Artist: AZ

Label: Real Talk Entertainment

Year: 2009

Price: $17.95

Format: CD

It has been exactly one year, one month and one day since we have last seen an AZ record hit the shelves, with the last album being Undeniable. This year around AZ gives us his, in my opinion, self-titled, album Legendary during a time where hip-hop has been highly neglected.

Pop-Rap has been selling out the (online) stores and if a track can’t be heard on the radio or be danced to…then it probably won’t sell. Hip-Hop has forgotten it’s roots, and the Queensbridge (QB) native helps us remember those roots that were almost escaping our beloved art form. Chill sampled beats, charismatic flow and delivery and well thought-provoked lyrics are what Legendary has to offer all AZ fans around the world.

AZ is among other veterans like Nas, Prodigy and Havoc that have been holding it down for QB since the early 90’s and he has since been heralded, by many, as the most underrated rapper alive.

The two strongest attributes about Legendary are AZ’s flow and AZ’s lyrics. If you haven’t heard an AZ album yet, then you are in for some multi-syllabic-madness because Sosa loves showing off his diamond cut like flow. The lyrics AZ croons absolutely surpass any album I’ve heard yet from a mainstream artist. However, AZ’s dexterity is very comparable to the highest caliber of underground releases this year from the likes of Betrayl and DOOM.

There are also two weaknesses this album had. There was really no earth shattering, groundbreaking material that we haven’t already heard from AZ, but to Sosa’s defense that isn’t even a knock to his game because all of his albums become street classics anyway. The other weakness I saw was his album features. I was ecstatic when I saw that there were only two other rappers on the album…but I wanted to cringe when I saw Sheek Louch on this drop. Sheek Louch is far below level of lyric intricacy that AZ has proven to show over the years. It was almost like AZ was racing a foot-less Army veteran in 100-meter sprint…not even a close contest.

The overall production of the album can be summarized in one word, “smooth.” There’s no surprises or gimmicks with Legendary’s beats, just all business…which is exactly how AZ handles his raps. The wide variety of New York sampled flavor carries the album and helps provide Legendary with much replay value. The farthest AZ ventures away from the “street” mentality theme of the beats is in the track, “What Up,” which features the likes of Sheek Louch and Hell Rell.

The bangers on this release are as follow: Boy Meets Girl, Refuse 2 Die, Dreams Come True, Good For Nothin’, and What Up.

Overall, I was impressed with this new product AZ delivered to us. It is hard to expect much from rap music anymore because it seems sloppy and rushed, but you can really appreciate when a “true” emcee hands us a diamond among fool’s gold. I beg you…PLEASE pick this album up and support the TRUE rappers still making it happen for hip-hop. I am so sick of T-Pain topping the charts with a hook layered over some Joe Schmo The Rapper’s single. I doubt Legendary will sell 500K the first year, but here’s hoping.

I’ll give him one less he has to sell to get to that number.

01. Da Truth 1:05

02. Before It's All Said & Done 3:21

03. Livin The Life 3:45

04. Boy Meets Girl 4:10

05. Bottom Line 0:20

06. Refuse 2 Die 3:47

07. Dreams Come True 3:14

08. Good For Nothin 3:40

09. Supply & Demand 0:35

10. Money Makes The World Go Round 3:33

11. What Up (Feat. Sheek Louch & Hell Rell) 4:23

12. Poli With The Villans 3:40

13. Get Money 3:04

14. I Told You 1:05

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