#StoriesAboutSongs

Battle Rhyme Instrumental by RedefineHipHop

Direct To The Fact Instrumental by RedefineHipHop

Psychostyle Instrumental by RedefineHipHop

Show Description: For part two of the The Jaz & Jay-Z special we continue to take a look at the greatness of The Jaz with his second album, and the follow up EP, and as he transitions into the mid 90s, which also saw him take his production skills to the next level. I also touch on some of the styles that The Jaz was a pioneer and/or helped popularize. And, all that leads into me getting a chance to meet The Jaz, and through him, Jay-Z, and the few interviews that followed to close out the 90s, including a useful idea that I randomly gave Jay-Z...

Time Stamps:

0:00: Part One Review

1:00: To Your Soul Album

2:50: The Diggedys

6:00: To Your Soul Favorite Tracks

7:30: Finding the To Your Soul on Vinyl

9:25: Ya Don’t Stop EP

12:30: The D&D Project

13:40: Big Jaz the Producer

14:40: Original Flavor

17:30: Jay-Z rare video footage

19:00: Meeting The Jaz in Brooklyn

20:00: Time Travel Interview: The Jaz & Jay-Z

20:45: Madison Hip Hop Conference 2002

26:10: The 1997 Jay-Z Interview

33:00: The Origin of Jay-Z acapellas

37:00: The Jaz Final Props

The Jaz and Jay-Z are certainly each worth of their own stories being told, but one of my favorite things is peeling back the layers of how various stories tie things together, and that's the adventure we begin on here, in this two-part special that touches not only on the history of The Jaz and Jay-Z, but touches on some other key stories along the way, including moments with Fresh Gordon, UTFO, LL Cool J, Chubb Rock, Gary Byrd, Roxanne Shante, Choice MCs, and more....

I was lucky enough to do street promotions in Chicago for Sha-Key's debut album, produced largely by Earl Blaize, as I was, and remain a big fan of that album, "A Head Naddas Journey To Aidi Skizm" ('94).

This is the story of that record, including input given to me from Sha-key and Earl Blaize to help fill in some gaps. it talks about her being signed to Imago Records, and what went wrong, as well as what happened next in her career, which included a transition into the world of tech, creating one of the earliest Hip Hop platforms on the world wide web, Guillotine Hip Hop.

Final Failure

What a difference a choice makes

Raised stakes, pain, aches

The right to remain sane, the same snakes

Lay in wait, after hours of laying bait

Staying straight walking on the path

In this day and age

I gave all I got all I got was a soul to save

That’s so to say, I’m not OK, another one got away

I got a way of losing everything on the field of play

The hill to stay and die on, the one I’m gon’ build today

A will, a way, little concern about what will they say

Heal or cave, or go head on if you’re feeling brave

Villain made from the very parts you’ve been afraid

Men-made, 100% like centigrade

The truth hurts, boiling point is a cascade

Masquerades, not the only reason the mask made

Has hate strayed you from path, the task takes

Time, space, aligned faith, a way to divine grace

I gaze deep into the heart of the last days

Unfazed, cool like a tree when it cast shade

Ask a question and the truth I will tell ya…

Or make this one the final failure

LIfe’s Pieces

Monday to Friday, try to manage my stress

Then got two measly days just to try n refresh

Hit reset, yup, then the cycles resumes

Cause life’s lot harder than the child assumes

I was born to believe I could achieve anything

But that dream hit a wall once I turned 18

But I still didn’t stop, I kept my eyes on the prize

Then I failed so many times,that I lost count of the tries

Decades long, standing strong, never choosing to quit

And had some fun along the way I’d never choose to forget

But this is it, I think I reached the limit, the split

I got these pieces in my life that never seem to fit

Life’s Pieces,

This ain’t a cry for help, this ain’t no farewell note

This ain’t a list of complaints, or a last dash of hope

This is smoke, the fire’s in the layers of the quotes

Shifting moods, light from dark, switch from dagger to cloak

Spirit broke, not quite ready to give up yet

I’m pushing on for the moment, making use of regrets

Because I waste no experience, I honor the past

Then, I rewrite my future, from this to day to the last

A daunting task, but here’s the thing, I'M NOT GONNA ASK

I predict a lot of turbulence in my life forecast

And Imma still show love, that’s my nature, for sure

It’s at my core, a reason that I do this for

This nothing more rewarding than I thought that’s pure

From the rawest of emotion to the more obscure

I take the pieces of my life and check the angles again

I hear this voice in this distance say, ‘You ain’t gonna win’

