Hip-Hop Theory: I think Nas always wanted AZ to stay in his shadow

[prophecypro]

I feel like AZ is one of them "too cool" to promote myself rappers. Jay early in career was too but luckily for him he had a Dame Dash to do the talking.

AZ needed someone else there to be the voice and promote him, because his personality is too laid back and cool for his own good. AZ rarely did interviews or appearances or put himself out there like that. He played the cut too much which hurt his commercial career.

This is exactly what it is .
I remember the MTV UK interview where Trevor Nelson (big time media ad DJ guy in the UK) interviewed Nas and they were talking about his career and Trevor mentioned AZ when Nas was talking about New York in the 90s and how some guys put in the work to stay afloat. Trevor was working for EMI who distributed Noo Trybe at the time and he said everyone he reached to the US offices about AZ doing promo tours or interviews, they could not find where dude was

There's a whole slew/generation of New York rappers in the 90s who didnt blow up cause they simply didnt want to do the grind of regular label shyt (interview, tours, shoots etc) and dudes would literally go missing and the label couldn't even find them. Nas was like that too, Big had his moments too until guys like Stoute and Puff tried to pull them in. Think about others who actually did blow up and the reason why they reign was short. DMX skipped out big award show performances, you could never get Wu Tang together always like Brockhampton now (shytty comparison I know), Large Professor go missing for years, Big L rather be on the block for like 2 years etc etc
AZ was part of that pack

 

[Mr. Negative]

AZ was way more charismatic than Nas.

Not only did he outshine Nas on Life's A bytch but on the intro to the album.

He also put out an instant radio classic with his 1st single.

There is other factors that maybe went into Nas having a bigger career but "it factor" and "versatility" ain't it.

it's some scary shyt when you think about it.

Here you got this MC who's called the second coming, other artists are handing him the crown already, rappers are going back and redoing their albums cause this nikka dropped....


then you got this nikka that dropped one verse on that same album, that made everybody



It's like if Jordan got all that early acclaim and hype in College or D-League some kinda way, signed to the bulls in 1990 and some unknown bench player gets MVP by making 6 more free throws over the season.

 

[Master Teacher]

AZ just wasn't elite get over it, he couldn't make complete albums, and he lacked personality
Nas had the mystique only few rappers had

 

[theflyest]

I feel like AZ is one of them "too cool" to promote myself rappers. Jay early in career was too but luckily for him he had a Dame Dash to do the talking.

AZ needed someone else there to be the voice and promote him, because his personality is too laid back and cool for his own good. AZ rarely did interviews or appearances or put himself out there like that. He played the cut too much which hurt his commercial career.

Yep

I think nyggas that are really nice have always had this problem, while lesser talented rappers are willing to grind (and eventually find a sound).

There's just an accumulation of things with AZ. I think he's a great rapper, who has a lot of great songs scattered throughout his projects. You sort of have to pick the songs you like from each album. I just don't think he was a great artist though, which is what differentiates Nas from AZ. This is still music at the end of the day. It's already been mentioned in this thread, but he would chase trends. Aziatic was basically biting the blueprint.

Oh well, he's still one of my favorite rappers.

I also heard Nas & AZ had a lowkey minor issue over a female at one point, which is why they seem distanced in the past. Who knows if that's true, but it's always the cause in hiphop.

 

[FreshAIG]

Yep

I think nyggas that are really nice have always had this problem, while lesser talented rappers are willing to grind (and eventually find a sound).

There's just an accumulation of things with AZ. I think he's a great rapper, who has a lot of great songs scattered throughout his projects. You sort of have to pick the songs you like from each album. I just don't think he was a great artist though, which is what differentiates Nas from AZ. This is still music at the end of the day. It's already been mentioned in this thread, but he would chase trends. Aziatic was basically biting the blueprint.

Oh well, he's still one of my favorite rappers.

I also heard Nas & AZ had a lowkey minor issue over a female at one point, which is why they seem distanced in the past. Who knows if that's true, but it's always the cause in hiphop.

I just posted a video the other day from Stakk Stone, who was AZ right hand man at one point, who basically confirmed this.

 

[FreshAIG]

 

[ISO]

AZ just wasn't elite get over it, he couldn't make complete albums, and he lacked personality
Nas had the mystique only few rappers had

What you mean he has several dope albums.

Doe or Die and Aziatic aren’t dope complete albums?

 

[Master Teacher]

What you mean he has several dope albums.

Doe or Die and Aziatic aren’t dope complete albums?

They are dope albums, but they not fukking with any of nas albums, or any other artist in that tier

AZ came out in the era with the greats, he ain't on the level it is what its lmao lots of nikkaz form that era had dope albums but were over shadowed by the greats

 

[The Entity]

Your not in lone company, 50 has said this (or a variation of this) throughout the years

 

[Rhyme 4 Rhyme]

Nas line on Death Anniversary about AZ was telling. Overall agree with the sentiment of the initial poster.

