Music Video Spotlight: “Battle Cry” by Angel Haze feat. Sia

I’ve been following the work of rapper-singer Angel Haze since I checked out a few of her mixtapes in 2011. If you aren’t familiar with her, check out this Buzzfeed post I did about her using my real name.

The main thing I enjoy about the “Battle Cry” music video is that it shows how far she has come as a person.  In interviews and songs like “Cleanin Out My Closet”, she has spoken about a personal history that has included a religious “cult” and being sexually abused. Yet, this video and song shows that she has survived this and then some to become a strong person.

By giving this video an extremely personal touch, she has shown how humble she can be as a musician and a person. Before I saw this video and listened to this song many times, I worried she would pull the same superficial stunt she did for “Echelon (It’s My Way”). Instead,  she used  her personal history to create a music video that strengthens the song’s empowering message.