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AZ - "The Come Up"
Posted on August 17, 2005 2:40 AM
Remember them days?
Someone tell Nas' underboss that we already have a Birdman.
The long-awaited return of underrated lyricist AZ in "The Come Up" [watch it now] contains a spectacular project pigeon show, and unfortunately little else.
AZ managed to sqeeze as many cliches as possible into this one, huh? We're going to play a game. You can play along at home. In your responses today, count the ghetto video cliches. The reader with the most wins a used G-Unit wifebeater (you know... the ones that look like what 8 year old girls wear before they develop).
Seriously... This shit is like a Premo beat... and nothing else. AZ is better than this. I'm not here to trash the song alone, but I must say, I was highly disappointed. Premo is like Pedro Martinez, certain niggas feel like they don't have to work too hard when he's on the mound.
Nas wasn't going to show up for this one, no matter how many pigeons you put into the video. He's probably at home ruffling Kelis' feathers anyway.
Why is DJ Absolut in the video spinning on a Premo track? I wouldn't get Big Kap to spin on my Just Blaze track. I don't know man.
My favorite part of the video are the "stick up kids" wearing white clothes in broad daylight. My nigga... If you're going to be THAT conspicuous FUCK the mask! You're either gonna get shot or fingered. I'd do that shit with a "Stop Snitching" shirt on.
This video is well shot, and black and white is always cool to add to the grimy effect of the neighborhood, but there's some shit lacking here. Aside from the lack of quality lyrics, there is a certain authenticity that I'm not quite getting from AZ's street acting troupe. Maybe you'll feel this composition a little more than I do.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Still Ho' Happy? ronnie_mexxx@yahoo.com
Comments
Ok corner stores, bikes, blacktops, rooftops, I can go on for days but uh, what the fuck is up with the pigeons?
perhaps these "cliches" have only become that way after years of people taking these symbolic elements of the neighborhood and abusing them so often that they lose their meaning. AZ is an artist trying to recapture the times when shooting those scenes was to honor your 'hood and not to "look gangsta"...AZ is a testament to an era of "realism" and has continued to bring forth the same aura since he first began in the game in the early-mid 90's.
...admittedly Primo's absence is dissappointing though...
maybe it depends on who the public is loving at the moment. didn't jay have crazy cliches in 99 problems and he recieved many accolades
hmmmm lets see what cliche's we saw:
-black and white
-ghetto children
-motorcycles
-old crazy lookin ppl
-random's singing parts of the song
-pretty girls
-police commin up the block
-tattoos
-rooftops
-dj
-crowd scene
-picture of famous dead artist
-corner store
-ppl posing up on a brick wall
ahhhhh...glad this was such a refreshing, different type video *rolls eyes*
I disagree with the previous aforementioned "Pedro Martinez" comment, AZ is rarely "disappointing", esspecially not after his previous LP, and forth coming album. AZ is a breath of fresh air to a music genre which has fallen so far below it's own standards, that it's boarderline depressing. AZ is THE LAST mc that can still evoke past feelings of what rap music USED to be. Every mc spittin should take a good long look at how after 10 years, one man can still get it done, without ever missing a beat.
"The come up" is quiet possibly the best rap song I've heard since Freeway's "What we do".
i mean yeah the video was nuthin new...but i feel like thats what az has come to...i mean think about it...Peices of a man was NOT his last CD, he dropped SOSA- hot,9 lives- hothot hot , Aziatic-hot hot, Last Call- eh not so hot, and now this one AWOL, during the days of 9lives and aziatic, he want to blow foreal you know...so he stayed dropping that hot shit, but now with these last two i can sense that flame is losing light, you can tell he's dissapointed in the game. i mean ima buy the CD cause i love AZ feelme, but i still feel for him cuz i know he's losing hope. and um foreal i know its all jokes and all, but foreal dont criticize the flow or the man, cuz all real hiphop heads know he's nice..., i would say show the nigga sum support, cause u can tell thats what he's asking for through the song.
