AZ has carved a strong lineage for himself in Hip-Hop, kickstarted by a show stealing verse on Nas’ Illmatic track “Life’s a B-tch.” Almost two decades later, Sosa remains one of the culture’s unsung heroes, known to paint vivid pictures of gritty street tales. Age hasn’t depleted Anthony Cruz’s talent a bit, and it shows on his latest freestyle, “Genesis.”
The aphoristic track clocks in at just over a minute, but AZ’s potent bars give listeners enough game to compensate for its length. Esco’s Illmatic intro “The Genesis,” itself a sample from the Wild Style soundtrack, plays as the soundscape for the Brooklyn MC’s exclamations that rap “needs to bring that east coast sh-t back.” Fans need not worry, though. AZ expresses his views like a proud New Yorker, rather than the bitter old head from rap’s yesteryear.
Sosa will make a resurgence in 2013, as he prepares the release of the long awaited sequel to his debut, Doe Or Die II, for later this year.
Listen to AZ go off on “Genesis” below.
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Photo: Respect Magazine
