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.