yo AZ!!! i got my 15 dollars ready nigga! holla at me with that LP!! and im still bumpin fanmail nigga cus that shits so reall
Wow I am shocked to see this cat? It has been awhile? AZ had skills, but i think his skills are either RUSTY or he was in a rush because this is NOT AZ! I think AZ NAS and Foxy should have signed with Aftermath when they had the chance, does anyone recall there CD, it had some CUTS?? NAS and AZ ryme well together like red and meth! I hope AZ has a song with NAS and they are clowning on 50 for thinking he RUNS NY. I am out here on the west coast so I have NO clue WHO is running the NY? Out West SNOOP is STILL our man, and everyone out west is dieing for some of that old school death row feeling shit! Kurupt got a CD dropping, and Out WEST everyone i know is Waiting for that! Kurupt is one of the MOST under Rated MC's!! WEST COAST 4 Life! NY Eastcoast Holla back
I love AZ... but like smokey said... this shit ain't him.
P-Gambit hit the nail on the head for me. The nigga looks hopeless.
It's one thing to respect and support an artist. I support AZ every time out... but when he come out with trash... I'm not going to act like the doodoo don't stink if I think so.
Some of these mainstream niggas gettin over on the game can do so because people will support them whether the record is dope or not... since image is everything.
AZ is fire. I aint have time to listen to that new joint yet but uhh, sounds like he shoulda put that track "PROBLEMS" on this plastic huh. and shit, yall seem to be judging his video over the lyrics from what I read.
and kdot you still bump "WHAT WE DO" too huh, shit i turn that shit way up and nod my head huh.
..
I can understand what you mean by an ordinary video....We have all seen it time and time again cliche after cliche...but i am just happy that my boy AZ is finally gettin sum airtime....The song itself could have been a whole lot stronger this is what caught me off guard...i expected the realness to hit with complex bars double meaning in the words and metaphors out the ass...but all i got was an easy story with a few borrowed lines(cobra clutch!that hurts cuz Kiss and Mobb Deep did it last year!!!!!)....Come on AZ we all know you better than this...shit AZiatic should have gone 4.5 or 5 mics but got no mention till the next year end in 2001 with most slept on album of the year...I still rock that 9 lives joint more than anything produced from these whack ass niggas droppin albums today! But as i am gettin distracted from my point i will say that dude who wrote this article was pretty much right...as are a few otherposted comments....cuz for AZ standards this was sum straight doodoo...and even though we know he is tryin to make that cash by appealing to other audiences who cant break down his words...he has got to realize that his real fans are loyal and have been loyal since day 1 and we deserve the best he has got! We all remember the original flow so dont half ass the job son!
AZ IS THE TRUTH. MOST SLEPT ON LYRICYST EVER. SHOULD BE MENTIONED WITH JAY-Z, NAS, SCARFACE AND RAKIM WHEN IT COMES TO LYRICS.
Eminem wanted to BE AZ on "Infinite."
Thanks SG and Sha... That's all I'm trying to say about one of the best, and most slept on MCs of all time. It doesn't have to be this way.
Slacking on the lyrics only works if you have something else to give them in the way of mindless marketing, i.e. G-Unit. If you are going to give people a "hood video," you might as well spit it for REAL. Because you aren't going to cash in on the "REAL" video with the dumbed down lyrics without telling the world you sell a ton of crack, got a lot of possessions (which includes "bitches" and/or "hoes") or got shot 12 times.
I think the video was shot rather well. The black and white images gave a dramatic effect. But by the look of AZ's face through out the whole video is a look of dispair. Like he's searching for something that he lost. Oh yeah, his career. I appreciate the attempt of the comeback and I think Premo gave him a hot track, but this whole thing seems like it would've fit back in the day when he was spitting(my personal favorite AZ verse) "Life's A Bitch" Maybe the pigeons are a metaphor for this dude wanting to be free.
