Jaz-O
This article possibly contains original research. (January 2018) |
Jaz-O | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Jonathan Allen Burks |
Also known as |
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Born | Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. | October 4, 1964
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 1986–present |
Labels |
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Formerly of |
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Jonathan Allen Burks Sr.
Early life
Jonathan Burks was born in the
Career
Early years and signing with EMI USA
Raised in the
I had been rhyming since I was 14. Do the math on your own! I became a legend on the east coast - which in the 'eighties' was quite remarkable, in about six years. I was always told I was the best most had ever heard. I put out a song in 1985 called "HP Gets Busy" on our own label (my manager at the time, Jack Walker and I), featuring two of my comrades from
Run DMC's, "My Adidas"). A mutual friend of Gordon and I, Marlon Prescott, introduced me to my soon-to-be manager at that time, Stan Poses. In four months Stan solidified a major artist deal for me, and I became the first rap artist ever to sign with EMI Records. I also became the recipient of the largest advance and recording budget of any rap artist at that time.[7]
1989: Word to the Jaz
Several months after signing with EMI USA, Jaz-O visited
1990: To Your Soul
Jaz-O released his second album To Your Soul on July 16, 1990. Despite the album not reaching the Billboard charts, its two singles, "The Originators" and "A Groove (This Is What U Rap 2)", peaked at No. 13 and No. 18, respectively, on the Hot Rap Songs chart.[12] Similar to his debut album, Jay-Z was the only guest, being featured on two songs.
1991–1996: Production work behind the scenes
Sometime after the album was released, Jaz-O was dropped from his record label and began to spend time working behind the scenes as a producer. At some point, Jaz-O connected with
1996–1998: Involvement with Jay-Z's early success
Throughout the late 1990s, Jaz-O had quite a hand in Jay-Z's early solo success. Jaz-O produced, and was featured on "Ain't No Nigga," the second single from Jay-Z's 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt. The song is cited as playing a significant role in securing Jay-Z's record with Def Jam.[18]
Jaz-O then produced "Rap Game / Crack Game," a track that appeared on Jay's second album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, released in 1997.
Jaz-O also produced two tracks for Jay-Z's Streets Is Watching. The album fared well commercially reaching #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was released on May 12, 1998, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings.
In 1999, Jaz-O appeared on Jay-Z's "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)", a single that was released from Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. The song became a big hit in Jaz-O's career at the time. However, this would be one of the last times the two would work together on music, for their friendship soured shortly afterwards.
1999–2016: Feud with Jay-Z and forming Kingz Kounty
The long-standing feud between him and Jay-Z started when Jay-Z started
Instead of signing with Roc-A-Fella Records, Jaz-O inked a deal with Rancore Records, and formed the hip-hop group Immobilarie. With the group, he released a collaboration album titled
Jay-Z went on to diss Jaz first on a track titled "Fuck Jaz-O AKA Jaz Ho", released by
During the long-standing feud between mentor and protégé, Jay-Z would still give Jaz-O credit for his success (while dissing him at the same time) as heard in the song "I Do It For Hip Hop" on
Soon after the "I Do It For Hip Hop" diss from Jay-Z, Jaz-O responded with his own diss record titled "Go Harder" which starts with Jaz-O rapping over his protege's "Brooklyn Go Hard" beat before the beat changes.
In late August 2009, Jaz-O was featured on another song dissing Jay-Z, titled "Gangstas Ride" with West Coast rapper,
2017–2020: Reunion with Jay-Z and signing with Roc Nation
In December 2017, Jaz-O and Jay-Z reunited at Jay-Z's
On February 7, 2020, Jaz-O released an extended play (EP) titled
2021–present: Other ventures and releases
Jaz-O has since moved his 'Kingz Kounty Music Group" to Rival Distribution. He released "Lookin' Like", a collaboration single with Nipsey Hussle, on July 2, 2021. The song's music video was directed by Da Inphamus Amadeuz.[24]
Musical style
Influences
Jaz-O cites Grandmaster Caz as an early influence. Caz was the artist who made Jaz-O decide to become a rapper.[25]
Rhyming style
Jaz-O was the rapper to pioneer the triplet flow, which allows the rapper to flow far beyond sixteen syllables within the 4/4
Personal life
Jaz-O was known to be a visible figure in the Nuwaubian Nation during the 1980s. Nuwaubian beliefs and symbolism were prominent in the earlier years of his music career, and Nuwaubian fashion influenced his wardrobe.[27]
Discography
Studio albums
- Word to the Jaz (1989)
- To Your Soul (1990)
- Kingz Kounty (2002) (with the Immobilarie)
Extended plays
- Ya Don't Stop (1991)
- The Warmup(2020)
Singles
Year | Title | Artist(s) | Album | Peak position [28][29][30] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | "H. P. Gets Busy" | High Potent (with Jay-Z) | ||
1987 | "I'm In Love" | |||
1989 | "Buss The Speaker" / "Let's Play House" | Word to the Jaz | No. 26 on Dance Club Songs | |
"Hawaiian Sophie" | Jay-Z | No. 18 on Hot Rap Songs | ||
"Word To The Jaz" | ||||
1990 | "The Originators" | Jay-Z | To Your Soul | No. 13 on Hot Rap Songs |
1991 | "A Groove (This Is What U Rap 2)" | No. 18 on Hot Rap Songs | ||
"Hypocritters" | Ya Don't Stop | |||
1996 | "Waitin'" / "Foundation" | Jay-Z, Sauce Money | ||
1999 | "Jigga What..." | Jay-Z, Amil
|
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life | No. 84 on the Hot 100
|
2000 | "Kingz Kounty" | Kingz Kounty | ||
2001 | "Let's Go" | Jay-Z | ||
2002 | "Love Is Gone" | No. 20 on Hot Rap Songs | ||
"Ova" / "Deadly" | ||||
2005 | "Be There" | |||
2021 | "Lookin' Like" Remastered | Jaz-O / Nipsey Hussle | The Warm-Up |
Production credits
Besides being an emcee, he has produced songs for several hip hop artists other than Jay-Z, including
, and others.Solo
- 1995: Group Home - "4 Give My Sins"|Livin' Proof
- 1996: M.O.P. - "Born 2 Kill", "World Famous", "Lifestyles of a Ghetto Child", "Born 2 Kill" (Jazz Mix)" Firing Squad
- 1996: Jay-Z - "Ain't No Nigga"|Reasonable Doubt
- 1997: P Diddy - "I Got the Power" (Featuring The Lox) | No Way Out
- 1997: Jay-Z - "Rap Game / Crack Game"" | In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
- 1998: Usual Suspects - "Crazy" Streets Is Watching (soundtrack)
- 1998: Ras Kass - "H2O Proof" | Rasassination
- 1998: Jay-Z - "In My Lifetime (remix)" Streets Is Watching (soundtrack)
- 1998: Queen Latifah - "Court Is in Session" | Order in the Court
- 1999: Rakim - "It's A Must" | The Master
- 2002: The Giacana Story
- 2002: GZA - " Legend Of The Liquid Sword"|Legend of the Liquid Sword
References
- ^ Shawn Grant (2019-07-10). "Jay-Z Signs Jaz-O To Roc Nation Deal". The Source. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
- ^ "Here We Go! Song and lyrics by Jaz-O". Spotify.
