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Jonathan Burks (born October 4, 1964), better known by his stage name Jaz-O (formerly The Jaz), is an American
rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
and
record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
active in the late 1980s through the 1990s, best known for being the mentor of Brooklyn rapper
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
. Burks is nicknamed "the Originator", and had a song titled " The Originators" that featured a young Jay-Z in 1990.


Early life

Jonathan Burks was born in the Brooklyn borough of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
and raised in
Marcy Houses The Marcy Houses, or The Marcy Projects, is a public housing complex built and operated by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and located in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn and is bordered by Flushing, Marcy, Nostrand and Myrtle aven ...
, a housing project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Originally attending college to become an
accountant An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certif ...
, he decided to become a rapper after being encouraged by a friend, and being inspired after hearing
UTFO UTFO (an abbreviation for Untouchable Force Organization) was an American old-school hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City. The group consisted of Kangol Kid (born Shaun Shiller Fequiere; August 10, 1966 – December 18, 2021), Educated R ...
's " Roxanne, Roxanne."


Career


Early years and signing with EMI USA

Being from the same projects as Jay-Z, the two would meet and become friends, with Jaz-O being a rhyme mentor to Jay-Z. Sometime during the year of 1986, the two lyricists would soon form a short-lived group by the name of High Potent. Despite the group being short-lived, the two recorded and released several songs throughout 1986, before Jaz-O would go on and get a record deal with EMI USA. In regards to the signing, he stated:
I had been rhyming since I was 14. Do the math on your own! I became a legend on the east coast - which in the 'eighties' was quite remarkable, in about six years. I was always told I was the best most had ever heard. I put out a song in 1985 called "HP Gets Busy" on our own label (my manager at the time, Jack Walker and I), featuring two of my comrades from
Long Island, NY Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th- ...
, and my young apprentice, Jay Z. We did shows regionally; NY and Pittsburgh mostly. Meanwhile, I was recording with friend and producer, Fresh Gordon. He helped me get a single deal on
Tommy Boy Records Tommy Boy Entertainment is an American independent record label and multimedia brand founded in 1981 by Tom Silverman. The label is credited with helping and launching the music careers of Queen Latifah, Afrika Bambaataa, Stetsasonic, Digital ...
after I collaborated on a song with him called "My
Fila Fila Holdings Corp. is a sportswear brand of shoes and apparel. The company was founded by Ettore and Giansevero Fila in 1911 in Coggiola, near Biella, Piedmont, Italy. In 2003, it was sold to United States-based Sports Brand International. Su ...
" (a response to
Run DMC Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history ...
's, "
My Adidas "My Adidas" is the first single from Run–D.M.C.'s third album '' Raising Hell''. It is about Adidas footwear. Released in 1986, the song was written by two of the members, Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and was produced by ...
"). A mutual friend of Gordon and I, Marlon Prescott, introduced me to my soon-to-be manager at that time, Stan Poses. In four months Stan solidified a major artist deal for me, and I became the first rap artist ever to sign with EMI Records. I also became the recipient of the largest advance and recording budget of any rap artist at that time.


1989: ''Word to the Jaz''

Several months after signing with EMI USA, Jaz-O went on a trip to
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...
, where he would record his debut album. Joining him on the trip was Jay-Z, as well as future
Murder Inc Records Murder Inc. Records, LLC. (formerly The Inc. Records) is an American record label founded by brothers Chris and Irv Gotti in 1998. The label's flagship artist is Ja Rule. According to Chris Gotti, Murder Inc. had sold over 30 million units wor ...
CEO and producer
Irv Gotti Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. (born June 26, 1970), professionally known as Irv Gotti, is an American DJ, music producer, record executive, and the CEO and co-founder of Murder Inc. Records. He is best known for producing multiple number-one re ...
, who was Jaz-O's DJ at the time. After completion, Jaz-O released his debut album ''
Word to the Jaz ''Word to the Jaz'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer The Jaz from New York City. It was released in 1989 via EMI USA, and produced by Bryan "Chuck" New, Pete Q. Harris and The Jaz. The album peaked at number 87 on the To ...
.'' The album was produced by Bryan "Chuck" New, Pete Q. Harris and Jaz-O himself. The album peaked at number 87 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart. It featured a guest appearance from
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
on the song "Hawaiian Sophie", which peaked at number 18 on the
Hot Rap Songs Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio statio ...
chart. The single "Let's Play House"/"Buss the Speaker" peaked at number 26 on the ''Billboard''
Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...
chart. Jaz-O also made a
guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other pe ...
on
The O'Jays The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appearance with the minor hi ...
's " Have You Had Your Love Today", which was a single released from their 1989 album ''Serious''.


