AZ - Truth Be Told [December 1]

[Awesome Wells]

I disagree that Buckwild is above Erick Sermon on any all-time list. Aside from that, I think his production on this album is sharp. As much as I agree with you that producers like Alchemist, Madlib, etc have actually elevated to greater heights I could still say that there are projects that those two have produced that don’t match the quality of this album. IE, Alchemist work with Armand Hammer. So if Buckwild is producing a project that actually has much better replay value than something Alchemist produced recently & you’re saying Buckwild fell off and Alchemist is better than he was 25 years ago then what are we even talking about? That’s all I’m saying. I would call this Buckwild shyt wack if it was wack. It’s not. Is it the quality of work on Word…Life ? Nah. Is Alchemist work on his latest EP’s Flying High & Flying High Pt. 2 on par with his work on Murda Muzik or Bulletproof Wallets? Hell no. Even still Alchemist has absolutely elevated as a Producer. See what I mean?

My thing with Buck, is that it's not just with this project.

I've been saying the same about him forever. I don’t know if he's changed his set-up chain in there, or what. But his whole sound just became kinda lifeless and stale after awhile. It's been that way for a minute. As a producer, you can have off days, but typically the greats get back to greatness, even if they have a weak outing. I don’t know if he's lost inspiration, but I haven't heard a track from Buck that I loved in ages. I think he's wack now, but definitely average.

If we kept it just within DITC, Showbiz has been doing a lot of work over the past few years, with Cory Gunz, Milano and local dudes, etc. His beats are still dope. He's still got it. Diamond hasn't stopped dropping projects ever. He always has some new sh*t out, and his work is crazy. So I don’t give Buck a pass because he's a vet. A lot of vets we listened to in the 90's kept their tracks sharp as a MF.

 

[Heavy_Handz]

My thing with Buck, is that it's not just with this project.

I've been saying the same about him forever. I don’t know if he's changed his set-up chain in there, or what. But his whole sound just became kinda lifeless and stale after awhile. It's been that way for a minute. As a producer, you can have off days, but typically the greats get back to greatness, even if they have a weak outing. I don’t know if he's lost inspiration, but I haven't heard a track from Buck that I loved in ages. I think he's wack now, but definitely average.

If we kept it just within DITC, Showbiz has been doing a lot of work over the past few years, with Cory Gunz, Milano and local dudes, etc. His beats are still dope. He's still got it. Diamond hasn't stopped dropping projects ever. He always has some new sh*t out, and his work is crazy. So I don’t give Buck a pass because he's a vet. A lot of vets we listened to in the 90's kept their tracks sharp as a MF.

I understand what you’re saying. I get it. If you didn’t tell me Buckwild produced this album I would say man this production is smooth which is perfect for AZ. I think the production fits AZ in 2023. Knowing that it’s Buckwild doesn’t do anything for me as a fan. Just saying I’m not down on this production. It’s just smooth. Easy listening Hip-Hop. It’s like transitioning to smooth jazz late in your career It’s not a try hard record and I really respect that nowadays for what it’s worth. I think Buckwild production matched AZ persona perfectly.

 

[Heavy_Handz]

Solid 4 mic album.

 

[Awesome Wells]

I understand what you’re saying. I get it. If you didn’t tell me Buckwild produced this album I would say man this production is smooth which is perfect for AZ. I think the production fits AZ in 2023. Knowing that it’s Buckwild doesn’t do anything for me as a fan. Just saying I’m not down on this production. It’s just smooth. Easy listening Hip-Hop. It’s like transitioning to smooth jazz late in your career It’s not a try hard record and I really respect that nowadays for what it’s worth. I think Buckwild production matched AZ persona perfectly.

I know Buck, and all he does is complain. About the state of Hip Hop, about how wack other producers and rappers are, about how people ain't digging for samples anymore. On and on. So my issue is, that's cool, but you can't do all that and then be out here dropping sh*t like this, lol.

He has a lot of issues with the culture right now, and it seems that it's changed his music. If I didn't know he did this, I would've thought it was some local dude who just knew Sosa from around the way and wanted to throw him some beats on discount or something. I don’t hear "production legend" with these beats. I would've preferred if he dusted off his old SP-1200 discs from '95, and just gave like 11-12 of those to AZ. F*ck it, let's do it with the vintage sound.

