Azeem Ismail, known professionally as Azeem, is a New York–based underground H.I.P.H.O.P. artist, lyricist, emcee, and performance poet whose work bridges socially conscious hip‑hop, spoken word, jazz, electronica, and theater. A veteran of the Bay Area underground scene, he first gained national attention through poetry before expanding into recording, touring, songwriting, and theatrical performance. His multidisciplinary career includes work with Spearhead, the Zeph & Azeem collaboration, and his acclaimed one‑man play Rude Boy. Azeem has also represented Talent4Change at Miami's ArtsLaunch at the Adrienne Arsht Center alongside fellow poets TruAlity M.E.N.T.O.R. and Brotha Scott.
AZeeM
Spoken Word Poet-H.I.P.H.O.P. Artist-Lyricist-Emcee
Brooklyn, NY, United States
About
Azeem emerged from the Bay Area poetry and hip‑hop scene in the 1990s, quickly establishing himself as a distinctive voice in both communities. In 1994, he won a Bay Area poetry slam against approximately 50 poets, earning an opportunity to perform on the legendary Lollapalooza tour alongside artists including George Clinton, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Beastie Boys. His early work also led to an appearance on the nationally broadcast PBS poetry special United States of Poetry.
His musical career expanded through collaborations with Spearhead, DJ Zeph, and a diverse solo catalog. Azeem spent two years working with Michael Franti and Spearhead, contributing songwriting and vocals before developing his own body of work. His recordings include Garage Opera, Craft Classic, Mayhemystics, Show Business, and Air Cartoons, as well as Rise Up, his collaboration with DJ Zeph.
That same commitment to storytelling eventually moved Azeem beyond the recording studio and into theater. He wrote and performed Rude Boy, a one‑man play that brought his poetry, hip‑hop, and personal storytelling to the stage, with performances including appearances at Lincoln Center, San Francisco's The Marsh, and the Hip Hop Theater Festival. He later produced and directed The Secret Circus, further exploring the intersection of spoken word, live music, performance art, and theater.
Across these disciplines, Azeem's work is driven by language, social awareness, imagination, and the transformative potential of live performance. Whether through a verse, poem, recording, or theatrical production, he uses H.I.P.H.O.P. as a platform for expression, connection, and challenging audiences to see the world from new perspectives.
His commitment to creative expression and community impact has also extended to Talent4Change, where he has represented the organization through live arts programming. Azeem performed on behalf of Talent4Change at ArtsLaunch at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami alongside fellow poets TruAlity M.E.N.T.O.R. and Brotha Scott, bringing his voice to a platform centered on arts, culture, and community connection.
Music
Listen On
Contact
Click to reveal contact information
Send a Message
AZeeM
Spoken Word Poet-H.I.P.H.O.P. Artist-Lyricist-Emcee