I agree.
The Vizualizer's like a coke rush.
Vivid enough to make livin' this a must...
plus it's real...
We miss you, AZ.
If every black man is ghetto, than nobody is ghetto. Ghetto implies unique qualities, something that only a chosen few have.
That's why MC Hammer was booted, it's why Vanilla Ice was Timboed.
Nowadays everyone is ghetto, and the meaning is commercial. Ghetto is commercial now. Now everyone carries a gun, disrespects females, loves moms, never had a dad, grew up hard, and knows how to fight.....yeah fu**ing right.
Funny...
Those things were never my definition of "ghetto."
I guess everyone has a different perspective on it.
PHUKIN HIP HOP IS DEAD. THEY ALL COWARDS . AZ ONE OF THE FEW THATS STILL IN THE HOOD, LIKE HIS BOY HALF A MIL REST IN PEACE. PHUK RECORD SALES AZ REPS THE BLOK BROKE HEADS WEED HEADS AND JUST GETTIN OUT OF JAIL HEADS AMD LONG BIDDERS AS FAR AS THE NEW JOINT TYPICAL NEW YORK SHIT IN THE HOOD EVERYDAY SHIT. PEACE ALI BROOKLYN
I liked the beat. The black and white was cool, but the concept was real mid 90's. I thought the Boot Camp Clique was gonna come through. Did Guru and Prmo direct this shit. I wsh AZ the beat but may'be he should have picked another sond for the visual.
Yo Westkoast, that's a good point you made there on the definition of ghetto!! But lets not forget my homie, Latinos live in the ghetto too! Not just blacks.
Let's not forget...
ALL kinds of people live in the ghetto!
Ghetto in and of itself transcends race.
trina is abitche she make love with me that was so good .i told her if she make it she 's going to rap on bad chick
trina is abitche she make love with me that was so good .i told her if she make it she 's going to rap on bad chick
AZ is a legend stop criticizing the mans video dick head its not like his music is mainstream so of course the mans video is a low budget wat do u expect man just enjoy the video and the song just shut the fuck up and respect the man
Never said it was low-budget.
Budget has little to do with quality of production.
Sorry, this site is about criticizing videos.
Go to a fan site for artist handjobs.
Ron Mexico u dick head u sitting in ur house with ur computer fucking with artists hard work, really like u aint the one in the studio u aint the artist shopping for studio time, or radio play, u aint the dude stressing about the budget u have for a video, and u sure aint the one that has to sell records at the end of the day so by me understanding what type of hard work it takes and respecting the artists for what they go through man u called that a hand job man on the real i dont think u know what the fuck ur talking about.Yo when Az do or die was in the mainstream the song sugar hill was a nice video u know why Ron Mexico its because his label was backing his project up with a good budget.But now az is more of an underground rapper so homie before u run ur stupid mouth again go find out how much of a budget underground rappers usually work with .And let me do the math for u mexico a low budget video=low quality average budget= average quality , high budget=Hype williams so homie before u criticize rappers know the game of the industry .
and this is talking videos so i think u can talk about a video with out criticizing a video Mr Ron mexico.I do agree the come up video is not that interesting but again man Az is not a commercial rapper and his shitt is not in the mainstream so u gotta understand the artist work ethic and respect that specially when their shit is underground is not like these dudes are getting Jay-z money for a video man
I'm not here to measure how hard he works. I'm here to assess videos.
Low budget means just that... working with a low budget. Everything else attatched to it is colloquial. I thought you meant in the colloquial sense. That's how everyone seems to talk around here. I have no idea how much money he spent on it. Apparently, you do. Go ahead and share.
but yes... you are giving him a handjob by devaluing opinions that differ from your own in his defense.
thanks for paying so much attention to this particular post though.
it's people like you who make the world go 'round.
