AZ - The Format (6/10)

"Still standing, I ain't strung on crack.

Still handle it like Pun on tracks,

so check me out y'all.

Street affili, was born willie, arms is chilly,

neck froze, fresh clothes, the specs is silly.

Adored for really, war like the lord Achilles.

I'm too illy, worth more than half a billy.

So please feel me, I'm direct effect,

and since a kid at fresh fest, I've been fresh to death."

from Make Me ft. Fresh

While the last couple of entries have been mostly been hits and misses, classics and travesties, this entry is about an album that quietly falls somewhere inbetween. The Format is not a bad album, but at the same time nowhere close to where it could have been with a greater artistic vision and/or better execution.

If the name AZ sounds familiar to you, it's probably because he was on "Life's a Bitch" from Nas' debut "Illmatic". If you're seriously into hip hop, you might have also heard of his critically acclaimed -95 album "Doe or Die" or know him from supergroup "The Firm". If you're completely unfamiliar with the name, that's probably because he's unfortunately never really made a big name for himself and remains under peoples radars despite the fact that his lyrics are always strong and his flow is superb. To call him underrated would be an understatement.

As is often the case, though, good reviews and respect from peers alone do not sell records and after getting dropped from first Virgin and later Motown, AZ decided to start a record label of his own- Quiet Money Records- to continute putting out his music. "The Format" is the second album release on Quiet Money and features notable production by DJ Premier on the title track. Overall, the sound is crisp and nice but always in a very comfortable safe zone. None of the beats are bad by any means, but they also fail to make an impression and that goes for AZ's lyrics as well.

What I feel is the real downfall of the album, though, is AZ not putting his lyrical skills to better use than to regurgiate an already tired "rags to riches"/"gangsta rapper who made it" narrative. You'd imagine getting dropped by two major record labels and being part of the 90's New York hip hop scene would provide more than enough material to draw from, but "The Format" fails to come across as anything special. Which is a shame, since I know AZ can do much better.

High point of the album: Animal

Low point of the album: Game of Life