Biggidy Bounce It
Jazz Fest, Congo Square Stage | Friday, April 26 | 12:20 p.m.
Only the most skilled musicians can make your body move using just their voice.
HaSizzle is known for his signature tongue trills, high pitched squeaks, and authentic crowd engagement. The King of Bounce unlocks something in audience members' minds that makes them dance like no one is watching.
"I am the most sampled artist from the state of Louisiana," he said. His unforgettable voice has been sampled in songs including "Act Bad" by Diddy featuring City Girls and Fabulous, "No Panties" by Sexyy Red and Raedio, "Save Me" by 2 Chainz featuring NBA Youngboy, and "Child's Play" by Drake. His musical influence has transcended bounce music and has widely spread throughout different genres.
"I just love non-stop dance music," HaSizzle said. "Some people tell me my music is like bounce techno. Some people say it's like bounce electronic, dance, and pop. Whatever it is, it's making us dance."
For the very first time, HaSizzle is a featured performer at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Friday, April 26, alongside a live band, DJ, and potential surprise guests. In previous years, he was a featured guest artist for other local talent. The 2023 Jazz Fest was supposed to be his debut solo fest performance, but it was rained out the day he was scheduled to perform. This year, he is returning for an epic performance in celebration of a 20-year-long career as HaSizzle.
Where Y'at: What can people expect from your Jazz Fest performance?
HaSizzle: "The performance at Jazz Fest is going to be a booty shakin', rump shakin', twerkin' event. As the King of Bounce, I have to make sure I bounce it and bounce it right. They can also expect the entertainer side of HaSizzle—the HaSizzle who knows how to sing and lyrically rap as a hip hop artist. Everyone knows me for bounce music, but they don't know what else I can do. They can expect a lot more."
WY: How do you get in the zone before a show?
HS: "I always try to outdo myself. Let's say, for instance, I danced for 20 minutes at a previous performance. Then at Jazz Fest, I'm trying to dance for 60 minutes. I love to make people smile. I love bringing joy to people. I don't perform any type of violent music. It is all about living your life and enjoying yourself because you never know when the next time will be."
WY: You have so many hit songs. Which ones can the audience expect to hear at Jazz Fest?
HS: "We're celebrating 20 years of HaSizzle. I know a lot of people are going to be looking forward to some of my older songs from 2005 like 'Rode That D*** Like a Soldier,' 'Biggity Bounce It,' 'Buckle Your Knees,' of course 'Getcha Sum,' 'Wanna Be Love,' 'Hoddy Toddy,' 'I See You Looking,' and also some new music. They might even get a little cover or two."
WY: What performances are you most excited to see at Jazz Fest?
HS: "I have to see Galactic. I love my good friend Jelly. I think Jelly is a big gem of the city. She is one of the best female vocalists out of our city. My good friend Freedia, the Queen Diva. Outside of the New Orleans artists, I think one of the main people I want to see is Fantasia."
WY: Will you have any new releases this year?
HS: "I am currently working on my new album Brass and Ass that I'll be releasing a few weeks before Jazz Fest. You can expect songs featuring the King and the Queen— HaSizzle and Big Freedia. Also coming from my new album, they can look out for different music videos."
WY: What can people expect from your new album?
HS: "Brass and Ass is a one-of-a-kind album. It was a creation that I always wanted to do—put brass/second line type of feel with bounce music. My new single and music video that I just recently dropped, 'All Alone,' gives everyone a taste of what that sounds like. It's really high vibrations. It is joyful music that makes you want to gyrate and move around. It features some amazing people like Irvin Mayfield, TBC Brass Band, and Sammy, who works with Trombone Shorty. He is also one of the people who helped me write ´All Alone.´ Also, Juicy, who's with TBC Brass Band. These guys are some dope producers and they've been working with brass music forever."
WY: What inspired you to bring the two worlds of bounce and brass together?
HS: "Me being a former band member. I'm still a band head. I always had this idea of putting that sound together. The same sound I used to march to with the second line bands in the street or at birthday parties when they show up. I've always had an ear for it."
WY: As the King of Bounce, what do you predict for the future of bounce music?
HS: "I want bounce music to go beyond. It needs its own category. It needs its own everything. Like the Grammys. I saw Jay-Z give a speech last night, and I totally agree with a lot of things he said, especially with award shows. They need a 'Best Twerk' award or the 'Best Twerk Artist.' They need something that is dedicated to us, because you have so many people building their careers off of twerk music, and they just took our bounce style and called it twerk. I could be the Michael Jackson of bounce. I could see it going very far. I'm not stopping."
