HaSizzle rockin’ with Old Saint Nick
When he was growing up, Hasan Matthews’ house was decorated for Christmas as soon as Nov. 1 rolled around. It didn’t take long, says the New Orleans bounce artist better known as HaSizzle.
“Our house was decorated from November to December — keep the tree up, and decorate it for Mardi Gras,” HaSizzle says. “I was raised off that real New Orleans, Uptown love where Christmas is Christmas.”
On Christmas Eve, HaSizzle’s family would usually have a little party with family and friends, and everyone could open one gift from under the tree at midnight. Later, when everyone was asleep, his grandfather would dress up as Santa and sneak the rest of the presents under the tree. And he’s now building his own Christmas traditions with his wife and two kids.
HaSizzle says he loves the season and the way it brings people together, so he and Big Freedia are throwing a poppin’ Christmas show on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Toulouse Theatre.
Both Freedia and HaSizzle will perform, and they’re collecting items for a turkey giveaway event hosted by Freedia, Juan LaFonta and Trey “DaMeatMane” Barber on Dec. 21 at Shakespeare Park. There’s a discount on tickets at the door with the donation of an item like canned or boxed food, baby formula, diapers or toiletries.
“Being a father and getting to show my boys — I’d love if Christmas was all year around,” HaSizzle says.
There just aren’t many places doing holiday music as well as New Orleans, and many of the city’s bounce artists have contributed their touches to Christmas playlists over the years. Big Freedia has two EPs of jingle bells-shaking bounce for the season, “A Very Big Freedia Christmas” and “Big Freedia’s Smokin’ Santa Christmas.” HaSizzle also has put his machine gun cadence to two EPs: “Christmas in New Orleans” and “Bounce Soul Christmas.”
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HaSizzle’s two EPs feature bounce re-workings of holiday classics, like “Santa Baby,” “The Christmas Song” and “Mary Did You Know,” with help from guest vocalists Jelly Joseph, Rahim Glaspy, Taijan Cook and more. HaSizzle and Joseph’s “Santa Baby” has especially become a local playlist staple in recent years, as has PJ Morton’s version of the Donny Hathaway classic “This Christmas” with HaSizzle.
“Me and Jelly singing ‘Santa Baby’ — I love the version of me and Jelly singing,” HaSizzle says. “To me, Jelly is one of the greatest vocalists from the city of New Orleans.”
It has been a busy year for HaSizzle. He celebrated 20 years of making music during his set at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In September, he released a new studio album, “Brass & Ass,” which featured the To Be Continued Brass Band along with Joseph, Pell, Mia X, Shamarr Allen, Partners-N-Crime and more. And just last week he released his latest live album, “Hot Off the Heater, Vol. 1.”
HaSizzle is now prepping for more releases in 2026, he says, including another Christmas album — this time a live recording. And in February, HaSizzle will host the International Mardi Gras Twerk & Bounce Fest, with twerk competitions.
“The times we livin’ in, painful things are happening everywhere around the world,” he says. “My music is based on joy and love. My movement is shaking off, twerking off negativity.”
Tickets for the Dec. 20 show are $30 in advance via toulousetheatre.com and $35 at the door ($5 discount with donation of an item). HaSizzle performs most Thursday nights at Stellar, formerly the Dragon’s Den.
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