MC Azeem
Encyclopedia
Azeem Ismail better known simply as Azeem is a performance poet and hip-hop MC, residing in Oakland, California
.
.
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.
This led to a PBS special (United States of Poetry) with Washington Square Films, and two book publishings.
In 1997, Azeem was hired by Bay Area artist, Michael Franti
(Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and Spearhead
) to assist him in composing songs for the second Spearhead album, Chocolate Supa Highway. This led to Azeem touring, writing, and performing with the band for two years. The single "Keep Me Lifted", a song that features Azeem, was the only song from the album to reach Billboard
s Rap Charts
.
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), 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), which was nominated for a California Music Award.
In 2005 Azeem wrote and performed a play called Rude Boy. Azeem plays the character of Johnny Burke, a struggling and slightly disturbed "Jamerican" (Jamaican-American) who works as a janitor. 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.
In 2005, Azeem released another solo effort Air Cartoons, and also performed live with Heavyweight Dub Champion
.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Biography
Azeem, born of Jamaican and Panamanian decent 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 RecordsOm Records
Om Records is a US-based record label, established in 1995, which releases electronic music, dance music, and hip hop. The label was founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Chris Smith. Om Records releases both artist albums and various compilations. Some of the most notable compilations include Om...
.
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.
This led to a PBS special (United States of Poetry) with Washington Square Films, and two book publishings.
In 1997, Azeem was hired by Bay Area artist, Michael Franti
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
(Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and Spearhead
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
) to assist him in composing songs for the second Spearhead album, Chocolate Supa Highway. This led to Azeem touring, writing, and performing with the band for two years. The single "Keep Me Lifted", a song that features Azeem, was the only song from the album to reach Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Rap Charts
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
.
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), 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
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
"Family Man" (Bomb Hip-Hop) and toured Europe with the Bomb Hip-Hop Tour.
In early 2004 Azeem was the frontman on the VU
VU
- Country codes :* VU is the country code of Vanuatu* .vu is Vanuatu's country code top-level domain- Companies :* Air Ivoire, IATA airline designator* Vivendi Universal, now Vivendi SA, a French company active in media and communications- Music :...
release Mayhemystics (Wide Hive), which was nominated for a California Music Award.
In 2005 Azeem wrote and performed a play called Rude Boy. Azeem plays the character of Johnny Burke, a struggling and slightly disturbed "Jamerican" (Jamaican-American) who works as a janitor. 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
Yerba Buena Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens is the name for two blocks of public parks located between Third and Fourth, Mission and Folsom Streets in downtown San Francisco, California. The first block bordered by Mission and Howard Streets was opened in 1993. The second block, between Howard and Folsom Streets was...
San Francisco, Redline Theater - Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
IL. He also produced and directed The Secret Circus, a performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
show at the Marsh Berkeley.
In 2005, Azeem released another solo effort Air Cartoons, and also performed live with Heavyweight Dub Champion
Heavyweight Dub Champion
Heavyweight Dub Champion is a music and art collective founded in Gold Hill, Colorado in 1997 by Resurrector & Patch. Heavyweight Dub Champion, also known as HDC, is rooted in electronic music, but they create their unique style by using real and acoustic instruments fused with synthetic and...
.
Discography
| Artist | Title | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Om Records | ||
| Spearhead | Chocolate Supa Highway | 1997 | Capitol |
| Azeem | Garaga Opera | 2000 | Heratik |
| Azeem | Craft Classic | 2000 | Stray |
| Azeem | Family Man | 2003 | Bomb Hip-Hop |
| VU | Mayhemystics | 2004 | Wide Hive |
| Azeem | Air Cartoons | 2005 | Oaklyn |
Other appearances
- 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