The Format

AZ (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Traffic (The Orchard)
• ASIN: B000JBXY4E
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,813 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I Am the Truth

2. Sit 'Em Back Slow

3. Get High

4. Make Me

5. Games

6. Rise and Fall

7. Animal

8. Doing That!

9. This Is What I Do

10. The Format

11. Vendetta

12. Game of Life

13. Royal Salute [*]

Editorial Reviews

Following the success of his 2005 release A.W.O.L., AZ strikes back again a mere year later with a brand new studio release, The Format. After a decade in the game, A.W.O.L. brought AZ back to the forefront and among his rightful place as one of Hip Hop's most elite visceral lyricists; The Format will only build upon his already legendary status, as AZ's vision and lyrical power to paint pictures have long been celebrated by critics and fans alike. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another great album from one of rap's greatest, November 7, 2006

By 

ctrx ('bout to show you how the EAST COAST rocks...) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Format (Audio CD)

In my mind, Brooklyn's AZ is a top five MC in hip hop at the moment. Album after album, AZ proves to be one of rap's most consistent artists, making awesome songs and albums to virtually no mainstream recognition for over ten years. From the classic debut "Doe or Die" to latter day greats like "Aziatic" and "A.W.O.L.", AZ has definitely established himself as a true talent. "The Format" furthers his legacy, yet another excellent LP that reigns among his best work. Only fourteen months removed from his last album, the excellent "A.W.O.L.", AZ's second release on his Quiet Money label is really enjoyable, with a balanced mix of hard lyrical songs with a few softer club tracks. Although it's fairly short, it's one of my favorite releases of 2006. He finally seems a little more content with his status in hip hop right now as an underground favorite, and he doesn't try so hard to make a mainstream hit as he has in the past. There are some nice collaborations with artists such as M.O.P. and Little Brother, which show what a great and respected artist he is. Production is also impressive, a lot of the beats are tough and fitting for AZ's lyrical depictions, and there is a lot of nice sampling and hooks throughout the LP. AZ furthers his legendary status with "The Format", a great album that is bound to be slept on by the majority.

The album leads off with the epic-sounding "I Am the Truth", AZ represents his character and legend over a great horn fanfare and tough beat. "Sit `Em Back Slow" is a nice collabo with hardcore veterans M.O.P., it uses a tasteful Rick James sample and the three MCs show some nice chemistry on this rough track. "Get High" is a pretty good song, AZ talks flashy over a decent beat, it's not one of the albums high points though. On "Make Me", AZ challenges others to "make me go away" with a well-produced backing. "Rise and Fall" is a definitely highlight, a collaboration with underground sensations Little Brother. It's a pretty conscious, hard-hitting track about the ups and downs of the industry and life. "Animal" uses a well known vocal sample for a chorus and a nice beat to make a memorable grimy song. On "Doing That", AZ collaborates with a Fergie-wannabe Jha Jha for a decent but kind of forgettable club song, it sounds like a few from "Aziatic". "This Is What I Do" is one of the best on the album, the production is really deep and so are the lyrics, he talks about what he's experienced. "The Format" is a classic track, laced with an awesome beat and hook courtesy of the legendary DJ Premier. AZ's flow and delivery are awesome, he really hits hard and this song is among the best singles of his career. I can't listen to this song enough at this point. "Vendetta" is another hard song, using a well-known horn fanfare for a nice touch. "Game of Life" is maybe my favorite song here though. He goes really deep down to discuss the struggles of life, how nobody wins living in the ghetto, but he tries to maintain a positive outlook, it's an emotional song. The vocal sample adds to the dramatic element. "Royal Salute" is a fitting outro to a great album, a response to a diss from 50 Cent.

I highly recommend "The Format", this album is a track or two away from being a classic and AZ's best. It's one of the best albums of 2006 and has a lot of really awesome tracks, AZ once again proves to be an awesome lyricist and one of the best rappers alive. If you've been sleeping on AZ until now, it's time to wake up and get "The Format", and longtime fans should enjoy this as much as any.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars classic, November 14, 2006

By 

realrap "playtowin" (Ct) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Format (Audio CD)

az continues putting out nothing but heat, and format is no exception. I would rate this better then last years AWOL which I rated a 4.5. Lyrically hes coming hard with the his flow and delivery and continues dropping dope verse after dope verse. The production is also pretty strong and complements Az nicely. Even the guest appearances are pretty strong for the most part, something that hurt AWOL. Out of the 13 tracks, I would rate 4 classics, 1 average, 1 good, and 7 near classics. Very strong album a definite buy 5 star classic

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Classic from AZ - one of the all-time greats, November 13, 2006

By 

G$ "Z-Wad" (B-More, MD) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Format (Audio CD)

He does it again, dropping his 6th solo album and his 3rd classic (with "Doe or Die" and "Pieces of a Man", I'd give "AWOL" 4.5 stars and his other 2 albums 4 stars). Just 16 months after his last album he is back with a 13 song album. Of the 13 songs, 2 are classics, 1 is almost a classic, 3 are ok, the other 7 are good and mostly great songs. Guests aren't very heavy, rappin' on 5 songs and doing the hook on one other. Production is great especially for his style and flow. Emile does 4 songs, Fizzy Womack of M.O.P does 3, J Cardim does 2, DJ Premier, Little Brother, Statik Selektah, and Bob Perry all do 1 song. Definitely a top 5 or top 3 album so far of 2006 (some of the other high points this yr. so far -- Ghostface's "Fishscale", Pimp C's "Pimpalation, Lake & Cormega's "My Brother's Keeper", Method Man's "4:21... The Day After", South Central Cartel's "Random Violence", Bars & Hooks "Most Notorious", Raekwon's "DaVinci Code Mixtape" -- we still have The Game, Fat Joe, Nas, Jay-Z, Z-Ro, 2Pac, Clipse, and Styles coming in the last 7 weeks of this year though). A must have album for fans of real hip-hop not that radio and video garbage!!

#1 - 9 (good beat)

#2 - 9 (f/ M.O.P -- tight Rick James sample on the beat)

#3 - 9 (nice beat again)

#4 - 8.5 (f/ Fresh)

#5 - 10 (CLASSIC -- f/ Samson -- great deeper beat)

#6 - 7 (f/ Big Pooh & Phante of Little Brother)

#7 - 8

#8 - 7 (f/ Jha Jha -- nice beat but not for AZ's style)

#9 - 9 (deeper lyrics)

#10 - 10 (CLASSIC -- great beat as usual by DJ Premier)

#11 - 9.5 (f/ fresh -- great beat)

#12 - 7

#13 - 8.5 (nice 50 Cent dis)

Anthony Cruz -- Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY

Check all my reviews