Pieces of a Man (AZ album)
{{Other uses|Pieces of a Man (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Pieces of a Man
| type = Studio
| artist = AZ
| cover = AZ - Pieces of a Man.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1998|4|7}}
| recorded = 1997−98
| studio = {{hlist|Daddy's House|Electric Lady Studios (New York, NY)|The Hit Factory (New York, NY)|Right Track Recording (Manhattan, NY)|House of Sound (New York, NY)|Funhouse Recording (New York, NY)}}
| genre = {{hlist|East Coast hip hop|mafioso rap}}
| length = {{Duration|m=54|s=03}}
| label = Noo Trybe
| producer = {{hlist|Trackmasters (also exec.)|Goldfinga|Gucci Jones|Kenny "Smoove" Kornegay|L.E.S.|Nashiem Myrick|RZA|Tony Dofat}}
| prev_title = The Album
| prev_year = 1997
| next_title = S.O.S.A. (Save Our Streets AZ)
| next_year = 2000
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Pieces of a Man
| type = studio
| single1 = Hey AZ
| single1date = July 21, 1997
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=AZ - Pieces of a Man Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pieces-of-a-man-mw0000081918 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}
| rev2 = RapReviews
}}
Pieces of a Man is the second solo studio album by American rapper AZ. It was released on April 7, 1998, via Noo Trybe Records. The album was produced by Trackmasters, Goldfinga, Gucci Jones, L.E.S., Kenny Kornegay, Nashiem Myrick, RZA, and Tony Dofat. It features guest appearances from the Firm, Half-A-Mil, Monifah, RZA, and Panama P.I. The album peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.
The album was highly praised for its complex and insightful lyricism. The first single was intended to be "Hey AZ" featuring SWV, which peaked at No. 50 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Music video for "Hey AZ" was shot, but the song was included only in the Japanese edition of the project.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = New Life
| note1 = Album Intro
| writer1 = {{hlist|Anthony Cruz|Jean Louis Pinot Pudour|Calvin Jones}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Goldfinga|Gucci Jones}}
| length1 = 1:22
| title2 = I'm Known
| writer2 = {{hlist|Cruz|Pudour|C. Jones}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Goldfinga|Gucci Jones}}
| length2 = 2:11
| title3 = How Ya Livin'
| note3 = featuring Nas
| writer3 = {{hlist|Cruz|Nasir Jones|LeShan Lewis}}
| extra3 = L.E.S.
| length3 = 4:30
| title4 = Trading Places
| writer4 = {{hlist|Cruz|Jean-Claude Olivier|Samuel Barnes}}
| extra4 = Poke & Tone
| length4 = 3:43
| title5 = What's the Deal
| writer5 = {{hlist|Cruz|Olivier|Barnes}}
| extra5 = Poke & Tone
| length5 = 3:56
| title6 = Love Is Love
| note6 = featuring Half-A-Mil and Nature
| writer6 = {{hlist|Cruz|Olivier|Barnes}}
| extra6 = Poke & Tone
| length6 = 5:14
| title7 = The Pay Back
| writer7 = {{hlist|Cruz|Pudour|C. Jones}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|Goldfinga|Gucci Jones}}
| length7 = 3:06
| title8 = Just Because
| writer8 = {{hlist|Cruz|Lewis}}
| extra8 = L.E.S.
| length8 = 2:53
| title9 = SOSA
| writer9 = {{hlist|Cruz|Olivier|Barnes}}
| extra9 = Poke & Tone
| length9 = 2:05
| title10 = It's a Boy Thing
| note10 = featuring Nature
| writer10 = {{hlist|Cruz|Olivier|Barnes}}
| extra10 = Poke & Tone
| length10 = 4:02
| title11 = Pieces of a (Black) Man
| writer11 = {{hlist|Cruz|Olivier|Barnes}}
| extra11 = Poke & Tone
| length11 = 3:44
| title12 = Last Dayz
| note12 = featuring Monifah
| writer12 = {{hlist|Cruz|Kenny Kornegay|Darryl Young|Robert Kelly}}
| extra12 = {{hlist|Kenny 'Smoove' Kornegay|Darryl "88" Young ({{abbr|co.|co-producer}})}}
| length12 = 5:19
| title13 = Whatever Happened (The Birth)
| note13 = featuring RZA
| writer13 = {{hlist|Cruz|Robert Diggs}}
| extra13 = RZA
| length13 = 3:37
| title14 = Trial of the Century
| note14 = featuring Foxy Brown and Panama P.I.
| writer14 = {{hlist|Cruz|Nashiem Myrick}}
| extra14 = Nashiem Myrick
| length14 = 4:27
| title15 = Betcha Don't Know
| writer15 = {{hlist|Cruz|Tony Dofat}}
| extra15 = Tony Dofat
| length15 = 3:54
| total_length = 54:03
}}{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| headline = Japanese edition bonus track
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title16 = Hey AZ
| note16 = featuring SWV
| writer16 = {{hlist|Cruz|Olivier|Barnes}}
| extra16 = Poke & Tone
| length16 =
| total_length =
}}
;Sample credits
- Track 1 contains a sample from "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone, and a sample from "Happy Birthday Maggie" by Hans Zimmer.
- Track 3 contains a sample from "Show Me" by Glenn Jones.
- Track 7 contains samples from "Like a Tattoo" by Sade.
- Track 8 contains a sample of the recording "The Glow of Love" by Change.
- Track 16 contains a sample from "Hey DJ" as performed by the World's Famous Supreme Team.
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" |Chart (1998) ! scope="col" |Peak |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|22|artist=AZ|rowheader=true|access-date=February 13, 2023}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|5|artist=AZ|rowheader=true|access-date=February 13, 2023}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|42189|AZ – Pieces Of A Man}}
{{AZ (rapper)}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by RZA
Category:Albums produced by Trackmasters