Jaz-O "Get's CRUSHED"

It took me eleven minutes, four *waves* and two haggles to get a damn cab on the corner of Remsen in Brooklyn, NY. Nervous, I repeatedly checked my Treo for the time and any missed calls from my newest "Crush", since I was running fashionably late and damn it this just ‘aint a good look. My foot tapped on the floor of the cab, my fingertips tapped the seat; my head bobbed to the song playing on the radio, my thoughts raced. I feel like I’m Christmas shopping for Hugh Heffner, what do you get a man that appears to have it "all"? What do you ask a man that has been through it all when it comes to this Hip-Hop shit? Sure and all you know he has been asked the same questions over and over again, how do you avoid beating a dead horse without being corny or boring? I don’t know ya’ll, but I am PinkCookiz and I’m going to do what it DO! In the game for over 20 years he has seen, felt and tasted the venom of Hip-Hop as well as reaped the sweet fruits she produces. The Legacy. The Originator. He is among the very first b-boy’s, a true Hip-Hop prodigy, Brooklyn’s very own forgotten son, respected and reviled, adored and abolished, still banging in the game showing no signs of retreat nor submission and having his name on the lips of uh…let’s just say "everyone". I’m speaking of the immovable Jaz-O.

"I chose wisdom over riches...It's a much rockier road but the rewards are greater"

Jaz-O, thank you for coming out on this cold ass night! Let’s jump right in, how do you keep your integrity, your balance with what’s going on for you right now in the game?

Success is not measured by financial gain. I’m like Solomon, I didn’t chose the riches, I could have chose the riches over wisdom but you see the secret to that is through wisdom you can gain all the riches in the world, you can gain everything. It’s a much rockier road but the rewards are greater and those rewards aren’t really felt unless you have wisdom. I find that I’m at least as successful as anybody you can name in the industry just by the road that I’ve walked and my accomplishments. I’m like the guy that you never see. For example, everything is done by statistics lets say basketball, the guy with the most stats you know the most points, most assist, they get the big money. They can’t do those things without the intangibles or without support players. See I have the best of both worlds I have those intangibles things and I also have the stats. The only difference is that I may not have the money that people supposedly feel I should have.

Damn, Jaz, you speak like it’s nothing. That takes a lot of strength not to go "flip mode" and I mean you seem to be fine with it.

No, you know what; I’m not fine with it.

Shit tell ‘em why you mad son!

Yo son! Yo! Yo! Ha-ha! Nah, ya know, it’s not that I’m mad. I’m just not fine with it. I mean with myself I’m fine but things that are important are things that you make important to yourself. The things that are important to me is that I changed this Hip Hop drama number one and I changed the way people see rap artist. You shouldn’t have to wear a suit and tie for other cultures to accept you or not be afraid of you. I wear what I want to wear.

I wanna know how you changed Hip Hop.

For one I’m 44 years old. Most people are scared to tell anybody that they trying to rhyme or whatever, you know? You can’t seem tell anybody your age because your stock goes down this that or the other and it ends up not being about the music. I don’t care about that, I'm 44 and I'm doing this for music.

So mister "Originator", tell me more about this title that you live by.

I don’t do this for titles or for egos I mean I have an ego. But I have an ego based on how I feel about myself. Not "do you like me, do you think I’m hot" and then once you think I’m hot, "yea I’m hot". If you need that to think you’re hot then you aint really hot. Ya know what I’m saying? It starts with yourself; you have to prove it to noone but you. Like with myself, when I rhyme in the shower, the things I think of and say, I sit there in awe. Word, like that’s me saying that shit; the great god inside of me did this not the god outside of me. But at the same time I’m ego tripping I’m also humble, yo I sure am thankful because some of the shit I say has me trippin'. I amazed myself. Ha-ha

Lol, it’s amazing how somebody can be so smug and meek at the same time, half man half amazing! Anyway, you were in the studio earlier when I was blowing up your jack, what you got up your sleeve? Can I leak something? Oh I’m such a nosey ass, can I be down?

Umm, I mean I got all kinds of tracks ready. I‘m actually throwing missiles at Jay-z that Kay Slay has been playing for me. Matter of fact what I worked on tonight, I’m going back at him (Jay-Z) with the ‘Brooklyn we go hard’, it’s kinda jacking for beats it’s a combination of ‘Brooklyn we go hard’ and ‘I did it for HipHop’ I particularly used ‘I did it for Hip Hop’ because that’s where he made that remark. I fucked him up pretty bad but it’s still, this is just the beginning. Trust me I get nothing outta doing this type of shit, I just wanna rhyme.

Damn it I promised myself I wasn’t gonna touch the "Jaz-Jay beef" but you made me do it! If it’s just about rhyming why not just let Jay say what he wanna say and let it go? Say fuck it. This man with all this money and fame coming at you, why you? I don‘t understand the sense in this; why not just let it go?

‘Cause he loves me, that‘s why he's coming at me. Ya know, I been let it go but I’m backed into a corner, it’s important to me now. I made it important to tear his ass up on these tracks. I made it important to me because I have kids, my kids gotta hear about this dude with millions of dollars talk about their father.

