Houston-based rapper HVN is truly having a moment. Stemming from his standout feature on Don Toliver‘s Life Of A Don, the newly-signed Interscope artist’s latest project All Girls Go To Heaven is a testament to the raging talent’s iridescent sound.
ALL GIRLS GO TO HEAVEN
— SOOAN (@hvn323) November 4, 2021
November 10th.
Love all the love y’all show to the Texas kid, let’s keep going… pic.twitter.com/p62ZqRZBDh
H-Town has been a breeding ground for new artists all throughout hip-hop history, and HVN is slowly becoming a part of its legacy. Appearing on the hook to Toliver’s “SMOKE,” fans instantly gravitated toward his raspy auto-tuned inflections and hypnotic vocals. Linking up with Cactus Jack and Toliver almost seemed to be a match made in heaven, as the Houston natives’ chemistry seemingly lifted HVN’s star to new heights.
While experiencing a quick ascent into the spotlight, the 20-year-old singer-rapper has been on his grind for some time now. Dropping his debut album Welcome To Heaven in February 2020, the 7-track project enamors with grainy, otherworldly vocals and hard-hitting bars about struggle, love and self-inflicted pain. Now on All Girls Go To Heaven, he further details the mysterious trials and tribulations of HVN — offering eight new additions to his growing discography.
November 10th…
— SOOAN (@hvn323) November 8, 2021
ALL GIRLS GO TO HEAVEN. pic.twitter.com/xZRLxqdTIi
On the album’s lead single “MARINE,” HVN finds balance within the glitchy nuances of the track’s rage-induced chorus — spitting cold-hearted bars about bags, racks and designer fits flexing his drip. With euphoric production and distorted 808-progressions, “MARINE” is more than just an underwater thrill ride — it’s an experience into his razor-sharp soundscape that he’s defining piece by piece.
On other tracks like “4AM,” “SIMPLE,” “EYES CLOSED” and “HISNEYLAND,” HVN hops on reverse-rage type production with winding synths and iridescent auto-tune — rapping with a refined finesse unfounded in such young talent. “SIMPLE’s” finishing flourish of a hypnotic guitar solo offers a deeper look into the soundscape he curates. With a blend different genres, HVN is able to seamlessly channel moods and compress each track into one cohesive sound. Simply put, the Houston native is making his mark — and an impactful one at that.
HVN’s battle with Sickle Cell Anemia is somewhat of an underlying motive within his music, as he speaks on many struggles stemming from the lifelong disease. His track “DEMON” further dives into this topic, revealing that he experienced two strokes and received brain surgery to fix the problem before the age of 15. The disease eventually became the inspiration point for HVN’s brand, “Don’t Die,” which has grown into a staple in Houston, both in fashion and the live performance scene.
“I’ve been through a lot of dark times. So honestly, I don’t know how to put into words how I’m feeling about everything. I’m just enjoying it, and I’m very thankful for everyone behind me and especially the city of Houston.”
HVN via Pigeons & Planes
While the young Houstonian continues to build his discography, the “New Wave” only seems to keep building with culture-shifting artists like HVN leading the charge for change.
Listen to HVN’s “All Girls Go To Heaven” below!
