DCMM One on One w/ AZ

by LD Williams

 

 AZ: What's good? What's good? What's good? Worldwide what is the deal? What's going on?

 DCMM: The first thing that I want to get into: Is it true that you went to high school with Jay-Z and you used to battle him?

 AZ: (Laughing) Yeah. Let me explain something he was a couple of grades ahead of me. He was two three grades ahead of me. Yeah.

 DCMM: Who were some of your earliest influences? Who did you listen to?

 AZ: When I first heard RUN DMC “Sucka MCs” and Mellie Mel “Don't Push Me Close to the Edge” that was inspirational music from where I was and where I was growing up at.

 DCMM: What was the first album that you were pressed to go to the store and go buy?

 AZ: It was Rakim the first “Paid In Full” joint.

 DCMM: When did you decide that you wanted to make Hip hop as a career?

 AZ: When I started doing Doe or Die not even after doing the Illmatic I was figuring it was going to be a career. I mean at the end of the day I figured he was critically acclaimed at the time and I was trying to help him finish the album up I didn't think people were going to like that song. After that was done and the labels came and got at me that was when I was like I got to take this shit serious.

 DCMM: How did your guest appearance on Illmatic come about?

AZ: It wasn't premeditated I was in the studio with him like when he was doing his album I didn't even want to get on his album. I was just there I think it was the last song and I was just bullshitting around and he was like lay that down and that is what it was.

 DCMM: So you did it all on the spot right there?

 AZ: Yeah off of the hip bong bong bong bong.

 DCMM: Is it true that there was a bidding war for your services?

 AZ: Oh hell yeah. Around that time it was golden era a good time for hip hop.

 DCMM: What made you choose EMI the label that distributed your debut album?

 AZ: The fact that I chose them is because they didn't have too many artists on their label I wanted to be the nucleus of that right there EMI which they did it was a look. They didn't have the hip hop thing down pat yet like Def Jam or other labels but they was focused on what they was trying to do.

 DCMM: How did The Firm album come about?

 AZ: We always had that in mind me and Nas when his second album came out and he did what he did as far as sales he was out there with Dre and that shit came together. But everyone had their own solo careers so alright let's do it it was more money involved and I think that is where everybody's mind was at there was so many cooks in the kitchen that is why it was a one time thing everybody went back to their solo careers.

 DCMM: You guys (The Firm) have to go down in history as the first group to go platinum and it didn't hit expectations. What were they expecting?

 AZ:  They wanted five, six million. You got Dr. Dre, Nas, Fox, Trackmasters which was hot back then they wanted three or better so one was not good enough.

 DCMM: Is it true that EMI got absorbed into Virgin around the time you went to do your sophomore album?

 AZ: Yeah. They went through some financial shit I guess I really didn't know the intricate part of it because I didn't give a fuck but they folded. Virgin was the subsidiary company for them and they was locked into I think they was dealing with Rap A Lot so they didn't know shit about the East coast movement so they didn't know how to market and promote. I went from EMI to Virgin from Virgin to I did my own thing for a minute.

 DCMM: Save Our Streets AZ

 AZ: That was a good look then I went to Motown after Motown I got my own label on Koch. You know what I'm saying distributing it.

 DCMM: You worked with RZA on the “The Birth” what was like?

 AZ: The Wu was doing they thing that's people at the end of the day. I see them all the time they are from New York.

 DCMM: What made you want to sign with Motown because they were never a hip hop heavy label?

 AZ: Like I told you before me coming into the game I always wanted to be the nucleus of a label so they focus and get me where I had to go and I had a little hope in them because they was dealing with Barry Gordy and their history was serious and see where they could take me.

 DCMM: You did Aziatic that was supposed to be your self titled album correct?

 AZ: Yeah at the end of the day. It did fairly well considering that there was know marketing and promotion the way there was supposed to have been so it was good. For the record I have never ever ever ever ever ever been dropped from a label!

 DCMM:  You never got dropped, why did you go independent?

 AZ: I mean the fact that the major labels couldn't do what I expected them to do. They knew they was fucking up; so every time they fucked up they were like we're going to let you go ... I figure I can fuck up on my own.

 DCMM: Let me ask you about Quiet Money there is Know, Corleone, Trav is there going to be a Quiet money comp?

 AZ: (Laughing) How the hell you know all that?

 DCMM: (Laughing) I follow the music...

 AZ: That is crazy. There are new dudes in the Quiet Money Movement. I think Know is dealing with Dipset, Trav is dealing with D-Block at the end of the day but I got my man Animal, Charlie Rock we want to bring that East Coast vibe back to the table.

 DCMM: Are you going to put out a comp on them? You are a dude that believes things come in time, is it time yet?

 AZ: The time is now. I'm getting ready to shoot an independent movie now out of my pocket. With the movie I am going to be putting the soundtrack it should be out in August and I am going to start shooting this at the top of May. I am going to be working on the soundtrack simultaneously and I am going to have it out in August. You will hear from everybody.

 DCMM: What were your goals for Undeniable it sounds like you are a veteran looking down on the game is that what you were aiming for?

 AZ: No. I am just trying to sketch my name into the legacy of hip hop right now from a mature level and I what I've been through and all that. I am trying to see if I can get my point across if people accept it then I can fall back.

 DCMM: In The Game Don't Stop  you said you could have signed with Diddy what was that about?

 AZ: With Life's a Bitch I could have signed with anybody at the end of the day. Bad Boy got at me, a couple of cats got at me I mean everybody not to pat myself on the back but at the end of the day dealing with homie it was a good look. I didn't know shit about the game and it was a new world for me at the end of the day and how I live through my music from streets is how I live through my music. I keep under the radar I deal with day one people so I figured I'll thug it out with homie.

 DCMM: On Now I Know you say I'm back y'all back from blackball to rap my ass off what was that about did you ever feel blackballed?

 AZ: (Laughs) No doubt. I mean it is a business at the end of the day so talent is one thing but a business you know it is a lot of bullshit in every business. I don't care if it is legit or illegal there is always bullshit in the game so of course I was semi a threat on whatever level.

 DCMM: You have felt like that?

 AZ: I know that. I don't feel like nothing I know that was the situation I mean it is all good the part that I play in the game it was meant for me to play it because I am the only one that can play it. I can be underrated and be whatever may have you but I am built for that.

 DCMM: What was it like working with Ray-J on Go Getta?

 AZ: Ray J that's cool we just shot a street movie with Lisa Ray, Chico DeBarge, it's like a Belly but a Detroit version because we shot it a couple of years ago and the fact that he was on Koch I was like alright so we just put it together.

 DCMM: What needs to happen with the project for you to be successful?

 AZ: Everybody on the East coast needs to go get it. If that happens then it will be the start for some other shit to happen.

 DCMM: Who would you like to work with that you haven't worked with?

 AZ: Probably Kanye that's it.

 DCMM: Are there any producers that you would like to work with?

 AZ: Kanye and probably Pharell that's it.

 DCMM: What do you want your legacy to be?

 AZ: That he is a stand up dude he held it down lyrically he never cried never bickered never sold his soul nothing. Stand up period.

 DCMM: AZ thank you for your time.

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