Gimme Your's - AZ

            Well I can say I finally went to a record store, and got about 25 records, as well as about 8 albums on CDs. It was quite the adventure getting there, but me and a couple of friends had a ball. Went to a couple stores, and the last one was right out of heaven. Before heading down there, I always imagined record stores with dollar bins with all sorts of old dusty vinyl. The cardboard stands that categorized everything, man we found a store with all that. The whole first experience was quite awesome. Anyhow, I found some AZ, and as a matter of fact Doe or Die. My first AZ album in fact. Usually I would already have all his stuff, but to me I always buy the physical album if their is one. Few stores around me, so I finally got it down in Noho. Got lucky with a couple other albums I don't have up in my area too. Anyhow, let's get to a track.

           When it comes to material lyrics, I am very picky. However, when you are one of the most underrated rappers and spit some of the greatest wordplay ever I can dig it. And that is what AZ holds under his belt, that and he has kept it real for well over a decade. His wordplay and style of rhyming is ridiculous. First time I heard him was off of Illmatic on, "Life's A Bitch" which you can read the post on how much that song changed me. However, this song is much darker than the latter, but no less lyrically golden.

           I'll post a couple bars I specifically dig, even though it is another case of great flow that seems to blend all his words together. Regardless I'll try and pick some stuff out.

I fucked with those beyond my age bracket

'cause they analyse and mack to get the papers and stack it

Leavin no trace to track it, keep on thinkin tappers is accurate

That mack shit, living the lifestyle, we filled with black wit

Kinda interesting. Shows us that AZ was clever enough to work with those older because they were smarter, which is a huge advantage in life. I notice myself, being the youngest in the family, I always had to shut up and listen, but man that has taught me to think before I speak, an underrated gift for certain.

Life's a performance so players play wit endurance

'cause from war sense, any villain's willing to get more intense

Another clever thought. Note that not only villains are willing to get more intense. In all aspects of life someone will always have more drive, you have to decide what is worth chasing, thus his mentioning of endurance. Man you can learn a lot with the words staring you down.

         And of course that beat is quite amazing, with Pete Rock on the track of course it is. Classic boom bip, where the drums carry the whole song. Little elements thrown into there to add some variety and that deep eery vibe. Something to bump late night in the city. And Nas singing on the hook, I love it. If you don't know I love when Nas sings, because when he sings off-key or whatever you wanna call it, everything is made easy. You can sing along so well, because anyone has that range ha ha. A nice sing-a-long. Woo, man what a great collaboration of efforts right here.