- ^ "The Warmup by Jaz-O Album Review".
- ^ "Jay-Z Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
- ^ Finlay, Mitch (August 19, 2019). "Jaz-O Is The Originator: Reflections On Jay-Z, B.I.G, & Creating The Triplet Flow". hotnewhiphop.com.
- ^ Bandini (June 18, 2015). "Jay Z's First Record Ever Was in 1986…And It Was Not Hawaiian Sophie. Take a Listen (Audio)". www.ambrosiaforheads.com.
- ^ "Jaz-O Interview". www.urbanjazz.org.
- ^ "The Jaz Word To The Jaz Chart History". Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ "The Jaz Hawaiian Sophie Chart History". Hot Rap Songs. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ "The Jaz Chart History". Dance Club Songs. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ "The O'Jays – Serious (1989, CD)". 1989 – via www.discogs.com.
- ^ "The Jaz Chart History". Hot Rap Songs. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ "Kingz Kounty Media Group Presents Jaz-O's New EP "The WarmUp" Available February 7th on All Platforms Via Equity Distribution". www.rfdtv.com. February 7, 2020. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
- ^ "Jaz-O & The Immobilarie "Kingz Kounty" (Album)". January 25, 2020.
- ^ "Jadakiss Talks About Growing Up In Yonkers and The LOX's Relationship with Mary J. Blige - The Combat Jack Show". Complex.
- ^ MTV News Staff (January 15, 1998). "The Lox Get By With A Little Help From Puffy And Mary J. Blige". www.mtv.com.
She was like a number one fan for us. She was loving our music before anybody, and she just brought us to Puff. Puff was looking for a group, a rap group, at that time. It was instant. It just clicked like that. It was chemistry.
- ^ "Interview With Nick Raphael", HitQuarters, 25 May 2005.
- Complex. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
- ^ "Jay-Z and Jaz-O Reunite at 4:44 Tour Stop in Chicago - XXL". XXL Mag. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
- ^ VIRAL MVP (July 9, 2019). "JAY-Z Signs Jaz-O to Roc Nation after Ending Beef". onsmashmusic.com.
- ^ "JAY-Z's mentor Jaz-O picks up where he left off with ten-track effort 'The Warmup': Listen – GRUNGECAKE". 8 February 2020.
- ^ "Jaz-O Raises the Bar In New 'The Warm Up' Project". Weekly Rap Gods. February 10, 2020.
- ^ "Jaz-O "Lookin Like" Single Set To Drop". Boom Bap Nation. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
- ^ Soren Baker (April 10, 2002). "Jaz-O Reminds World Where Jay-Z Got His Blueprint". www.mtv.com.
When I heard Grandmaster Caz, it was like a light came on. His timing was just perfect, his voice was perfect and he wrote all of the routines that the Cold Crush did. A lot of them were jingles from old pop and R&B songs, but it was crazy the way he flipped them. I didn't know it could be like that. From that day on, I endeavored to get my timing like that, to have the same clarity and vocal punch.
- ^ Finlay, Mitch (August 19, 2019). "Jaz-O Is The Originator: Reflections On Jay-Z, B.I.G, & Creating The Triplet Flow". www.hotnewhiphop.com.
The reason I did it was because in one-sixteenth cadence and your average 4/4 time signature beat, if you have more than sixteen syllables in a measure, all of the sudden, you're stuck with a dilemma to express yourself in a certain way or to get your point across the way you choose. I had to stuff those words, those extra syllables in the sixteen so it would transform those syllables into twenty-fourths, which became a triplet of an eighth. That's why I called it the triplet style.
- ^ Unknown. "Jay-Z got his start rapping alongside Jaz-O. They got involved in the "conscious hip hop" movement with the release of "The Originators"". www.hiphopmindcontrol.com.
- ^ "The Jaz Chart History". Hot Rap Songs. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
- ^ "The Jaz Chart History". Dance Club Songs. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
- ^ "Jaz-O Chart History". Hot Rap Songs. Retrieved 2018-01-08.