After “Undeniable” though, we were treated to a number of compilations, mixtapes, and re-releases before AZ stepped back from albums entirely. It suited AZ and it helped separate him from other Nas associates (ie. Material on 2005’s “ AWOL“, 2006’s “ The Format“, and particularly 2008’s “ Undeniable” increasingly leaned into the clean, expensive-sounding territory – a far cry from the grimy collaborations with Nas that helped define his early work. It matched his effortless flow and penchant for lavish storytelling. He had shaken the shadow of Nas and identified his own sound: polished and soulful. The records that followed were decidedly hit-and-miss although I personally consider the mid-2000s AZ run to be some of his finest material. Similar to Nas, many consider AZ’s debut his best work. Was there a shit-ton of excellent albums in 1995? Definitely.īeing overlooked or underrated is something AZ has often experienced throughout his 27-year career. It was always going to be a difficult task meeting expectations and inevitably, 1995’s “Doe or Die”, while an excellent record in its own right, is often lost in the shuffle when citing classic albums from that year. An immaculate guest verse on a perfect hip-hop album. If “Illmatic” weighed on Nas’ shoulders for years if not decades after it was released, that “Life’s a Bitch” verse has to be a similarly poisoned chalice for AZ. No matter what review you read on an AZ record, Nas is mentioned in the first few sentences. There, I’ve got it out of the way immediately.
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