1990: ''To Your Soul''

Jaz-O released his second album '' To Your Soul'' on July 16, 1990. Despite the album not reaching the
Billboard charts The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
, its two singles, "The Originators" and "A Groove (This Is What U Rap 2)", peaked at No. 13 and No. 18, respectively, on the
Hot Rap Songs Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio statio ...
chart. Similar to his debut album, Jay-Z was the only guest, being featured on two songs.


1991–1996: Production work behind the scenes

Sometime after the album was released, Jaz-O was dropped from his record label and began to spend time working behind the scenes as a producer. At some point, Jaz-O connected with
The Lox The Lox (stylized The LOX or The L.O.X.) is an American hip hop group from Yonkers, New York, formed in 1994. The group is composed of East Coast rappers Sheek Louch, Styles P and Jadakiss. They had originally signed to Puff Daddy's Bad Boy ...
, and produced a demo tape for the group, which would become instrumental to the start of their successful career. Fellow
Yonkers Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enum ...
native
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awar ...
, would receive the tape from a cousin who did music with the trio. Becoming a supporter of the group, Blige would pass the demo tape on to Bad Boy CEO
Sean "Puffy" Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent direct ...
while on a tour with
Jodeci Jodeci ( ) is an American R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their musical careers as two duos of brothers and, after years of l ...
. Liking what he heard, Puff shortly signed The Lox to a deal.


1996–1998: Involvement with Jay-Z's early success

Throughout the late 1990s, Jaz-O had quite a hand in Jay-Z's early solo success. Jaz-O produced, and was featured on " Ain't No Nigga," the second single from Jay-Z's 1996 debut album, ''
Reasonable Doubt Beyond a reasonable doubt is a legal standard of proof required to validate a criminal conviction in most adversarial legal systems. It is a higher standard of proof than the balance of probabilities standard commonly used in civil cases, be ...
''. The song is cited as playing a significant role in securing Jay-Z's record with
Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
."Interview With Nick Raphael"
''
HitQuarters HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
'', 25 May 2005.
Jaz-O produced "Rap Game / Crack Game," a track that appeared on Jay's second album '' In My Lifetime, Vol. 1'', which was released in the year of 1997. Jaz-O produced two tracks for Jay-Z's '' Streets Is Watching''. The album fared well commercially reaching #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was released May 12, 1998, by
Roc-A-Fella Records Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994. History 1994–2000: Formation ...
and
Def Jam Records Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
. In the year of 1999, Jaz-O appeared on Jay-Z's " Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)", a single that was released from Jay-Z's third album '' Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life.'' The song became a big hit in Jaz-O's career at that time. However, this would be one of the last times the two would work together on music, for the friendship soured shortly afterwards.


1999–2016: Feud with Jay-Z and forming Kingz Kounty

The long-standing feud between him and Jay-Z started when Jay-Z started
Roc-A-Fella Records Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994. History 1994–2000: Formation ...
and he tried to convince Jaz-O and fellow rapper
Sauce Money Todd Gaither (born September 6, 1969) also known as Sauce Money, is a rapper who worked with Jay-Z in his early career. He was also featured on Big Daddy Kane's album '' Daddy's Home''; he appears on the track "Show N' Prove", alongside Scoob L ...
to sign with the label. They both refused. It is rumored that they didn't trust Roc-A-Fella Records CEO's
Damon Dash Damon Anthony Dash (born May 3, 1971) is an American entrepreneur and record executive. Dash is best known as co-founder of Roc-A-Fella along with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke. Early life Born in New York City, Dash swept the floors of a local barb ...
and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. In addition, they weren't satisfied with what they were to be receiving had they signed the contract, $300,000 in Jaz-O's case. Jay-Z confirms this event on the song "What We Talkin' About" on the '' Blueprint 3'' album when he says "Dame made millions, even Jaz made some scraps, he could've made more but he ain't sign his contract". Instead of signing with Roc-A-Fella Records, Jaz-O inked a deal with Rancore Records, and formed the hip-hop group Immobilarie. With the group, he released a collaboration album '' Jaz-O & The Immobilarie Family Present: Kingz Kounty.'' Jay-Z went on to diss Jaz first on a track released by
DJ Kayslay Keith Grayson (August 14, 1966 – April 17, 2022), professionally known as DJ Kay Slay, was an American disc jockey (DJ) from New York City. He is referred to by ''The New York Times'' as "Hip Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults". He released fou ...
featuring
Freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
, Geda K,
Young Chris Christopher Francis Ries (born March 9, 1983), known professionally as Young Chris, is an American rapper. He is a member of Philadelphia rap duo Young Gunz alongside his childhood friend, rapper Neef Buck, signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. The duo ...
, and
Memphis Bleek Malik Deshawn Cox (born June 23, 1978), known by his stage name Memphis Bleek, is an American rapper who was a protégé of fellow New York rapper Jay-Z. Cox started his own labels: Get Low Records in 1998, and Warehouse Music Group in 2016. He ...
titled "Fuck Jaz-O AKA Jaz Ho" in which they rapped over
Styles P David R. Styles (born November 28, 1974), better known by his stage name Styles P (also known mononymously as Styles), is an American rapper, best known as a member of hip hop group the Lox, alongside childhood friends Sheek Louch and Jadakiss. ...
's "
Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African ...
" instrumental and later on his album '' The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse''. Jay-Z states on the track, "I'ma let karma catch up to Jaz-O." Jaz responded with a record on a DJ Kayslay mixtape entitled "Ova" and after the response from Jay-Z and the members of Roc-A-Fella, he released his own response with the diss record known as "Ova Part 2" in which he raps over
N.O.R.E. Victor James Santiago Jr. (born September 6, 1977), better known by his stage names Noreaga and later N.O.R.E., is an American rapper. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Santiago first rose to prominence as one half of the East Coast hip hop du ...
's " Nothin'" instrumental. Despite the long-standing feud between mentor and protégé, Jay-Z still gives Jaz-O credit for his success (although he disses him at the same time) as heard in the song "I Do It For Hip Hop" on Ludacris's '' Theater of the Mind'' album. Jay-Z says "Shout out to
Grand Master Flash Joseph Saddler (born January 1, 1958), popularly known by his stage name Grandmaster Flash, is an American DJ and rapper. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Hip Hop DJing, cutting, scratching and mixing. Grandmaster Flash and the Fu ...
and to Caz and even Jaz's bum ass". Soon after the "I Do It For Hip Hop" diss from Jay-Z, Jaz-O responded with a diss record entitled "Go Harder" where he starts by rapping over his protege's "Brooklyn Go Hard" beat before the beat changes. In late August 2009, Jaz-O was featured on another song dissing Jay-Z entitled "Gangstas Ride" with West Coast rapper, The Game. Jaz references "Ether" with the line, "Jaz-O, stupid motherfucker, not Shawn, never been bashed on a
Tupac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...
song". The song was fueled by the beef between Game and Jay-Z.


