Today we’d like to introduce you to Haf n’ haf.

Hi Haf n’ haf,  it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

Though my I don’t come from a legacy of music makers, there has always been a deep appreciation of music in my family tree. This is fairly common but I suppose what was not so common was my personal fascination with all things melodic. Looking back, I learned to read & memorize lyrics fairly early in life so it only makes sense that I began penning my own little rhymes at age eleven. A year later I found myself performing an original full length song I wrote to DMX & Swizz Beats’ “Get It On the Floor” in the humble gymnasium of my Catholic grade school for a talent show. It makes me chuckle now knowing how unapologetically hardcore the original record is. The banger of a beat juxtaposed by my elementary lyrical content. Regardless, I was instantly hooked on the high of it all. I can’t recall any details but the reaction of my peers, school volunteers & staff was validating enough for me to decide that music was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Throughout the rest of my school days, I made a point to sign up & perform in every platform made available, whether a coffeehouse event, fashion show or orientation camp. Somewhere along the way I was blessed enough to be invited to a studio with adult rappers & record a few songs that would see some favorable play on Myspace. Once I established myself as a emcee within my high school, I caught the attention of lanky Ukrainian sophomore named Anton who shared a love for making music as well. We became fast friends & he began producing songs with me. We started a band called “Almost Saints” and even won a few high school Battle of the Bands. He ushered me into the world of home studios where we spent ample time having fun composing tunes together. Not only did he sing, but Anton had a background in guitar & piano which lent to his skills in beat making while I was strictly a writer & vocalist. With his help, I created and released three full-length & fully conceptualized mixtapes by the time I was 20. The first of which I recall selling copies of in my high school cafeteria during my senior year. When I was 19, I auditioned for a youth-based Toronto music festival in front of three panel judges. One of which was named Jerzee, who took a special interest in me. He asked me to stick around after the auditions were complete and introduced me to his manager, Skip. He told me he was rapper who had done shows with the likes of The Roots & Nelly and they showed me footage to prove it. They told me they dug my style and were interested in me joining their team & record label. They were older, stylish, suave & my interest was beyond piqued. In no time I was travelling with them to studios, shoots and label meetings in NYC & LA as well as touring all over Ontario. As the baby of the team, I never touched mic but rather acted as a hype man of sorts and soaked in as much industry advice as I could. Jerzee was my main mentor & even began introducing me as his little cousin. I was certain this rocket ship I was on would be the vehicle that helped me eventually soar to the top of the Billboards. We even became close to Justin Bieber’s camp & I partied at his place in Stratford. Eventually the team had a falling out & I found myself disillusioned not only the entire set up, but the music industry at large. By then I had grown distant from Anton and found myself lonely, depressed and aimless. I spent a few years building myself back up while seeking spirituality and love, only to realize that music would always be my passion no matter what. With that said, I decided I’d do whatever I had to do to get back to making music, even if it meant I did it completely independently. I built a PC tower part by part & eventually put together a basic home studio of my own. I learned how to record and mix myself using a digital audio workstation & began putting together new projects. Eventually I penetrated the Toronto music scene and began performing gigs and building a following. Not only that but I was quickly meeting and collaborating with a wealth of local independent artists. Since then I’ve had the blessing of linking up with producers to create more and more original projects, collaborating with countless artists, performing in music festivals, shooting music videos, being interviewed, seeing radio play and beyond. Its felt like a lifetime and a blur all at once and I although I had some deeply dark eras, I would not change a damn detail when it comes to journey to becoming the artist I am today.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

No road is smooth forever. Along my creative path I’ve dealt with self doubt, family based guilt shaming, deep depressions, scammers, mentally unwell fanboys & girls, petty beef, romantic drama, unhealthy amounts of liquor and cannabis, cancelled gigs, pandemic-based lockdowns preventing performances, copycats, blackballers, Karens, failed projects, backstabbing, poverty, grooming, dangerous environments & plenty more I’ve likely repressed entirely.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

I am an artist first and foremost. Music being the medium in which I thrive the most. I’m known for my quality creative projects, lifegiving lyricism, performance prowess, goofy sense of humor, vibrant visuals, worldbuilding and authentic approach to musicmaking. I am most proud of my ability to remain unique within a world full of derivative folk who are fearful of being completely vulnerable with their art. What sets me apart is the fact that no one on this big blue planet shares the story that I am currently living. No one can match the steps I’ve taken to get to where I’m at currently & no one will ever be able to replicate my future creative trajectory.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?

I was born a biracial only child which comes with its fair share of confusion, curiosity, neuroticism and silliness. I would describe myself as an avid reader, writer, drawer & joke maker. I never clung to tightly to one crowd as I was always interested in soaking in as much humanity as I could from a young age. I have always loved animals, nature and getting immersed in the great outdoors. I consider myself an extroverted introvert who took a while to shed his shyness and had my heads in the books before I did any social circles. I was never the most popular kid but I got along well with everyone from the jocks, the geeks, to the burnouts and creeps. I loved to doodle, sketch, daydream and fall asleep in school. I was often a class clown and proud performer on faculty stages. I was considered a lover boy and some of my first raps could be found within individual Valentine’s I made from scratch for the worthy girlies in my classes. I transmuted my fair share of childhood trauma into laughter and the arts. The former being what I was taught growing up within Irish and Guyanese households, the latter being what I taught myself from a young age. I was given free range to roam around alone or with friends in Toronto on my bike or via public transit, which gifted me with an independent spirit and street smarts. I was highly active and spent ample time rollerblading, skateboarding and snowboarding in my youth. I spent many summers in Florida as my grandma lived in Tampa where I became a strong swimmer became endeared to all things southern. I grew up Catholic but music and comedy were my two religions of choice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.likethecream.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hafnhaf
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hafnhaf