Flagboy Giz

Biography

Aaron 'Flagboy Giz' Hartley is a fifth-generation New Orleanian born and raised in the Ninth Ward who has emerged as a cultural torchbearer and sonic innovator bridging traditional Black New Orleans culture with contemporary music. After Hurricane Katrina displaced his family in 2005, Giz returned to his hometown to attend the University of New Orleans, where he graduated in 2011 and partnered with visual artist Brandan 'Bmike' Odums to form the 2Cent Collective, a youth-driven creative movement focused on art, media, and social change. His multifaceted artistic practice encompasses music production, audio engineering, beadwork using traditional Mardi Gras Indian techniques, and performance as an MC, establishing him as a Renaissance figure in New Orleans culture.

Giz's musical style represents a fearless fusion of West African rhythms, funk, brass band music, hip-hop, bounce, and street chants—the sacred traditions of his ancestors reimagined through the sounds of his city. His 2021 debut album Flagboy of the Nation introduced his dynamic sound to the world, followed by 2022's I Got Indian in My Family, which featured legendary producer Mannie Fresh and positioned Giz as both a cultural torchbearer and sonic innovator. His breakout single 'We Outside,' released in 2022, became an anthem in New Orleans and beyond, accumulating over 1 million YouTube views and 1.5 million streams across platforms before being licensed by the NFL for use in Super Bowl 59, exposing millions to the spirit of New Orleans backstreet culture.

Giz's impact has earned him national recognition and prestigious accolades, including features in The New York Times and CNN, a February 2023 cover of OffBeat Magazine, and multiple OffBeat Awards including Best Album, Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album, and Best Bounce Artist. In 2024, he represented the Louisiana/Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy at the Grammy Awards and received a Proclamation from the City of New Orleans recognizing his extraordinary contributions to music, art, and cultural preservation. His work has been showcased at Art Basel, one of the world's most prestigious art festivals, and he has performed on iconic stages including the Essence Festival Main Stage, Lil Wayne's Weezyana Fest, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and the New Orleans Pelicans Halftime Show.

Fun Facts

• Giz created the iconic red, white, and blue suit worn in the 'We Outside' music video using American flags he stole while working as a chauffeur on swamp tours, deliberately choosing American flags over Confederate flags as a statement about cultural ownership and historical justice.
• During his early artistic career, Giz's photographs as a Mardi Gras Indian were used for profit without credit or compensation, leading him to hire his own personal cameraman (Dwight Bell) to maintain control over his image and ensure fair compensation for his cultural work.
• Giz was crowned Homecoming King during his University of New Orleans days, an honor that reflects both his charisma and his deep integration into the university community during his recovery period following Hurricane Katrina.
• His beadwork created using traditional Mardi Gras Indian techniques was featured at Art Basel, one of the world's most prestigious art festivals, positioning his cultural craft alongside contemporary fine art and elevating traditional New Orleans artistic practices to the international stage.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Mannie Fresh - Legendary New Orleans producer who collaborated on Giz's 2022 album, providing production expertise and industry credibility (I Got Indian in My Family (2022), 'Uptown' (produced by Mannie Fresh)) [2022-present]
• Brandan 'Bmike' Odums - Acclaimed visual artist and co-founder of 2Cent Collective with Giz; mentored him in visual art and social activism during university years (2Cent Collective projects, Art Basel showcase) [2009-present]

Key Collaborators

• Hot Boy Ronald - Rap royalty featured on 'We Outside' remix as part of New Orleans posse cut ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• Choppa - Featured artist on 'We Outside' remix ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• Mia X - New Orleans rap legend featured on 'We Outside' remix ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• Baby Boy Da Prince - Featured artist on 'We Outside' remix ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• Dolamite - New Orleans bounce paragon and featured artist on 'We Outside' remix; stylistic influence on the track ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• 9th Ward Judy - Rising star featured on 'We Outside' remix ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• 504icygrl - Rising star featured on 'We Outside' remix ('We Outside' remix (2022)) [2022]
• Dwight Bell - Personal cameraman and videographer who documented Giz's work and directed 'We Outside' music videos ('We Outside' music video and other visual documentation) [2022-present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. We Outside (I Got Indian In My Family)
2. Uptown (I Got Indian In My Family)
3. Going To The Treme (The Sins Fault Levitation Treme EP)
4. We Outside - Remix (We Outside (Remix))
5. Fell in Love at the Secondline (Disgrace to the Culture)
6. We Outside (We Outside)
7. Rocheblave (I Got Indian In My Family)
8. Big Chief (Big Chief)
9. Mardi Gras (I Got Indian In My Family)
10. Zulu King and Queen 2025 We Outside - Remix (Zulu King and Queen 2025 We Outside (Remix))

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not found in search results)
• MusicBrainz