2017: Reunion with Jay-Z and signing with Roc Nation

In December 2017 they reunited at Jay Z's ''4:44'' concert seemingly ending the feud. In the year of 2019, it was reported that the two worked out a music deal for Jaz-O's Kingz Kounty Media Group to distributed through Jay-Z's
Roc Nation Roc Nation is an entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z in 2008. The company is headquartered in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles and London. Roc Nation comprises a comprehensive talent agency, sports agency, record label, manag ...
's Equity Distribution. On February 7, 2020, Jaz-O released an extended play (EP) titled '' The Warmup'', on Kingz Kounty Media Group, and distributed by Roc Nation's Equity Distribution.


2021: Other ventures and releases

Currently Jaz-O has moved his 'Kingz Kounty Music Group" to Rival Distribution. Releasing a collaboration single "Lookin' Like" with
Nipsey Hussle Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid- ...
on July 2, 2021. The music video is directed by Da Inphamus Amadeuz.


Musical style


Influences

Jaz-O cites
Grandmaster Caz Curtis Brown (born April 18, 1960), better known by the stage name Grandmaster Caz or Casanova Fly, is an American rapper, songwriter, and DJ. He was a member of the hip hop group The Cold Crush Brothers from 1979 to the mid-1980s. He is best kno ...
as an early influence. Caz was the artist who made Jaz-O decide to become a rapper.


Rhyming style

Jaz-O was the rapper to pioneer the triplet flow, which allows the rapper to flow far beyond sixteen syllables within the 4/4
time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure ( bar), and which note va ...
. Being able to add extra syllables to the sixteen multiplies the syllables into twenty-fourths, which makes a triplet of an eighth. Since the 1990s, the triplet rhyme technique has become a common distinction among some of the most respected hip-hop lyricists. Several lyricists who are well known for the technique include former apprentice
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, as well as
Twista Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista (formerly Tung Twista), is an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for his chopper style of rapping and for once holding the title of fastes ...
, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony,
Fu-Schnickens Fu-Schnickens were an American hip-hop trio from 1988 to 1995, based in Brooklyn, New York. History Fu-Schnickens was composed of Chip Fu (Roderick Roachford), Moc Fu (Joe Jones), and Poc Fu (Lennox Maturine). ''Fu'' stood for unity and '' ...
,
Spice-1 Robert Lee Greene, Jr. (born July 2, 1970), better known by his stage name Spice 1 (an acronym for "Sex, Pistols, Indo, Cash and Entertainment"), is an American rapper from Hayward, California. He began releasing albums in 1992. Career Jive Re ...
, and
Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two ...
.


