AZ "Doe Or Die II" (2021)

Twenty six years later, New York rapper AZ releases a sequel to his Mafioso Rap gem Doe Or Die. In the world of Hip Hop there isn't a great track record for artists reviving classics further down the road. That's why I almost passed this one up but a quick check in had me impressed. Now approaching fifty, AZ's voice sounds barely aged, a little rough at the edges but his slick flow and youthful tone is well intact. Most surprising of all, hes got expression in abundance, riffing bars from start to end without an inch of nonsense to be found. This is quite the exception for an aging generation of rappers.

With his timeless flow intact, the tightly stacked rhymes flow again. Grooving off his effortless cadence the lyrics weave between wisdom and observation as AZ drops knowledge and intelligence into his tales. Reflecting on the angels and devils of lifestyle and environment, he paints a path out the dangers of street life with a keen maturity that oozes with confidence. The Mafioso flavor creeps in here and there with his poetic word choices painting lavish pictures however its often withdraws from the violence as his words wave weary warnings to the dangers of such lifestyles.

Its a total pleasure, AZ shines with every verse of this record. Its strangely his guests who spoil the flow. Variety is important and Lil Wayne brings an interesting approach for his feature but every other rapper here just doesn't fit with the vibe. They mostly work in the shadow of AZ, trying to deploy a similar style. English actor Idris Elba also lends his voice for the intro too, however it again doesn't feel like the right fit for an album opening monologue. I think I could of just listened to AZ from front to back. This leads me to another observation, the absence of Nas. With both being active its a shame they didn't hook up again. AZ was a special part of Illmatic, arguably the greatest Hip Hop record of the 90s. Who would of thought these two would still be on top their games all these years later? With them on such good form, hearing him here would of been sublime, I'm sure!

With such an abundance of great rhymes, sadly the beats that struggle a little here. Mostly they conjure moods adjacent to the 90s style. Sample oriented and using oldskool break loops they provide a firm footing but lack a cutting edge. Often toned down, they give space for AZ to occupy clearly, not being overly ambitious or overbearing. On one hand they've essentially crafted beats within the 90s time machine. On the other that doesn't give it much in the way of freshness but I've got to give props to the craft, of all the artists trying to relive that era, this probably came closest. The closing bonus song however throws most that out the window for a more modern sound with some Kanye inspired vocal inclusion with the hook.

 

 Doe Or Die II is an anomaly, a sequel mostly worthy of the name. It can't replace the original but it compliments it wonderfully. My only qualm is a sense of its impressive stature being more analytical than emotional? This is a common problem when observation intersects the nature of mood and inspiration. Is it me or the music? I feel like I could love this more and as I often say, into the collection it goes ready for shuffle to find me again later down the road. I'm sure then these songs will be more than a welcome surprise.

Rating: 8/10

AZ "Doe Or Die" (1995)

A year beforehand Brooklyn rapper AZ made his debut with Nas on Hip Hop's finest record, Illmatic. Although its mark as the epitome of smooth 90s beats and Nas's poetical flows take much the praise, critics rarely fail to mention AZ who illuminated himself with an unforgettable opening verse on "Life's A Bitch". The pair team up again on a couple of tracks for his solo debut "Doe Or Die" which follows in a similar vein, smooth jazzy samples complimenting rugged grooving drum beats with a barrage of swift, intelligent lyricism that rolls of rhymes faster than you can digest them.

The album defines itself through the lyrical vibes of an emerging Mafioso Rap sub genre, AZ's slick technical flow is idealistic for the fast flipping of crime family imagery, he drops names of known criminal figures between that of expensive brands, luxurious goods and of course plenty of word play in the firearm department. Talk of excessive wealth, luxury living mixed in with the contrasting world of government agencies spying and the paranoia of Illuminati organizations paints the tone intensely. Samples clipped from mafioso movies and slick instrumentals find themselves on a similar wavelength however the production is rather varied, the title borders on a West Coast G-Funk sound with its ghetto whistles for a song fondly reminiscent of Skee-Lo, while other tracks like "Sugar Hill" move on different vibes with deep rumbling low-fi baselines and R&B singers in the choruses.

Eleven tracks handled by nine produces is understandably mixed but a few weaker cuts have it falling short of variety as a strength. It strikes pure gold when AZ and Nas team up on "Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homicide" the two teeing up their best rhymes, sweating out luxurious criminality spoils between the violence and murder. Much like Nas, AZ paints a vivid picture with his words, and that technical, swift flow of his is engrossing, especially when he drops into story telling. He brings a wealth of material to the mic but somewhere between his abundance of talent and varying degrees of production it feels as if the brilliance is only glimpsed at. Immensely enjoyable record but leaves me feeling it fell short of being truly special.

Favorite Tracks: Gimme Yours, Sugar Hill, Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homicide, Doe Or Die

Rating: 8/10