ASN

From playground chrome cassettes to opening for idols

By BRENT T. INGRAM

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The hip-hop tale of ASN is one that would fill a ream of story raps. Never mind the nine months he spent in lock-up or his slew of guest appearances on mix CDs. ASN (aka Amir Statlender Nedjadi) wasn't even 12 when he was dubbing copies of his own rhymes for the kids in his schoolyard and selling them for five bucks.

"I probably only have a couple left," ASN says of the mixtapes. "I would just press them up as needed." And, according to ASN, they're still good for something. "They're pretty outdated," he says with a laugh, "but I've adapted a concept or two from them here and there. The rhythm of a hook or a catchy bridge, things like that."

Nedjadi now has three sons of his own. "It can be a handful," he says with another laugh. "Sal's the oldest. He's 10. He writes some raps here and there. Olivé is 16 months, but he's going to be a drummer or something because he's always banging on everything. And Zavian's four and he sings along. I've even had him get on tracks to talk some trash here and there. He loves it!"

Friday, ASN takes the stage with AZ, one of his own idols. "It's easy to make words rhyme," he says. "When you can make multiple syllables rhyme and do it double-time and stay on subject like he does on 'Road to Success?' That's the difference between being a rapper and a true hip-hop artist."

Still, can AZ step to Zavian? We'll have to wait and find out.

ASN

WITH AZ, WALTAH S. PARKS, BRE & G HARD, KAYBIGGS57 AND RE-SURCH

FRIDAY 12.19.08

HARPERS FERRY

158 BRIGHTON AVE., ALLSTON

617.254.9743

8PM/18+/$17 ADV, $20 DOS

HARPERSFERRYBOSTON.COM

ASNHIPHOP.COM