Personal life

Jaz-O was known to be a visible figure in the
Nuwaubian Nation The Nuwaubian Nation, Nuwaubian movement, or United Nuwaubian Nation () is an American new religious movement founded and led by Dwight York, also known as Malachi Z. York. York began founding several black Muslim groups in New York in 1967. H ...
during the 1980s. Nuwaubian beliefs and symbolism were prominent in the earlier years of his music career, and Nuwaubian fashion influenced his wardrobe.


Discography


Studio albums

* ''
Word to the Jaz ''Word to the Jaz'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer The Jaz from New York City. It was released in 1989 via EMI USA, and produced by Bryan "Chuck" New, Pete Q. Harris and The Jaz. The album peaked at number 87 on the To ...
'' (1989) * '' To Your Soul'' (1990) * '' Kingz Kounty'' (2002) (with the Immobilarie)


Extended plays

* ''Ya Don't Stop'' (1991) * '' The Warmup'' (2020)


Singles


Production credits

Besides being an emcee, he has produced songs for several hip hop artists other than Jay-Z, such as
Group Home A group home, congregate living facility, or care home (the latter especially in British English and Australian English) is a residence model of medical care for those with complex health needs. Traditionally, the model has been used for children ...
, M.O.P,
Ras Kass John R. Austin II (born September 26, 1973), better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the ...
,
Rakim William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of ...
,
Kool G Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...
, and others.


Solo

* 1995:
Group Home A group home, congregate living facility, or care home (the latter especially in British English and Australian English) is a residence model of medical care for those with complex health needs. Traditionally, the model has been used for children ...
- ''"4 Give My Sins"'', Livin' Proof * 1996:
M.O.P. M.O.P. (short for Mash Out Posse) is an American hip hop duo composed of East Coast rappers Billy Danze and Lil' Fame. The song " Ante Up", was released on their '' Warriorz'' album in 2000. The group has frequently collaborated with DJ Prem ...
- ''"Born 2 Kill"'', ''"World Famous"'', ''"Lifestyles of a Ghetto Child"'', ''"Born 2 Kill" (Jazz Mix)"''
Firing Squad Execution by firing squad, in the past sometimes called fusillading (from the French ''fusil'', rifle), is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are us ...
* 1996:
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
- ''"Ain't No Nigga"'',
Reasonable Doubt Beyond a reasonable doubt is a legal standard of proof required to validate a criminal conviction in most adversarial legal systems. It is a higher standard of proof than the balance of probabilities standard commonly used in civil cases, be ...
* 1997:
P Diddy Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
- ''"I Got the Power" (Featuring
The Lox The Lox (stylized The LOX or The L.O.X.) is an American hip hop group from Yonkers, New York, formed in 1994. The group is composed of East Coast rappers Sheek Louch, Styles P and Jadakiss. They had originally signed to Puff Daddy's Bad Boy ...
)'' , No Way Out * 1997:
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
- ''"Rap Game / Crack Game""'' , In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 * 1998:
Usual Suspects ''The Usual Suspects'' is a 1995 neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, a ...
- ''"Crazy"''
Streets Is Watching (soundtrack) ''Streets Is Watching'' is the soundtrack album to Abdul Malik Abbott's 1998 film of the same name. It was released on May 12, 1998 via Roc-A-Fella Records/Def Jam Recordings. Production was handled by Mahogany, Jaz-O, AK47, Darrel 'Digga' Branc ...
* 1998:
Ras Kass John R. Austin II (born September 26, 1973), better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the ...
- ''"H2O Proof"'' ,
Rasassination ''Rasassination'' is the second album by rapper Ras Kass. It was released on September 22, 1998 by PatchWerk. It peaked at #63 on ''Billboard'' 200 and #11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Rasassination - Charts & Awards allmusic One charting sin ...
* 1998:
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
- ''"In My Lifetime (remix)"''
Streets Is Watching (soundtrack) ''Streets Is Watching'' is the soundtrack album to Abdul Malik Abbott's 1998 film of the same name. It was released on May 12, 1998 via Roc-A-Fella Records/Def Jam Recordings. Production was handled by Mahogany, Jaz-O, AK47, Darrel 'Digga' Branc ...
* 1998:
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Quee ...
- ''"Court Is in Session"'' , Order in the Court * 1999:
Rakim William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of ...
- ''"It's A Must"'' , The Master * 2002:
Kool G Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...
- ''"Black Widow"'' , The Giacana Story * 2002:
GZA ''Gary Eldridge Grice'' (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA ( ) and The Genius, is an American rapper and songwriter. A founding member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both ...
- ''" Legend Of The Liquid Sword"'', Legend of the Liquid Sword


References

{{Jaz-O 1964 births Living people African-American male rappers African-American record producers African-American songwriters American hip hop record producers East Coast hip hop musicians Nuwaubianism Rappers from Brooklyn Songwriters from New York (state) 21st-century American rappers Record producers from New York (state) 21st-century American male musicians 20th-century African-American people American male songwriters