Nas and AZ together have made some of my favorite music. Ever. Straight up, these two on the same track are completely untouchable. In my ears, Anthony Cruz was always one of the few who lyrically kept stride on regular basis with Nasir Jones and the two were a cohesive unit on records together. Read the rest of this entry »

Just like clockwork, it’s another week in the books. Internet been down all week and you’re scratching your neck for a TSS fix? Here’s what you missed. Read the rest of this entry »

“All my peeps be playing for keeps, Straight out the litter, so f*ckin’ bitter these bandits don’t even eat sweets.”

Being honest, the ones who were listening to rap & living Hip-Hop culture to the fullest in ’95 will be those who still reserve a spot for AZ’s debut album, Doe Or Die. Fifteen years later, the album admittedly didn’t age that well sonically but the lyricism is so strong that I still keep a slot for the album’s title track on my “Old Stuff” playlist whenever I crash another iPod and have to reup. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s probably 120+ years of age combined on this track and they still manage to make it sound as fresh as ever. AZ, Rae & Starks team up for “See The Light” off Kay Slay’s upcoming More Than Just A DJ. Read the rest of this entry »

Tony Montana blow creamy white Havana Joes with a George Washington for the nostril! With a new decade to purpalize, Raekwon wastes no time slangin’ that hard white with DJ Whoo Kid & DJ Scream for the Coke Up In Da Dollar Bill Mixtape. Familiar names like AZ, Busta Rhymes and Ghostface Killah raise the price of the brick on this one. Read the rest of this entry »

AZ’s back and he’s still as lyrically adept as he ever was. “I’m Ill” coming from the upcoming sequel, Doe or Die 2. Read the rest of this entry »

A little shakey dog camera footage but good audio from Mega’s Born & Raised album release party that went down @ SOB’s on Thursday. One of the highlights? Former Firm brethren AZ steps on stage for an impromptu performance of their classic “Affirmative Action.” Read the rest of this entry »

In honor of Nas’ Born Day today, I’m using him as an excuse to post a few of my favorite samples. I decided to steer clear of the seven second loops. Instead, I picked the joints you can let ride in your speakers, the ones that can stand alone without the stamp of being “sampled.” Read the rest of this entry »

“I wanna toast, on behalf of y’all
‘Cause the more we get, the more we takin from other people baby
RMF!”

Now, while you click around & begin to cheer/complain*, remember that we could’ve been gone LOL. Read the rest of this entry »

Words by Landon A.

After the unfortunate commercial failure of 8 Diagrams, many deemed the Wu collective as a lost cause and a distant memory as internal conflict and creative differences threatened to sink the Wu-Tang ship for good. Now, two years later RZA takes the backseat as an executive producer as his rhyme brethren make a valiant effort to cover the stench left by “8 Diaphrams” with a brand spankin’ new compilation Wu-Tang Chamber Music. With help from the likes of Kool G Rap, Masta Ace, AZ and M.O.P., the Wu manage to take steps toward clearing the mud off of their names and washing their hands clean of a project that should have never happened.

The first single, “Harbor Masters” which features Ghostface, AZ and Inspectah Deck comes strapped with a dusty drum break and an unforgettable Ghost verse to wet the listener’s palate. AZ and Deck also deliver fairly decent verses over this club banger disguised as a raw boom-bap cut. Read the rest of this entry »

There are certain words within each profession which are reserved for a select few who have toiled to reach a higher plateau. Within the world of music, terms like classic and legendary are bestowed upon those who have created acclaimed works and/or proven themselves to be head and shoulders above their peers. Being involved in such a fickle industry, where people constantly come and go, a long and consistent career can lead to an individual gaining a hyperbolic perception of self. With fifteen years in and the completion of his 8th studio album, Legendary, AZ certainly feels he’s entitled to such a lofty title. But is he really a legendary figure within the realm of Hip-Hop or is he just a legend in his own mind. Read the rest of this entry »

Mr. Cruz is back from the undeniably wack Undeniable with the first leak off Legendary rapping about what else? Read the rest of this entry »

Salute to Dan Green for delivering this audio. Rae & AZ come together to reminisce over yesteryear’s most wanted vehicles and the sharpest Read the rest of this entry »

AZ’s got Anthology coming out, a collection of b-sides & unreleased tracks. I’ll opt for what J-Love has crafted instead. Tracklisting & link after the break. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Malik V.

Though The Firm was hyped up to be a super group of MC’s, they turned out to be a disappointment after sounding perfect on paper as a group of lyricists taking full advantage of the Mafioso theme of the late 90′s. Nas, AZ, Foxy, and Nature gave us “The Album”, their only release as a group, and though they didn’t exactly create their place in hip-hop history, they did bless us with a track that had it all: “Phone Tap.”

In terms of a bangin’ beat, lyrics, delivery, and concept, “Phone Tap” was the perfect package. The beat, by none other than Dr. Dre, who also laid down the hook, is hypnotizing with its somber-sounding loop and drums, but not quite enticing enough to divert the listener’s attention from Nas and AZ. Highlighting Dre’s style, the beat is simple, and provides the perfect platform for two MC’s who know how to feed off of each other. Read the rest of this entry »