Jay-Z is Jay-Z, Jaz-O is Jaz-O. When you think about "I did it for Hip Hop" I felt like, why is he mentioning Jaz-O? Many say that it was a subliminal promotional stunt intended for you, ya know to name ‘Jaz-O’ to millions of people. I guess Jay-Z really didn’t have to mention you; he had to have done that to basically help you out with sales? Right?

Right! I looked at it that way too; I also saw it like come on. He didn’t have to mention me and he didn’t have to do it that way but he’s still that egotistical and so much of a drama queen that you have to do it that way. We know so many of the same people and I’m not hiding from anybody. He could’ve easily reached out and got in contact with me and said "Yo man I know we said some shit let’s bury the hatchet or get together and get this money". We don’t have to be homies and all that but let’s kill this shit. But nope. First of all, this is a diss industry, you leaving it up to people to decide whether some ones going in on you once your name is mentioned. Most of the time people are attracted to drama "Yo son he went in on him he said blah, blah, blah" and he (Jay-Z) knows that people are going to automatically say "ooh he went at him".

*It's getting hot in here**let's switch gears shall we*

Mainstream and Underground; underground is going to always be the dominator in this factor in my opinion. With that said the internet is making it easier and harder at the same time for unsigned artist, how do you feel about that?

I think it’s good that it’s making it harder for unsigned artist because you shouldn’t want to get signed at this point because we have the internet and digital downloads. I mean outside of that unless you’re those "hand picked" few that are signed to a major label you’re not gonna sell any records anyway. Say I get signed somewhere and I sell 100,000 records and I’m signed to a major label? I’m upset, but if I put that shit out myself and sell 100,000, big outcome.

Tell me about the album who you got on there? Will you be featuring any of your own artists? Are you doing any of the production?

Lots of surprises for the album. As far as the production goes, yea I’m doing production. I’m also gonna reach out to Pete Rock and Premier, see if I could pull a favor from Pharell. I have a few artists I’m working with, got them on there. I’m getting some dope women involved, the original Spinderella I want her on and when it’s time to go on the road I want her as my DJ. I think that's mad sexy.

Yea, that’s fly. Anything involving a woman is sexy, especially when it’s something that’s "male dominated". Didn’t you know this? Or didn’t you notice? *pops collar* HA! Ok back to business, when is the album dropping? Send me a track dude.

I don’t have a release date. I’m just focused right now on beating this ni**a (Jay-Z) upside the head with some joints and simultaneously flip those joints to loyal DJ’s, DJ’s who aren’t afraid to play good music and have the platform to do so. Ya kno a lot of these dudes say that "rah-rah’ shit, yet they don’t have the platform to play what they wanna play. You want a track, I got you.

*Yay* *But wait how we get back on Jay?*

There’s so much incredible talent everywhere right now, from producers to emcees. Donnie Goines, L.O.S.T., Mae Day, Trav Williams, Benzilla, Silent Knight, ADD2theMC, DJSkinny, JansportJ, Selima, 20, Aqwar, HP, Smash Brothers. (Cheap attempt at shouting out my homies!) I can go on, but I won‘t. You see where I’m going with this? Is there anybody out there that you wouldn’t mind working with?

Yea, you know, I wish all these new artist the best, much success. I would work with anybody that’s dope, I don‘t care who you are. If I’m not feeling you I just won’t fuck with you. Like I said I don’t care who you are, somebody walks up to me and they give me a CD, if I like it then we go from there if not ya know, enjoy life. If I don’t like what I hear I’ll tell you, I’m gonna tell you I don’t like it. Then you have those people that come at you hard. Even after telling them I wasn’t feeling the music, they turn around and send 13 more joints. That shit is beyond me, enjoy life.

Please, listen to my demo!

Ha-ha-ha! Email it to me, Jazomusic@gmail.com

Any comments on the Biggie biopic?

*Blank Stare* No comments

Ok, we won’t go there. That is an entirely different interview, I’ll holla! Lol, so do you have any hidden talents?

Yea I do… (He starts drumming on the table with his knuckles)

(gas face) LOL you’re a silly ass, cut it out! When you’re not making beats with your knuckles, what do you do on your spear time?

I like to do things, ya know. Ha-ha, but besides that I like to play ball, spend time with my kids. I write and think of the next move to make.

Give me two things that we need to know about Jaz-O:

#1. I always keep it 100. Whatever I say and do I say and do with sincerity, I always speak from the heart.#2. I’m the best

100 you say? ok, I can dig it. What's your favorite candy?

I'm not a candy person, I like cookies tho.

What what?!?! Lol! umm what kind of cookies? Strawberry frosted ones, perhaps? Ha!

Ha-ha! Mostly oatmeal raisin, I like lemon bars and brwonies. My moms is the best when it comes to baking.

Say word? Hook a sister up with some oatmeal raisin jumpoffs tho, I'm saying! Lol, ok, ok what attracted you to Hip Hop?

