The remix of AZ's 2005 album, "A.W.O.L", is one of the first releases released by the Spanish production team Cookin Soul. There are twelve original songs with the same lyrics and the same guests, only the rhythms change: in place of the messy and irregular sound painting made on the Brooklyn rapper's fifth LP, Cookin Soul provides a soundscape that is exclusively boom bap.
"So Sincere" opens with a greeting to the late J Dilla. The producer chooses a dusty midtempo drum, gorgeous strings and jazz and soul samples, to support AZ's energetic velvety delivery. The original isn't evil, but this beat is far better. The second track originally pays homage to Patti Labelle and is one of the creme on the CD, here Cookin Soul places a midtempo drum machine, hard dirty and dusty and wonderful samples of soul and jazz. AZ has one of the greatest flows ever, this document is indelible. There's clearly a classic buried within the soul of AZ's 2005 "New York": him, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah on the same track. Three of the best ever on the same track.
Emile Haynie makes an absurd mess behind the keyboards and creates a production that is pretty much just messy and annoying noise, clearly removing all the replay value this track could have. Emile puts on some annoying random sirens, a sticky drum machine that messes up and disturbs, and a guy who keeps repeating "nù-yò" on a loop like a madman. Cookin Soul shows you how to make a beat for a classic song: loop that comes from the bottom, it sounds female, but is actually from the male soul / rnb group Tavares. Intro, the loop breathes, then comes the drum, tight, light, accessible, perfect. The samples are wonderful, this is a triumphant boom bap.
AZ's delivery is velvety, clean, crisp, immense, effective simple hook where the sample breathes, then come the Wu-Tang guys. Raekwon boasts a calm, silky, crisp, fantastic style. Wonderful bridge by the producer that sounds just like a tribute to RZA and one of his typical breakbeats in "Only Built", it sounds like a tribute to "Criminology", made of sprinkled strings and percussion. Ghostface attacks, hardcore, energetic, spectacular, smash the cut and complete what is one of the best hip-hop songs of the decade. The beat breathes half a minute at the end, Cookin Soul transforms an annoying generic song on an underground rap album into a timeless anthem for the city of New York, of infinite replay value.
"Can't Stop" keeps its original laid-back ballad vibes, this remix features a heavy boom bap that doesn't hinder the performer's fluid rap. It's better than the original, although not at level of the top tracks. Vinny Idol I think he got arrested after making that rhythm for "Still Alive", because that's a jail beat. Horrible. The remix boasts an accessible snare and melodic samples that allow for a much better appreciation of AZ's performance on this track. Lil' Fame isn't a bad producer, but the one for "AZ's Chillin" won't go down in history as one of his greatest works behind keyboards. Cookin Soul returns with the classic mold for this remix: deep smooth sax sample, easy hook, brilliant soundscape of the guys from Valencia, the samples are excellent, the rapping of AZ is monumental. The original production of "City of Gods" featured on the 2005 album, made by Disco D, isn't bad, but it pales in comparison to what Cookin Soul created here. Boom bap, perfect lean midtempo drum machine, magnificent samples, ethereal mood, AZ kills the cut with its best flow, superlative. Classic cut.
"Street Life" was more difficult than the other songs, because improving those sad strings of J-Hen in symbiosis with the heavy and tight verse of Half-a-Mil, wasn't to be taken for granted. Cookin Soul changes perspective and provides a dark and tense soundscape, with midtempo dry drum clap supporting Half-a-Mil's slow, fragmented delivery, while he questions us if the identity of the city has remained intact and executes invectives against Santa Claus and Christopher Columbus. That loop is sensational, AZ's hook is effective, Begetz sounds good, then closes The Firm rapper with a slow style. Baby Paul & Jimi Kendrix are the authors of one of the most accessible beats for "Bedtime Story", the remix is easily better: melodic soul sample, skinny tough drum, authoritarian AZ rap.
"The Come Up" is one of the best DJ Premier productions of the 2000s, flawless. Cookin Soul succeeds in something extraordinary and enhances an iconic Preemo beat. Indeed, the remix retains the soul of the soundscape invented by Premier and his scratches, adding a frantic, dirty, dusty and accessible snare drum in the background, and a flute loop. The Brooklyn MC is at its best. The remix of "Envious" boasts a flamboyant production that welcomes both the ragga style of Bounty Killer and the silky and calm one of AZ. The title track is remix number twelve and also the last one: this obscure and annihilates the original too, illuminating boom bap of Cookin Soul, good midtempo drum machine, fresh, lively, cheerful samples, slow and smooth delivery of AZ.
12 cuts, 36 minutes. Cookin Soul creates one of the top mixtapes of the decade. This is also AZ's best work and is the closest thing to a five-fifths / ten-tenths you can listen to in his discography. Mandatory listening. 9/10.
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