 

[Ziggiy]

Album is good but Doe or Die 2 was MUCH better

 

[Heavy_Handz]

I know Buck, and all he does is complain. About the state of Hip Hop, about how wack other producers and rappers are, about how people ain't digging for samples anymore. On and on. So my issue is, that's cool, but you can't do all that and then be out here dropping sh*t like this, lol.

He has a lot of issues with the culture right now, and it seems that it's changed his music. If I didn't know he did this, I would've thought it was some local dude who just knew Sosa from around the way and wanted to throw him some beats on discount or something. I don’t hear "production legend" with these beats. I would've preferred if he dusted off his old SP-1200 discs from '95, and just gave like 11-12 of those to AZ. F*ck it, let's do it with the vintage sound.

He ain’t lying! When you have new producers like Conductor Williams coming in the game and suddenly gaining clout with a laundry list of straight up bullshyt beats I can understand. The production on this album isn’t matching some vintage 95 shyt of course but it’s better than a lot of the try hard shyt that’s flooding the game right now!

 

[Tetris v2.0]

I know Buck, and all he does is complain. About the state of Hip Hop, about how wack other producers and rappers are, about how people ain't digging for samples anymore. On and on. So my issue is, that's cool, but you can't do all that and then be out here dropping sh*t like this, lol.

He has a lot of issues with the culture right now, and it seems that it's changed his music. If I didn't know he did this, I would've thought it was some local dude who just knew Sosa from around the way and wanted to throw him some beats on discount or something. I don’t hear "production legend" with these beats. I would've preferred if he dusted off his old SP-1200 discs from '95, and just gave like 11-12 of those to AZ. F*ck it, let's do it with the vintage sound.

Those old beats he gave Celph Titled were incredible. Definitely wish he kept true to that sound a bit more...

 

[Heavy_Handz]

Album is good but Doe or Die 2 was MUCH better

True that. It had to be! Doe Or Die II

*At least no T-Pain this album tho*

 

[TezMilli]

I thought it was just aight the first couple listens but on my third listen, this shyt goes!!!

 

[Awesome Wells]

Those old beats he gave Celph Titled were incredible. Definitely wish he kept true to that sound a bit more...

EXACTLY!

He has a million of those in the stash. And they're all crazy. But I think he doesn't want to take a cut in pay with having to clear samples today. Back in the day, he could ask for mad bread and take a hit with clearing the sample and still get mad money. But today, people don’t want to pay for beats, so I think he's more reluctant to sample like he used to.

 

[Awesome Wells]

He ain’t lying! When you have new producers like Conductor Williams coming in the game and suddenly gaining clout with a laundry list of straight up bullshyt beats I can understand. The production on this album isn’t matching some vintage 95 shyt of course but it’s better than a lot of the try hard shyt that’s flooding the game right now!

Conductor's been around for years though. It's just that the mainstream dudes are finally getting up on him because of WSG and them. So like always, they hop on the new name that seems to be winning. I like Conductor's tracks though, lol.

You don’t f*ck with his music?

 

[Cory MBA]

Lol. Some of y'all scared me. I respect everyone's opinion. This is perfect for a certain type of person, I guess.

I have been disappointed before but he did what he wanted on this.

Chill, cool, laid-back, but sharp with the wordplay....with no wack beats.

Perfect riding music, office headphone music, or Saturday house to yourself music.

Y'all scared me though. This is up there.

 

[Ziggiy]

Lol. Some of y'all scared me. I respect everyone's opinion. This is perfect for a certain type of person, I guess.

I have been disappointed before but he did what he wanted on this.

Chill, cool, laid-back, but sharp with the wordplay....with no wack beats.

Perfect riding music, office headphone music, or Saturday house to yourself music.

Y'all scared me though. This is up there.

Its not bad by any means because AZ is a world class lyricist and a class act its just that I was expecting more than “good” after how refreshingly GREAT Doe or Die 2 was. DoD2 felt like AZ stepping out of his comfort zone just a bit and swinging for the fences sonically which also made it feel like he put some real money into the budget.


This new album sounds more mixtapish but not in a bad way. Again, its dope rhymes and beats but nothing conceptually we haven’t heard before

 

[Ziggiy]

True that. It had to be! Doe Or Die II

*At least no T-Pain this album tho*

I liked the T-Pain joint lmao

 

[Heavy_Handz]

Conductor's been around for years though. It's just that the mainstream dudes are finally getting up on him because of WSG and them. So like always, they hop on the new name that seems to be winning. I like Conductor's tracks though, lol.

You don’t f*ck with his music?

He is really hit or miss. I either love his shyt or hate it