I don’t even look to see from where the voices emerged

I’m too submerged in endeavors which I truly prefer

I’m not at war with the world, I’m not at peace with me

I don’t need no awards, I did my best for free

But that’s just me, who else would you expect me to be

Respectfully, especially since respect is the key

Art on Sleeve

Dim lights, dark nights, Poetic Art-types

All rights reserved, all mics deserve to share

These rare words, but they’re barely heard

Success is blurred, I guess it’s a test, a lesson learned

Crash and burn, come to terms or toss and turn

The cost to earn, might cost the cost of urn

Loss confirmed, along with my worst concerns

Then I retreat, meditate, sync with beat

Add to sheet, speech with layered degrees

Shared beliefs, between each line, which leaves

Room to Breathe, a rune that can rule or lead

You foolln’ me, I’d have to be a fool indeed

Pool end deep, count wool sheep, then sleep

Skin Deep, open eyes like 10 Bass T

Piece of the pie, three ways like Count Bass D

‘Electronic Energy…’ gets me charged for free

Can’t part the sea, but I can put my art on sleeve

Yeah, This is art on sleeve…

In Full Effect, stepped in a pool of sweat but cool is kept

Ready to access the threat

Challenge met, leave no room for regret

Balance set, power shift, then forgive and forget

Live and let live, is the view in my lens

Here’s a bouquet of flowers, the scent of your sins

Pure gems that shine when the light refracts

I might retract a statement or it might be back

It might be black, it might be white, if might be fact

It might react despite all the numbing acts

Summon, funky drummer, time to bring em back

To bang on tracks, so I can get the weight off back

Like Aaron Nevill,. I’m tired, said pot to kettle

Praise due to all the children who meddle

I walk through a meadow, ignoring any brick that’s yellow

Can’t trick this fellow, naw, y’all ain’t my level

It’s ‘Word Power’, now or never, heard to the 3rd power

Shared trauma brings drama, word to amateur hour

Break the cycle, yeah,’ Here’s An Idea’

Let fear disappear, prepare for the when, why, where

Patience is clearly needed cause the work is severe

My purpose is clear, plus, I’m known to persevere

Purchased shares in company, the kind that’s rare

My currency was kindness, time, and care

Paid the fare, then made aware, life ain’t fair

You like that there? fine, here’s some more despair

The more the merrier…that’s an oxymoron

More important it’s an excerpt of the oath of sworn on

Night to morning I write, trying to fight off yawning

The life I’m longing captured in the words I’m spawning

Mix a Spoon of Iodine with The Future Sound

The Threat of Rashinel Eyecue, and ‘The Future’s Now’

The Makings of a Trap

My life woes got me wide awake with my eyes closed

Deep in concentration, plotting means of survival

Flashback to Prospect Ave, these are the brass tacks

I wrote rap tracks while they sat around bagged crack

Happened once or twice, I wasn’t bout that life

But had some friends who were, they made a sacrifice

Risked they freedom, society failed, streets could feed em

They said they planned to quit, I truly believe em

Gave me purpose, never put the streets in my verses

I hoped my rhymes could get them off the streets before there were hearses

Or locked in jail, I failed, they went thru hell

Spent whole lotta time sitting in a cell

And I know I’m not to blame, but it’s hard to explain

Attempting in vain, and that’s only half the pain

Friendship strained when they got too deep in the game

I still recall when it happened, I was sitting there rapping

Doorbell rang, I went to answer, can you imagine

My surprise, a cop before my eyes,

I looked around, thinking, damn, it’s a bust for sure

Until I heard, ‘it’s all good, he’s a customer’

I had to process that…

Weigh the power of addiction vs the makings of a trap

Huh? What’s that?!

It feels like the makings of a trap

So I sat back, observed their clientele

A front row seat far beyond the pale

I saw a high school employee, one of the mayor’s staff

I guess ‘Just Say No’ that last laugh

As I walked out that drug house for one last time

I thought about the power of rhyme, and could I task mine

To find a route, to pull em out of a life of crime

Before we got too far past the warning signs

Ironically, lack of finances killed my chances

I tried to troubleshoot but couldn’t find the answers

Kept my passion, but eventually we lost touch

Years later, I learned he had been locked up