All Gas, No Brakes: Calgary Will Haze Reclaims the Stage

Hailey Bell
Aug 2
3 min read

Name: Will Haze

Location:

Calgary Alberta

Instagram or Website:

www.Linktr.ee/WillHaze

Category:

Emcee | DJ | Podcaster | Designer

Entertainer for Higher

💬 INTRODUCTION

I’ve been in this game since high school — started out freestyling and battling for nothing but the love of it.

We’d bounce from school to school, hit house parties, and battle whoever had the crown in their crew — always for cash, always for bragging rights. That energy is what first put my name out there. Eventually, a homie dragged me into the studio to record a track. One session turned into two… then it became a movement. The rest? History.

DJing came later — right in the middle of COVID. A shout out to my guy Vex Cobo — he put me on during a Twitch stream where I was just supposed to be the hype man. Next thing I knew, I was learning the decks, and I picked it up like a fat kid picks up cake. Now I’m rocking crowds from behind the booth just as hard as I do on the mic.

At the end of the day, whether it’s rhymes, beats, visuals, or straight vibes — I’m all in.

🔥 THE PASSION

Music has always been in my blood. I come from a musical family — my grandmother was a well-known blues and bluegrass singer, and her voice and performances lit a fire in me early on. Growing up in Hip Hop’s golden era, it felt like destiny; the energy, the storytelling, the culture — it all clicked. From the jump, I knew I belonged on stage, entertaining crowds and leaving everything out there.

What keeps me motivated when things get tough?

My kids are watching. My family’s watching. My team is watching — and so are the ones praying I’ll slip.

I don’t get the luxury of quitting.

I took some time away to reflect and reset, but while I was gone, a lot of people got comfortable.

Now I’m back — and I’m here to remind them exactly who I am.

🍁🇨🇦 COMMUNITY & CANADIAN PRIDE

My family — on both my mom’s and dad’s sides — were among the first Black families to settle in Alberta, in Amber Valley. There are books written about them. That history, that legacy, is something I carry with me everywhere I go.

Even though my roots trace back to Mississippi and Missouri, Canada is home. Where I grew up, there was a strong Caribbean presence. And while I wasn’t from the islands myself and sometimes felt like I didn’t fully fit in, the one thing that always grounded me was that shared Canadian identity.

So when I call myself a Canadian creative, it’s deeper than just geography. It’s about honoring my family’s legacy, repping my city, and carrying that pride every time I step on stage, drop a beat, or speak my truth.

🚀 BUILDING THE DREAM

Hands down, one of my proudest moments was being hired to open the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show.

Ten nights straight — just me, the mic, DJ Wayne B, and 20,000 people in the stands. No frills. No gimmicks. Just raw energy.

Keeping that crowd locked in — dancing, laughing, cheering night after night — was something I’ll never forget. That stage changed me. It proved I could hold my own, no matter how big the crowd or how high the stakes.

🤝 NETWORKING SPOT

I’m always looking for collabs that feel left-field but just… click. The kind where you wouldn’t expect it to work — and then it blows your mind.

One dream Collab? Deadmau5. I’ve always wondered what would happen if we blended my Hip Hop roots with his electronic genius. I think we could create something next-level — something that pushes boundaries and makes people rethink what Canadian music can sound like.

🎶 CLOSING

There’s a lot cooking right now:

Re-releasing my album “It Was About You” (#IWAY) — this one’s for the day-ones who’ve been waiting.
Launching my clothing line — a soft launch is coming in the next couple months, built with purpose and real intention.
Relaunching the “I Want All The Smoke” podcast — bigger, louder, and unapologetically us.
Spinning at Puff & Paint at the end of August — always a vibe, always unforgettable.
Hitting stages with Mason Xross — if you know Mason, you know he stays moving, so expect to see me in a lot of cities this season.