Pieces of a Man | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 7, 1998 | |||
Recorded | 1997−98 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 54:03 | |||
Label | Noo Trybe | |||
Producer |
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AZ chronology | ||||
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Singles from Pieces of a Man | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
RapReviews | 8/10 [2] |
Pieces of a Man is the second solo studio album by American rapper AZ. It was released on April 7, 1998 via Noo Trybe Records. Production was handled by Trackmasters, Goldfinga, Gucci Jones, L.E.S., Kenny Kornegay, Nashiem Myrick, RZA and Tony Dofat. It features guest appearances from The Firm, Half-A-Mil, Monifah, RZA and Panama P.I. The album peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.
The album was highly praised for its complex and insightful lyricism. The first single was intended to be "Hey AZ" featuring SWV, which peaked at No. 50 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Music video for "Hey AZ" was shot, but the song was included only in the Japanese edition of the project.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "New Life" (Album Intro) |
|
| 1:22 |
2. | "I'm Known" |
|
| 2:11 |
3. | "How Ya Livin'" (featuring Nas) |
| L.E.S. | 4:30 |
4. | "Trading Places" |
| Poke & Tone | 3:43 |
5. | "What's the Deal" |
| Poke & Tone | 3:56 |
6. | "Love Is Love" (featuring Half-A-Mil and Nature) |
| Poke & Tone | 5:14 |
7. | "The Pay Back" |
|
| 3:06 |
8. | "Just Because" |
| L.E.S. | 2:53 |
9. | "SOSA" |
| Poke & Tone | 2:05 |
10. | "It's a Boy Thing" (featuring Nature) |
| Poke & Tone | 4:02 |
11. | "Pieces of a (Black) Man" |
| Poke & Tone | 3:44 |
12. | "Last Dayz" (featuring Monifah) |
|
| 5:19 |
13. | "Whatever Happened (The Birth)" (featuring RZA) |
| RZA | 3:37 |
14. | "Trial of the Century" (featuring Foxy Brown and Panama P.I.) |
| Nashiem Myrick | 4:27 |
15. | "Betcha Don't Know" |
| Tony Dofat | 3:54 |
Total length: | 54:03 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
16. | "Hey AZ" (featuring SWV) |
| Poke & Tone |
Chart (1998) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [3] | 22 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [4] | 5 |
Enter the Wu-Tang is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by Loud Records. Recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).
Nigga Please is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ol' Dirty Bastard. It was released on September 14, 1999, via Elektra Records. Recording sessions took place at Quad Recording Studios, at Chung King Studios and at 36 Chambers Studio in New York City, and at American Studios in Los Angeles. Production was handled by RZA, The Neptunes, Irv Gotti, Buddha Monk, Dat Nigga Reb, DL, Flavahood Productions, Mr. Fingers and True Master. It features guest appearances from 12 O'Clock, Kelis, La the Darkman, Lil' Mo, Pharrell Williams, Raison the Zukeeper, Shorty Shit Stain, and comedian Chris Rock.
Anthony Cruz, better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper known for being a longtime and frequent music partner of East Coast rapper Nas and also a member of hip hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. Online magazine About.com listed AZ as the "Most Underrated [Rapper] of All Time". AZ also made it onto the sites' "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)", where he was reiterated as "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever."
Moment of Truth is the fifth album by hip hop duo Gang Starr, released on March 31, 1998 by Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records. Gang Starr recorded Moment of Truth in sessions at D&D Studios. It is widely regarded as Gang Starr's magnum opus, and one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
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"Until We Rich" is a single by Ice Cube featuring Krayzie Bone, from Ice Cube's 2000 album, War & Peace Vol. 2 . The song conveys the message that the most important things in the world are health and life. The beat, produced by Carl "Chucky" Thompson, contains a sample of "Show Me" by Glenn Jones that was also used in Queensbridge rapper AZ's Pieces of a Man album track "How Ya Livin" featuring Nas. It peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
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