Come on ahmad 25, don't hate on Ron man! Practically everything this man says was is true dogg! So don't hate!
u know Ron mexico for to say iam giving az a hand job cause i told u the dude is an underground rapper with a low budget video is funny to me man for u to expect underground rappers to come and give u all a good video is like u havin $10 bucks in ur pocket nd trying to buy the latest air jordans kicks or something the math dont add up.Speaking of hand jobs i think ur massaging nas s ass too much ha ha
i been reading most of the bloggs on SOHH, but every post seems to end up about 50 cent and g unit,
this one was about AZ, and a few posts mention g unit?? What the fuck up with that?
ron mexico, most of your topics, even though they aint bout 50, you mention them cats anyway??? "g unit wife beater, the ones 8 year olds wear", so you hatin cause he a big unit?
I bet it cause he dissed one of your rappers, all cause he so global now, everyone say he a sell out, he shitted on everyone, who gives a fuck,
I think you have hidden love for g unit, cause you mention them non stop,
do you know nas dissed 50 first???
Actually, I incorporate popular culture references of all kinds into my blogs. Curtis falls into that category.
Also, strangely, even if i don't mention cincuenta centavo, he comes up.
He's pretty unavoidable.
You people think I take this shit personally. They pay me for observation.
That's all it is.
Good to see you notice though. I must be doing something right.
yo mr mexico,
at least you dont diss them as much as some cats on here man, Im sure you read some of the other blogs, man the shit gets heated,
anyway,seriously though, some of the shit I read , people hate on him like they grew up in the same hood like they from rival gangs and shit,its fucked up,
I just be jokin, mainly.
Niggas need to be easy.
Much love to AZ the Visualiza, hopefully he'll get his break and do it big.
Yo shout out to my man AZ one of the greatest rappers ever lyrically. Just like my people said because you sell the most records that don't mean that you are talented it just means that you had a little buzz on your music come on. Hip hop is dead there is only a couple real MC's left like my niggas AZ, Nas, Jay-z and Ill Will in hip hop now every body is a gangsta every body, got a gun every body caught a body, every body got bentelys and benz every, body in the clubs drink Cris and every body is got bitches even when most of them is broke I really don't know who they are playing but they ain't playing me. AZ keeps it real he does it for the people yeah he aint really aint big big but he is respected by a lot of people in Hip Hop. AZ is a real nigga from Doe or Die to A.W.O.L he keeps it real. AWOL in stores Sept. 6 go get it and enjoy real Hip Hop again shout out to Ahmad 25 you a real nigga keep it thoro and to the hataz shut the Hell up AZ is back Holla.
AZ the god showin this wack rappers how to ryme if he still has knoweldge of self hope u blow up dont sell out by roking does cross pieces just cause cornballs rock it to be down i was watching and waiting for u to thro that chain inthe garbage peace
AZ the god showin this wack rappers how to ryme if he still has knoweldge of self hope u blow up dont sell out by roking does cross pieces just cause cornballs rock it to be down i was watching and waiting for u to thro that chain inthe garbage peace
you're talking about a man who once was part of "The Firm."
In case you aren't old enough to know who THEY were...
While containing talented MCs, The Firm was the biggest mafioso, gangster, esco, mafia kingpin, money-havin, money-takin, money-launderin, buyin hoes and being ghetto celebrities group of its time.
AZ, You encouraged me tremendously at Justin's Restaurant August 25, 2005. I spoke some poetry. My name is Colin. Thanks bro, for extanding your hand of support. GOD bless you; and to receive recognition from you is amazingly humble and surprising. Myself and other true hip-hop fans know that you are definately one of the best that ever shared their mind through the mic. AZ, stay encouraged brother. Your presence is powerful. You and your family is in my prayers. Peace!
Yo two of the realest niggaz still reppin in the rap game wit out a dought:
AZ
Cormega
Anybody who luvs real shit know these GODs is real!
I feel the " The Come Up" and the vid is tight, typical AZ shit, low key, deep shit intertwined w/ visualization.
