Audio AZ
"Undeniable"

It's been nearly 15 years since AZ first hit the scene, as the only guest featured on Nas' landmark debut album Illmatic. Since then he has continued to do what he does best, serving up highly quotable verses atop classic East Coast production. Over the years he has collaborated with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, while never straying from his inimitable signature sound and maintaining a dedicated fanbase around the world. His eighth solo album Undeniable drops April 1st.

AZ: Peace. MP3: Hey, is this AZ? What's good? Chilling, man. How you doing? I'm here. A little bit under the weather, but I'm here. Thanks for taking the time to do this. I appreciate it. Yes, sir. So let's talk about the new album, Undeniable. What do you got in store for us? Man, I mean, with time, it seems like I get better. Not to say any of my other albums was denied, but this one, I just feel, is undeniable because I'm just covering all grounds. I'm giving a full autobiography of me, sketching my name in the legacy of hip-hop. And who do you got on there in terms of producers and guests and all that? Well I wanted to do it like the old school, the classics where they give you all. The artist gives you all of them. You know, so as far as guest appearances, I don't have too many. I got Ray J. He's singing; it's not a rap. And Amil is on it, you know, from... Amil from The Roc? Yeah, yeah. She's getting ready to do her thing, you know. She reached out to me, so that was a good look. Nice. But as far as producers, M.O.P., my man Fame from M.O.P. He's been under that Premier umbrella, so he got that sound. I got Street Radio. He did a lot of, you know, Murder Inc music when they was hot. And I have Emile; he did a lot of Ghostface and Freeway music. Yeah, it was a good look. That sounds good, man. Definitely. You've been putting out records for a long time now. Did you approach this any differently than your previous stuff or do you just feel like it's your strongest work to date or what? Well, I feel like it's my strongest work to date because there's different chapters in people's lives and I just...you know, I'm an adult right now, so I'm speaking from an adult perspective, you know, and I feel like I'm getting my point across. OK. Now I also wanted to talk a little bit about, you know, last year when you had the Memphis Sessions mixtape. And then also the J-Love Return of S.O.S.A mixtape. Is that something that you just do, you know, just to keep busy and to keep writing in between albums or what's the story behind those? Like you said, just to keep busy, keep writing, keep the momentum going. Nice. And after Undeniable drops, are you going to be doing a tour for it or what? Oh, yeah, this one I'm trying to go all the way out -- tour, everything. I'm trying to do everything this round. That's what's up, man. Now, I also want to talk a bit about, you know, how you've dealt with a lot of different major labels over the course of your career and also independently for the last few albums. Nowadays, it's like the game is just changing rapidly in terms of the business side of it. You have Quiet Money. Is that your own imprint or what's the deal with that? Yeah, Quiet Money is the label. It's being distributed through Koch. Yes, sir. OK, excellent. And with your own label, are you looking to expand and to sign other artists besides yourself or what? Yes, sir. I have a few artists. Right now I'm working with Star Kim, Animal, Young God, Fresh. So I have a few already that I've been working with for a while. And they've been on previous albums, so I'm going to see what's what, real soon. I also wanted to ask...your style, lyrically and production-wise is very, very New York-centric, you know what I mean. Ever since day one. And now recently, a lot of people, both fans and artists, have been kind of bummed out about the state of hip-hop but specifically New York not getting its shine on the radio and TV and whatnot. Do you feel like that's something that's just a phase that's going to come to pass or what's your sort of take on that situation? I mean, hip-hop is constantly growing at the end of the day. So it's a good look that it's elsewhere and it's attracting more audiences and more fans and all of that. And I guess, you know, at the end of the day, everything's 360. So I'm sure New York will get the light that...what it started, you know what I mean, from the fact that we started it. The West got a piece of it. The South got it and the Midwest. So, no, it's making its way right back to New York. But it's good that everybody get a taste of it at the end of the day. You have a style that is very much your own. Like, as soon as you hear an AZ track, you know it's AZ. Nowadays, more than ever, it seems like people -- certain artists -- feel as though they have to kind of dumb it down to reach a big impact or whatever. Do you ever feel pressured or do you ever worry that your stuff might just be kind of over the head of the average rap listener? Well, I mean, I just do me. So whatever comes out of it, comes out of it. I'm not looking for anything in return. So that's why I'm not worrying about dumbing my music down or anything. I just do me, and I'm sure that I'm attracting the audience that I'm aiming for...and that's just the streets and the brothers that's incarcerated and ain't coming home...and those just trying to live life on an everyday basis and do what they got to do. So, I'm cool with it. Cool, man. So what's the street date on the new one? April 1st. And then, you're looking to put together a tour shortly after that? Actually, I'm going to do a promo tour probably in March. And then, after the album drops, I'm sure I'm going on a dated tour. That sounds good. I also wanted to ask -- just in terms of when you're not in the studio and when you're not on the road -- what kind of stuff are you digging? Is there any record that came out recently that actually grabbed you just as a fan or made you think like, "Ah, I need to step my game up," or anything like that? Oh, nah [laughs], nothing...nothing that I got to step my game up. I like a few records that came out. I like Lupe Fiasco. I like the DJ Khaled with the "I'm So Hood," with everybody. I like a few records that came out but nothing to say, "Let me step my game up," no. Now, you've been doing this for almost 15 years, which is a long time to be doing anything in music but especially hip-hop. Or it seems like a lot of cats, kind of, come up today and then they're gone tomorrow. You've dealt with a lot of business and label drama and this and that. What's been the, kind of, key factor in terms of, like, just career longevity and consistency? I just stay grounded. I stay dealing with...like day one, people are family and I stay into my zone. Like, I don't get caught up in really what's going on everywhere as far as music-wise and who's the best and who's this and who's that. I just stay doing what I do. I stay focused. That's what's up. Well I got one more question for you, and then I'll let you roll. You know, more than ever now, everybody wants to rap. Everybody wants to make beats. Everybody wants to start a label and get their mogul on and whatnot. All these kids out there that are trying to do it -- instead of making demos -- they're doing Myspace or whatever. What kind of advice would you give to them, being a veteran artist that you are? Well, I mean, if it's sincere and it's in your heart, stay true to what you do. Surround yourself with good people. And when I say good people, not just street. We talking about business-minded people. And I'm sure everything will come to the light. Excellent. Well listen, AZ, thanks a lot of taking the time, man. I'm definitely looking forward to the new record. Can't wait to hear it. Undeniable, April 1st. That's what's up. All right, man. Take care. All right. I appreciate it.