Review Summary: this is just the warmup
For a huge swathe of the rap world, the name Jaz-O will usually not be a known commodity. Indeed the man, despite being in the Rap game for 40+ years, has gone largely unknown among the wider titans of the industry. However, to fans of known MC Jay-Z, the name Jaz-O holds almost legendary status as the man who mentored the young Jay-Z before he became famous. For those who know, that name holds reactions of awe and sadness. He was the Qui-Gonn to Jay-Z's Obi-Wan, and yet Jaz-O wouldn't become a household name. Whose fault that is depends on who you talk to and the controversy around the fallout between Jay and Jaz remains a fiery debate among Jayhova aficionados to this day. Things wouldn't stay stagnant forever of course. In 2017 Jaz-O accompanied Jay on stage during his 4:44 tour, ending a bitter separation and introducing a whole new generation to one of the most ingenious Rappers in the history of the genre. After the tour, Jaz' new company Kingz Kounty would merge into a subsidiary of Jay's Roc Nation's Equity Distribution. It then became obvious that a new record by Jaz was on the way and in 2020, the world was graced with the first studio album by Jaz-O in 18 years;
The Warmup.
Clocking in at over 36 minutes,
The Warmup is short and sweet, a demonstration of Jaz-O's talents as a rapper and an understanding of his consistency as a producer. While listening to his Rap style will immediately draw recollections of Jay-Z, with it's emphasis on flow and unity between rapping and the beat, that does not mean they are a 1 to 1 comparison. Over the course of his career, Jay-Z would refine and edit his technique to reflect tastes during the times, largely abandoning the original flow style for a more straight off-the-tongue delivery by the time of
Kingdom Come. Jaz-O's style is placed firmly in it's times, with a smooth and suave flow that molds the words with the beats to create a swirling painting straight out of the 80's and 90's. To some, such a dated style and delivery might turn away their more modern palette, but for many who appreciate the OG styles that defined Rap in it's early days,
The Warmup feels less like a throwback and more like a moment frozen in time.
When it comes to lyricism, the best showcase on the record would have to go to
In My Sleep, a fast track with the speed of NASCAR yet smoother than a lazy river. The lyrics detail a sense of confidence most 55 year olds wouldn't have, as detailed in the tracks main ballad:
I'm doin' it all in my sleep
I'd like to welcome y'all to my dream
I got my eyes wide shut, but they don't believe,
That I'm doin' it all in my sleep
Other tracks that demonstrate Jaz-O's lyrical lion's heart include wordplay wizardry like
Fisher Pricer and
Lookin' Like, but speech sorcery isn't the only tool among Jaz' utility belt. As a producer, Jaz-O shines in tracks like
Kingzs Kounty 4evva, bringing a classic percussion sequence mixed with a subtle female chorus and a soul-blazed trumpet section.
My Reality has a more modern production, with it's heavy digital sound and feedback loop. The best song to show his producing proficiency would be
Straight Shot; a straight banger of a track with a classic percussion loop, while including a soft, soul inspired chorus.
The Warmup is not Jaz-O's 4th album, so don't get it twisted. This is Jaz-O hitting the reset button and presenting the world with a brand new debut that delivers a legendary MC to a new audience in the era of streaming, soundbites, and viral videos. Despite being 55 at the time of release, Jaz-O raps like he is still approaching 29, and this album demonstrates that age doesn't hurt talent. With flows that enter our ears with the ease that air enters our lungs, and production that ignites our senses into sound ecstasy, Jaz-O has returned like the second coming, and delivered one of the best Rap albums of 2020. Let's be clear though, this is just the beginning, it's clear that a whole new dawn is approaching Jaz and this was just him testing the waters. We haven't seen him unleash his full power just yet.
After all, this is just the warmup.