ALL AZ"s shit been hot. Most def his collabos w/ Nas are timeless classics. But I know "Redemptuion w/ him and Mega on LEGAL HUSTLE was sick.
KEEP IT REAL!
AZ...Fica con deus, Irmao!
PAZ/PEACE!!
Peace,Ayo AZ is real yo. The most underatted artist of all time. Im sik n tired of seein niggas (wit a flow not even half as good as AZ's)gettin all this hype of garbage fukin music man. From life's a bit@h all through da years, Aziatic, dat fanmail still boppin it yo,AZ so many rappers out there man n u way betta than all dem niggas ,u know.Imma get dat new album, keep ya head up man cause u got more to do yo na mean, ya job aint finished and neither are you, Peace
AZ is articulate and immaculate young boys and girls.His mind's fine like hot women in expensive linen to say the least. Rhymes still written well, paints pictures with vocals even Picaso could marvel.
Peace and Love
Uno
Yo AZ is a lyrical genius, just like Nas and Common. Its about time people stop worrying about the fame and the beats, and start listening to what these rappers are saying. Once you listen to these rappers you'll begin to realize the mainstream, "POP" rappers are spitting garbage. When i hear "The Come Up" i don't just hear street life i hear real life. AZ speaks the truth in his rhymes and i can hear how he has changed since "Life Is A Bitch." I will definitely pick up his new album and I would advise the fans of REAL hip hop to do the same
I truly believe AZ is the nicest mc to have picked up a mic. He is extremely underrated, and if given the opportunity he would put jz, 50, nas and the other so called hot ones to sleep.......
think about what ur asking for... ur gonna get cliche's in a cliche song... no doubt AZ is one of the realest dudes out now.. but its jus a cliche RAP song.. and ur gettin a RAP song a good one and its hard to find.. dont hate AZ is still reppin and bring back the best from the days wit tha firm.. jus hope 50 doesnt get him
ohh and what the hell u talking about puts NAS'S TRACKS TO SLEEP.. dawg dont be silly AZ is who he is cause of nas.. clown
my nigga az done it agian. he for real.the come up is the shit and for all you mainstream suckas get the hell outa here.the beat is dope as hell.
the "BEAT" is dope as hell.
BEAT
lyrics... video... another story.
I found nothing wrong with his lyrics. His videos, though a bit stagnant on ideas, are fine to me. I guess I can look past the 'stick up kids' portion of the video because the video is secondary to the music. It didn't add anything, but it didn't detract anything either.
AZ hasent had a downfall yet. he is the mosty consistant and talented rappers ever lived. Keep holdin it down AZ the Visualiza and Nasty N.A.S!
Word to Ahmad 25 and other true hip hop fans of AZ!
If your a tru hip hop fan you niggas got A.W.O.L already or is gunna get awol. AZ's ben holdin it down for over a decade and is still the most underrated rappers ever. ONE LOVE to AZ!
WELL I REALLY THINK AZ IS GREAT AND I REALLY RESPECT HIM A LOT AND HE IS AS GOOD AS NAS COMMON OR RAKIM AND IS BETTER THAN JAY Z DICK SUCKING LIPS AND I THINK HE SI A REAL MC
AZ IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MC'S EVER TO GRACE A MIC. AND HE GOT THE SMOOTHEST FLOW IN THE GAME TODAY. THE COME UP IS CRAZY HIS LYRICS IS TELLING THE TALE OF A GHETTO NIGGA ON THE RISE TO SUCCESS FROM NOTHING. WHAT MORE DOES THE GOD GOT TO SAY. I LOVE THE VIDEO.
PLEASE E MAIL ME KIMS ADDRESS OF HTE JAIL SHE IS IN. OR ANY WAY I CAN WRITE HER A LETTER. SHE IS A GREAT WOMAN. I WOULD LOVE TO WRITE HER SUM POSITIVE!!
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