to the far right with his arm around Dr. Dre. Pretty hard to find this dude on the web (no wikis), but here's a start with his website titled iamhayes, which looks to be a pretty well crafted site (lots of flash with "surveillance photos", buddy icons, wallpapers etc.). Self described as a "Detroit born Cali transplant", he has the something out of nothing story where he dropped out of school at an early age, sold drugs to make ends meet etc...you know the stuff they talk about in Gangsta Rap, he lived it.

Rather than get too deep on his story and where he's coming from, I think it's best that you get a view first hand of one of his intense and real stories with his intro to his latest mixtape The First 48 titled Welcome to the First 48 (this is the track that plays when you first enter his website)...


Definitely in your face with the language and intensity, no doubt. Really like how he shows the ability to build and tear down emotion based on the intensity of the beat.

You may ask though, what's so great about this guy? He sounds like Shyne (who was a underappreciated rapper in my opinion before he got locked up) telling Gangsta Rap tales 50 Cent style. Well, the answer to that is pretty simple, he's co-signed to Interscope Records through Dr. Dre and to Mosley Music Group...hmm Mosley Music Group...wait isn't there a Tim Mosley?? Ah yes, Timbaland...who runs Mosley Music Group. Here's a quote from Timbo describing the signing of Hayes:

“Me and Dre just signed this guy named Hayes from Detroit. Incredible storyteller. Incredible. Reminds me of how B.I.G. tells his stories. He kind of was around the table. He wrote some of Dre’s Detox – if Dre is ever gonna do it – but he wrote a lot of that for Dre. He’s just been around the camp. I knew him from my homeboy, so he’s been around both camps. Me and Dre both think he’s a crazy artist. So we said: Let’s do him together.” - Source

From Hayes's perspective on the signing and working on tour with Timbaland:

“The deal is that Dre does half of my album and Tim does the other half. So after shows, Tim is recording tracks with me on the tour bus or we go to the studio and work." - Source

Let's do him together??? Laying down tracks on Timbo's tour bus while touring with him??? Damn, I'd equate that to winning the Powerball lottery in two different countries. The good news is, Hayes understands he's in a privileged position and all he has to do is not screw up or go to jail to make the best of this situation. When asked what are you learning working with Dr. Dre? Hayes said,

"The greatest thing about working with Dre is the learning process, because it’s two totally different classes (Dre and Timbaland) and they’re both great classes. If you could come out of either one of these schools, you’ll be great. I’m with two great teachers and I’m learning a lot and I would say the best part about this process is studying under Dre and Timb because they teach you how to make good music."- Source

So let's connect the dots here:

1) Dr. Dre (legendary producer) sought out and signed Hayes through Interscope records.
2) Timbaland (legendary producer) thought Hayes was such a good storyteller that he talked Dr. Dre into co-signing him.
3) Hayes is helping write Detox...yes Detox, that album that started being recorded in 2004 and has been rumored to be coming out EVERY year since then, but evidently the formula isn't quite right so we're left waiting...for years...but Hayes is talented enough to help Dr Dre with it.

While I haven't really heard a WOW! track from Hayes yet and sort of question just how easily he will be able to carve a niche into a fading sub-genre of Hip Hop (Gantsta Rap), I'm finding it really really hard to believe he's not going to succeed given the producers who have invested in him. I figure if looks like it, smalls like it and feels like it, it must be it right?

While the jury is still out and the comparisons to Biggie are definitely premature, I'm thinking Dre and especially Timbo will maybe tone down Hayes' vulgarity and the degree of realness to his stories, so that his stories will come off as well conceived and articulated, but still real enough to know he experienced it (like Biggie)...rather than like 50 cent who has been successful through his portrayal of Gangsta Rap, but lyrically could never be considered half as legendary as Biggie because he lacks the engaging lyrical content that connects with everyone, not just hardcore rap fans.

You be the judge, here are four of Hayes tracks, the first three from his new mixtape 
The Frist 48 (pictured below):

Hayes - Welcome to the First 48 RAW!! (From Video Above)


Hayes - I Can't Love You Hot!!!


Hayes - Big Boy Shit Hot!!

Hayes - Go Hard Hot!