AZ | |
|---|---|
 AZ in 1998 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
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| Born | Anthony Cruz (1972-03-09)March 9, 1972 (age 53) |
| Origin | Brooklyn,New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Works | AZ discography |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | |
| Formerly of | The Firm |
Anthony Cruz (born March 9, 1972), known professionally asAZ, is an American rapper. Best known for his affiliation with hometown native and fellow East Coast rapperNas, they formed the New York City-based hip hop groupthe Firm along withFoxy Brown,Cormega andNature in 1996. Cruz first saw recognition for his guest appearance on Nas' 1994 single "Life's a Bitch", from his albumIllmatic (1994). Cruz was then signed byEMI to release his debut studio album,Doe or Die (1995), which was met with critical acclaim. Its lead single, "Sugar Hill" (featuringMiss Jones) peaked at number 25 on theBillboard Hot 100 and receivedgold certification by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Moreover,The Firm's sole album (1997) peaked atop theBillboard 200 chart despite unfavorable critical response; the group disbanded two years later.[1]
Upon EMI's dissolution, he was transferred to its sister labels,Noo Trybe Records andVirgin Records, through which he released his second album,Pieces of a Man (1998) to continued acclaim. Afterward, Cruz signed withMotown andUniversal Records to release his third and fourth albums,9 Lives (2001) andAziatic (2002).[2] The latter contained the song "The Essence" (featuring Nas), which earned a nomination forBest Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the45th Annual Grammy Awards.[2]
Online magazineAbout.com listed AZ as the "Most Underrated [Rapper] of All Time".[3] AZ also made it onto the site's "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)", where he was named "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever".
AZ was born inBedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn[4] to an African-American mother and a Dominican father. He grew up inEast New York, Brooklyn, with his mother and sister.[4][5]
AZ started writing rap lyrics when he was 12 years old.[5] He attended Eli Whitney High School, with fellow Brooklyn rapperJay-Z, until the vocational school closed down in the late 1980s.[6] In the early 1990s, he became friends with Nas, a young rapper fromQueens.[4] Nas started working on his debut albumIllmatic and invited AZ to work with him in the studio. AZ appeared on the album intro and had a verse on "Life's a Bitch". AfterIllmatic was released in 1994,EMI Records offered AZ a record deal.[4]
AZ's debut albumDoe or Die was released by EMI Records on October 10, 1995. It features guest appearances by Nas and production fromN.O. Joe,Pete Rock,L.E.S., andBuckwild, among others.Doe or Die was known for popularizing the theme ofmafioso rap, alongside several albums, namelyJay-Z'sReasonable Doubt and Nas'sIt Was Written. Doe or Die produced several singles, including "Mo Money, Mo Murder", "Gimme Yours", "Doe or Die" and "Sugar Hill", the last of which became his highest-charting single domestically and his sole Top 40 hit on theBillboard Hot 100, being certified Gold by the RIAA in September 1995.[7]
In 1998,Pieces of a Man, AZ's second album, was released viaNoo Trybe Records.[8] His third album, 2001's9 Lives, was released viaMotown, peaking at No. 58 on the Billboard 200.
AZ's fourth albumAziatic features a duet between AZ and long-time friend and collaborator, Nas, "The Essence", which was nominated for aGrammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.[9] The album was mostly well received by critics, one such positive review from Brad Mills at Allmusic, states:"AZ has been looked upon to do amazing things with his music. Has he lived up to those high expectations on this album he has from start to finish. The beats on this album are complex, inventive, and almost perfectly suited for AZ's style of rhyming. He's carefully crafted this album rather than slapped it together overnight to meet his quota, and it shows. It helps immensely that he's brought along people like DR Period, Az Izz, Nas, and Buckwild, but they don't outshine the younger AZ as he holds his own well. AZ has come up with his best work in a long time on this album."[10]
On September 6, 2005,A.W.O.L., his fifth album, was released, becoming the first AZ album to be released on his own imprint, Quiet Money Records.[11]
AZ's sixth studio albumThe Format features production fromLil' Fame ofM.O.P., Face Defeat,Emile, J. Cardim,Phonte,Statik Selektah andDJ Premier.[12] The album's lead single is its title track "The Format", which was produced by DJ Premier, with "Vendetta" as its B-Side.The Format also features the bonus track "Royal Salute", a retaliation to 50 Cent's song "What If" which included a line aimed at AZ. On October 7, 2007, Quiet Money releasedThe Format (Special Edition), adding six bonus tracks including "Royal Salute".
Undeniable, his seventh studio album, was released on April 1, 2008, through Quiet Money and Koch Records. The album debuted at number 141 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 25,000 copies in its first week. In October 2009, AZ confirmed he was working on a sequel to his debut studio album, titledDoe or Die 2. He hoped to enlist the original production team fromDoe or Die such asL.E.S.,Pete Rock, DR Period, andBuckwild. AZ also had ambitions on trying to acquire beats fromDJ Toomp,Dr. Dre andKanye West for the album, as well as reaching out to his old rhyme partner Nas.[13] The first single from the album "Feel My Pain" was produced byFrank Dukes.[14]
In 2010, former member ofDa Beatminerz, Baby Paul confirmed he would be producing for the album and serving as executive producer.[15] On November 30, 2010, he released a 15th anniversary edition ofDoe or Die titledDoe or Die: 15th Anniversary. In 2010, Dr. Dre and Kanye West were said to be too busy to produce for the album, but AZ said he was patiently waiting for them to complete their next solo records so they could join the production team. He was also seeking production from DJ Premier.[16] During a 2011 interview with XXLMag, AZ confirmed that Nas would be featured on the album.[17]
On March 27, 2012, AZ released the first street single fromDoe or Die 2, "My Niggas", which features production from longtime collaboratorBuckwild.[18] The album's production includes tracks from Statik Selektah, Baby Paul and the originalDoe or Die team of beatsmiths L.E.S., DR Period, Pete Rock, and Buckwild.[19]
In 2014, AZ was heavily featured onGhostface Killah's album36 Seasons.[20]
After several delays,Doe or Die II was released on September 10, 2021.[21]
On December 1, 2023, AZ released his tenth studio albumTruth Be Told via Quiet Money Records. The album was entirely produced byBuckwild and included the singles "The GOAT", "This is Why", "How We Get It", and "Respect Mines".[22]
| Year | Award | Nomination | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | "The Essence" (withNas) | Nominated |
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