Jaz a.k.a Jaz-O (real name: Johnathan Burks) is an East Coast MC, active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for being a mentor of sorts to Jay-Z. Jaz is also known as the Originator and had a song called "The Originators" that featured a young Jay-Z in 1989. He had success with his 1990 single "Hawaiian Sophie" from his debut album Word to the Jaz. He has been featured on some of Jay-Z's songs, such as "Bring it On" (from Reasonable Doubt) and the single "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)" (from Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life) as Big Jaz and produced the single "Ain't No Nigga" from Reasonable Doubt and the song "Rap Game/Crack Game" from In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Jaz-O is known to have discovered Jay-Z. Jaz-O claims that Jay-Z got his name from Jaz, something Jay-Z denies. 2) Jaz is/was a rapper from San Jose,CA. He released at least one album "Jaz" in 1996. Album cover http://www.bayontop.com/attachments/f13/1023d1214244532-jaz-jaz-1996-san-jose-jaz.jpg 3. ^Jaz has released three albums. Jaz in 1996 Psychotic Murderous Thoughts in 1998 Supacaligangsta wit it in 2007 Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.