Rhythm and words. When I heard Melly Mell and this is before the records, I heard these dudes live. Grandmaster Caz, Cold Crush, I remembering wanting to sound like that! I mean his vocal projection, his timing, he was convincing, he was melodic ya know what I’m saying? That was the package and I wanted to do that. Ya know that feeling you get when you hear music and a person hits a note or a certain riff plays and you get chills? He (Grandmaster Caz) wasn’t even singing and I was catching chills, like damn. I just wanted to rhyme like that.

And look at what happend? You ended up having one of the illest, most original flows. Thank you Grand Master C! You "Crushed" me on the Hoops game and I’ll give you that. I can take an L, every good person knows when to. Lol, lets wrap this up so I can eat my shrimp. How about we play a game, "Random Shit", you with it? Well you don’t have a choice anyway, lol

Another game? Lol, ok, I’m down.

*mocking real sarcastic like* "Yes it's another game" *scoofs rolls eyes* Anywaaay...this first part is Speed round, then this or that and so forth and so on. Lets go!

Brooklyn

Me

Wind

Me

*giggle* Blue

……

Hahahaha! Come on man! You’re thinking! You’re not supposed to think! LOL it’s "Speed Round" first word that comes to mind

LOL, iight-iight!

DJ

Clue

Now was that hard?

I'm a thinker, I always think before I speak Ha-ha! sorry

I can dig it,. You do know the whole idea behind that game is to get you to open up a little and get to your dark side. *Muahaha* What was the last book you read?

"Conversations with God".

*skins teeth* So much for your "dark side"! *sigh* Do you watch cartoons?

I do, but I don’t like the TV cartoons anymore. I like the Marvel movies, "The Avengers". That’s my shit.

The Avengers are wack son! DragonBallZ all day! Lol! Pick one Voltron or Transformers

Transformers.

*He wanted to say GoBots but it wasn't in the selection*

LOL!! Just kidding. When’s your birthday?

Oct 4th, Libra.

There’s nothing like an Aquarius baby, get it together! Ha-ha! Anyway, what’s your favorite song?

I don’t have one; there are too many songs to just pick one.

Ok I can dig it. I’m the same way I have so many, many songs that I love and it‘s way too hard to chose just one. So, I’m gonna help you out. I don’t care who I’m with or where I am this one song makes me go fucking bananas, I have to dance. WHAT?! I swear to you I get so hype, my legs start to shake, every single muscle and bone in my body is ready! Aw I‘m about to get excited right now! "Rock with you" by Michael Jackson, sets it off every time. When I hear those opening drums and the keyboard, Faghetaboutit!

Lol, you’re crazy. Ok, if I have to pick just one of so many, I guess it would be; Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack "When love has gone", have you heard it? That song is hot.

No I can’t say I have but I'll look for it. Why don’t you sing a little of it refresh my memory. "Jaz-O the R&B singer". Lollzz.

Lol, Naaaaaaah! Ha-ha-ha!

J, my dude. I think that’s it for now. Yea, that’s it. Lol, I had fun!

Me too.

Did you really? That’s what’s up, this was the like the best interview you ever had right?

Ma-ma I don’t rate interviews, so.

*fuck outta hurr* Zo you LOVE my shit! hahaha! Oh well this ‘aint an interview baby boy I‘m on a whole ‘nova level…You’ve been officially "Crushed!" lol!

Ha-ha! Ok PinkCookiz. "Whole-‘Nova-Level"!

Jaz-O, thank you so much for getting up with little old me and enduring my random craziness, Keep banging baby! Three things I learned from this Crush: #1. Herbie Hancock was the first person to use auto tunes #2. Jaz-O likes chocolate chip brownies. #3. It’s impossible to keep a good person down. How dope is that?! Jaz-O has rocked with the very best in the nation of Hip Hop and he has created his mark consistently from 1989 to right motha’ fucking now! Whether behind the scenes producing fire ass tracks or lacing the MIC with his renowned flow, "The Legacy" continues to drop smash after smash on a solo tip or while collaborating with so many amazing artists like Rakim, Memphis Bleek, GZA, Kool J Rap and . Being in the game for over 20 years has not only made Jaz a Hip Hop pioneer but also wiser more humble and stronger. Meeting a variety of personalities and seeing "friends" become "foes" must be something to endure while maintaining his own character and I tip my Yankee fit to him. Seeing the music industry change with its kaleidoscope like transformations and plainly being disgusted at how the culture is being mistreated only makes Big Jaz go extra hard in the studio, in hopes to keep "true" Hip Hop bangin! Tonight I saw another side of "The Originator" that was crazy dope, and you have experienced his human side as well. I would have never known much more about this man other than him feeling a certain way over some Jay-Z "beef". I’m glad I "Crushed" Jaz-O and I’d do it again! Ha-ha! ummm so Cooki lovers, as I said before you don't have to take my glossed lips for it check it out for yourself myspace.com/jazomusic and be on the look out for his newest album dropping this summer, "The Warm Up". Get CRUSHED baby! Get you some…