AZ – Legendary (6-2-2009)

Posted on Jul 08 in Reviewsby adminPrint

Though AZ has never managed to reach the height his career once seemed destined to, he has still managed to keep his name pretty relevant in the game. From “Life’s A Bitch” to “Sugarhill” to “The Flyest” AZ has rocked on some of the hottest joints in hip-hop history. Last year’s The Format was definitely a let down compared to most of AZ’s previous work but nonetheless the Brooklyn MC keeps coming back for more.

AZ spits straight optimism on the opening and nostalgic “Before It’s All Said and Done.” With well over a decade and a half in the game AZ shows he can still speak razor sharp bars as evidenced by the potency of his words on “Livin’ The Life.” Though “Boy Meets Girl” has a soft outer shell it still displays some of AZ’s more creative bars. AZ keeps is rhyme game on ten as he shreds through one of the album’s highlights “Refuse 2 Die.”

On “Good For Nothin” AZ takes a few jabs at his absent father an old crack addicted lover. AZ turns in maybe the album’s hottest joint with the Cozmo produced “Money Makes The World Go Round.” Sheek Louch and Hell Rell lend some assistance on “What’s Up” but it’s AZ who commands all of the track’s attention. On the Cozmo produced “Poli With The Villains” AZ takes a rough ride through the up and down years of his turbulent career.

With this year marking AZ’s fifteenth in the game it goes to show that true lyricism never falters in an old dog. AZ is a bonafide OG in the game and fortunately he still manages to make it known on Legendary. Though there are a few minor bumps in the road AZ still has a knack for delivering exactly what his true loyalists want to hear. Judging from this output AZ still has at least a few more gems up his sleeve!

VERDICT – 14 / 20
LYRICS: 4
PRODUCTION: 3
DELIVERY: 4
CONSISTENCY: 3