AZ

Feeling old? Ten years of listening to New York hip-hop's hustle squawk and Five Percent hints seems particularly silly now that the East Coast's heyday rappers have settled for decent indie money or sold out for G-Unit glory. Brooklynite rapper AZ, once the Jim Jones to Nas's Cam, is betting...

By Hunter Stephenson

September 29, 2005

Help us weather the uncertain future

We know — the economic times are hard. We believe that our work of reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now is more important than ever.

We need to raise $6,000 to meet our goal by August 10. If you’re able to make a contribution of any amount, your dollars will make an immediate difference in helping ensure the future of local journalism in Miami. Thanks for reading Miami New Times.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$6,000

$3,600

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "22004575",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "22595215",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "17482312",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18711090",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "23181625",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18711090",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17720761",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

Feeling old? Ten years of listening to New York hip-hop's hustle squawk and Five Percent hints seems particularly silly now that the East Coast's heyday rappers have settled for decent indie money or sold out for G-Unit glory. Brooklynite rapper AZ, once the Jim Jones to Nas's Cam, is betting on the former 401K. But that's life, dudes. It's testament to 1994 that AZ's ensured cigarette-boat flow on A.W.O.L, his sixth non-Firm album, sounds sober and hermetic like crisp Manhattan mornings. Joined by ski-maskless kingpins Raekwon and Ghostface on the very grown-up "New York," AZ's trade of intellectualized ghetto tales no longer bears the loquacious density of a severe weed head. Likewise for "The Come Up," an Abel Ferrera waxing through the Rotten Apple's prisons, domestic disputes, and DEA treachery in the face of success, where Aziekel spits, "So understand I know from firsthand the lives of a churchman high off his first gram," over Premiere's foreboding beat wake. Yeah, there's also that throwaway for The Opium Group ("Still Alive"), but rap fans need to stop reminiscing about "Life's a Bitch" and show some love. Damn.

Hunter Stephenson

A message from Music Editor Flor Franceschetti: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Miami's music, events and entertainment scenes.

Support Today