Azeem (rapper)
Azeem | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Azeem Ismail |
| Born | New Brunswick, New Jersey |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, playwright |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Website | www |
Azeem Ismail, better known simply as Azeem is a hip-hop rapper and performance poet, residing in Brooklyn, New York.[1]
Biography[edit]
Azeem, born of Jamaican and Panamanian descent started his first band, Telefunken, in 1991, which was a combination of live instrumentation and hip-hop. Their first release came out in 1994 on the then newly formed Om Records.
Azeem's first break as a solo artist came at an open mic competition where he performed under the alias the "Invisible Man" against fifty other poets and lyricists for a spot on the Lollapolooza Tour.[2]
This led to a PBS special (United States of Poetry) with Washington Square Films,[2] and two book publishings.[citation needed]
In 1997, Azeem was hired by Bay Area artist, Michael Franti (The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and Spearhead) to assist him in composing songs for the second Spearhead album, Chocolate Supa Highway.[2] This led to Azeem touring, writing, and performing with the band for two years.[2] The single "Keep Me Lifted", a song that features Azeem, was the only song from the album to reach Billboard's Rap Charts.[2]
In 1999, after his third tour with Spearhead, Azeem left to work as solo. 1999 saw the release of his first solo EP Garage Opera (Heratik),[2] and he contributed a track to Afro-Mystik's Future Tropic album. Azeem followed up with the full-length album Craft Classic (Stray). The album's single "Rubber Glue" reached number two on the CMJ radio rap chart.
In 2003 Azeem released the 12-inch single "Family Man" (Bomb Hip-Hop) and toured Europe with the Bomb Hip-Hop Tour.
In early 2004 Azeem was the frontman on the VU release Mayhemystics (Wide Hive),[3] which was nominated for a California Music Award.
In 2005 Azeem wrote and performed a play called Rude Boy.[4] Azeem plays the character of Johnny Burke, a struggling and slightly disturbed "Jamerican" (Jamaican-American) who works as a janitor.[1] The play is set at Johnny's place of work, a Mexican cardboard box factory. Azeem performed Rude Boy at: The Lincoln Center - NYC, Marsh Theater - SF, Oaklandish - Oakland, Hip Hop Theater Festival (Brava Theater)- SF, San Francisco Theater Fest - Yerba Buena Gardens San Francisco, Redline Theater - Chicago IL. He also produced and directed The Secret Circus, a performance art show at the Marsh Berkeley.[5]
In 2008, Azeem released another solo effort Air Cartoons,[5]
In 2010, Azeem performed live with Heavyweight Dub Champion.
Discography[edit]
Albums[edit]
| Artist | Title | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azeem | Garaga Opera | 2000 | Heratik |
| Azeem | Craft Classic | 2001 | Stray |
| Azeem with Variable Unit | Mayhemystics | 2004 | Wide Hive |
| Azeem | Show Business | 2004 | Bomb Hip-Hop |
| Zeph & Azeem | Rise Up | 2007 | Om |
| Azeem | Air Cartoons | 2008 | Oaklyn |
| Azeem, Ancient Astronauts | Broken Puppets | 2017 | Switchstance Recordings |
Singles and EPs[edit]
| Artist | Title | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azeem vs. Hydroponic Sound System | Family Man | 2002 | Bomb Hip-Hop |
Other appearances[edit]
- Afro Mystic (1999), Om Records - "Shoplift The Future" and "Trivia Terrorist"
- Spearhead (1997), Capitol - "Keep Me Lifted", "Food for the Masses" and "Madness in the Hood"
- Groove Active (1997), Om Records - "The Message" (Telefunken)
- Grand Slam CD — Azeem the Invisible Man
References[edit]
- ^ a b Ducker, Jesse (2008) "Azeem: Cartoon networker Archived October 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine", SF Weekly, September 10, 2008, retrieved 2011-07-30
- ^ a b c d e f Harris, Craig "Azeem Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-07-30
- ^ Henderson, Alex "Mayhemystics Review", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-07-30
- ^ Hartlaub, Peter (2006) "Journeying into his own heart of darkness", San Francisco Chronicle, November 15, 2006, retrieved 2011-07-30
- ^ a b Arnold, Eric K. (2006) "Rapper Azeem takes his YouTube blessings and curses all in stride", San Francisco Chronicle, October 3, 2006, retrieved 2011-07-30
External links[edit]
www.thepoetazeem.com
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