 

[nieman]

What's with the "too cool" comments? Nas & AZ have virtually the same personality, which is why they gelled so well. They're both extremely introverted. Everything people in this thread are saying about AZ, was said about Nas. Nas wouldn't do press runs, wouldn't tour, would do industry events...they just hated that spotlight.

The thing that changed the trajectory of Nas' career is Stoute. And I doubt Stoute ever tried to help AZ. If anything, it seems like Stoute was the common denominator in all of Nas' tension with his friends. I think it was Stoute that didn't want AZ to be as successful. From all accounts, Nas wouldn't say anything about the business side, and stayed out of almost everything.

With AZ, it's moreso a timing and label thing IMO. That's foolish to think that AZ isn't as versatile when AZ sound much better over commercial/pop type tracks than Nas. '95 was Doe or Die, '96 was It Was Written. Both were riding high. Then the Firm flopped. Pieces of a Man got 0 push. We know what happened with I Am...The Autobio. But let's not forget the incident with SOSA/9 Lives. He needed an industry savvy like Stoute in his corner.

But now, they say he's hard to get in the studio. But you really have to understand that not everyone wants that spotlight or want to compromise their status. I think AZ knows his lane and what he loves. He can do the ltes 90's jiggy ish with ease, but he seems to love the laid back 80's vibe. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Danie84]

If only that Firm album had more joints like Phone Tap

 

[surv2syn]

If only that Firm album had more joints like Phone Tap

Firm wasnt a group album which fukked people up, definitely fukked me up. the guests are cool, but it shouldve been a group album with at least two of the main's appearing on each track.

AZ was kinda unfortunate he came in under Nas, and I know some of you may think this is crazy but its possible had it been the other way around they couldve swapped places. because talent wise they arent far apart at all and in music, sometimes its gets the shine first because the labels are set up to establish that one star at that particular time and try to eclipse anyone around them even if they are label mates. if R. Kelly didnt exist, JOE wouldve been a bigger star than what he is now (not bigger than Kellz tho).

No MC destined for greatness really wants to have another rapper outshine them. this is not just limited to Nas, but most greats. Rakim couldve put G Rap on those early albums....or Freddie Foxx. Hell I think G Rap was on the PIF cover. Jaz said he would lay his verses and Jay would always listen to the track then do his verses or re-do them but Jaz said they refused to let him redo his raps and made him do everything in one take.

in instances when you see MC's that dont give a fukk you usually see the lesser know spitter get more of the attention he deserves. like how Phonte let Elzhi on Hiding Place. there are many instances. Coolio was in WC's group and he constantly outshined everyone in the group and went solo. there was no mos on WC part, that was a good look for him, now you got a boy who is eating and can further help you.

this is going to hurt some feelings but if AZ were a bigger artist Nas would be on his dikk like he was with Jay....and Nas is my guy.

and Stoute is a straight cornball. stopped checking for any of his comments after he dissed Mic Geronimo.

 

[JustCKing]

Firm wasnt a group album which fukked people up, definitely fukked me up. the guests are cool, but it shouldve been a group album with at least two of the main's appearing on each track.

AZ was kinda unfortunate he came in under Nas, and I know some of you may think this is crazy but its possible had it been the other way around they couldve swapped places. because talent wise they arent far apart at all and in music, sometimes its gets the shine first because the labels are set up to establish that one star at that particular time and try to eclipse anyone around them even if they are label mates. if R. Kelly didnt exist, JOE wouldve been a bigger star than what he is now (not bigger than Kellz tho).

No MC destined for greatness really wants to have another rapper outshine them. this is not just limited to Nas, but most greats. Rakim couldve put G Rap on those early albums....or Freddie Foxx. Hell I think G Rap was on the PIF cover. Jaz said he would lay his verses and Jay would always listen to the track then do his verses or re-do them but Jaz said they refused to let him redo his raps and made him do everything in one take.

in instances when you see MC's that dont give a fukk you usually see the lesser know spitter get more of the attention he deserves. like how Phonte let Elzhi on Hiding Place. there are many instances. Coolio was in WC's group and he constantly outshined everyone in the group and went solo. there was no mos on WC part, that was a good look for him, now you got a boy who is eating and can further help you.

this is going to hurt some feelings but if AZ were a bigger artist Nas would be on his dikk like he was with Jay....and Nas is my guy.

and Stoute is a straight cornball. stopped checking for any of his comments after he dissed Mic Geronimo.

There is kind of a gap between Nas and AZ though. Nas developed into stronger songwriter after Illmatic. He was writing catchier hooks/choruses by the time IWW dropped. Nas also become more creative and conceptual with his writing. It wasn't until later that AZ got there and there was still a gap. I don't really see AZ writing something like "I Gave You Power".

AZ had a head start on star power before Nas. He had a hit record in "Sugar Hill" where Nas didn't really have a hit. AZ was featured on a remix to a pretty big D'angelo record in "Lady" and the remix was produced by Premo.

 

[pete clemenza]

AZ was on a crap label imo. He was dope but didn't have the mystique, versatility, beat selection to put him in a top 10