AZ
AZ was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States on March 9th, 1972 and is the Rapper. At the age of 52, AZ biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, songs, and networth are available.
At 52 years old, AZ physical status not available right now. We will update AZ's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.
Anthony Cruz (born March 9, 1972), better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper from East New York, Brooklyn, New York.
He is best known for his long-serving music collaborator, as well as a member of Nas' hip hop group The Firm, alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega, and Nature.
The editors of About.com named AZ as the top of the list of the ten Most Underappreciated Rappers — Most Underrated Rappers of All Time—.
He was also included on About.com's list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), where he was dubbed "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever" and "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever." AZ made his debut on Nas's classic 1994 album "Life's A Bitch" in addition to appearing on the album "Life's A Bitch" and playing vocals on the opening track "The Genesis."
AZ joined EMI and soon released his debut album Doe or Die in 1995, gaining critical attention.
"Sugar Hill," the album's lead single, debuted as a solo artist, charting at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and receiving Gold status.
When the EMI Label Group was shut down, Arizona's EMI contract was transferred to sister company Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records. AZ joined Nas, Nature, and Foxy Brown in 1997 and announced their first album as a group, The Album.
Pieces of a Man, AZ's second solo album, was released in 1998.
The album did not do well as his debut, and did not have a crossover single like "Sugar Hill." AZ has signed with Motown and Universal Records and released 9 Lives since this album's debut.
He released Aziatic in 2002.
The Essence (featuring Nas) was nominated for the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the Grammy Awards in 2003.
Early life
AZ was born in Bedford, Brooklyn, to an African-American mother and a Dominican father. He and his mother and sister grew up in East New York, Brooklyn.
When he was 12 years old, AZ began composing rap songs. Eli Whitney High School, alongside fellow Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z, was enrolled in the late 1980s before the vocational school closed down in the late 1980s. He became mates with Nas, a young queen from Queens, in the early 1990s. Nas began working on his debut album Illmatic, and he invited AZ to join him in the studio. AZ appeared on the album front cover and had a verse on "Life's a Bitch." EMI Records gave Arizona a historic contract after Illmatic was released in 1994.
Career
Doe or Die, Arizona's debut album, was published by EMI Records on October 10, 1995. The album features guest appearances by Nas and N.O. Production. Among other things, Joe, Pete Rock, Los Angeles, and Buckwild. Doe or Die, the first commercial success on its debut, received a lot of attention. The album debuted at #15 on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart in the United States. Doe or Die was known for popularizing the mafioso rap music style on several albums, including Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt and Nas' It Was Written. Several singles were released by Doe or Die, including "Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homicide," "Gimme Your Personality (remix)," "Doe or Die" and "Sugar Hill," which were all Gold by the RIAA in 1995.
Pieces of a Man, AZ's second album, was released on EMI in 1998. 9 Lives, his third album, debuted at #23 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the Top Hip Hop / R&B Albums list. The most popular single on the Hot Rap Singles, "Problems," with its accompanying music video, ranked #34 on the Hot Rap Singles. AZ was left the name after the album's debut.
A duet between AZ and long-time friend and collaborator Nas "The Essence" on AZ's fourth album Aziatic was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Critics generally enjoyed the album, with one exception from Brad Mills' Allmusic review, which states: "AZ has been voted upon to do amazing things with his music." Has he lived up to the high hopes on this album from start to finish? The beats on this album are intricate, inventive, and almost perfectly suited to Arizona's style of rhyming. This album was crafted thoughtfully rather than slapped together overnight to achieve his quota, as it shows. It's certainly that he's brought along people like DR. Period, Az Izz, Nas, and Buckwild, but the younger AZ doesn't have a chance to outshine the younger ones as he treads his own well. On this album, AZ has released his best work in a long time."
A.W.O.L.'s fifth album, A.W.O.L., was released on September 6, 2005. A.W.O.L. Quiet Money Records, Quiet Money Records' first AZ album, is the first AZ album to be released on his own imprint.
The format of Arizona's sixth studio album The Format includes music from Lil' Fame of M.P., Face Defeat, Emile, J. Cardim, Phonte, Statik Selektah, and DJ Premier. 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 includes the bonus track "Royal Salute," a retribution to 50 Cent's "What If" that featured a line directed at Arizona. Quiet Money (Special Version) was released on October 7, 2007 on October 7, 2007, adding six bonus tracks, including "Royal Salute."
Through Quiet Money and Koch Records, Undeniable, his seventh studio album, was released on April 1, 2008. The album debuted on the United States' top 141. In its first week, Billboard 200 chart was the most popular chart in the country, with over 25,000 copies sold. AZ revealed in October 2009 that he was working on a sequel to his debut studio album, Doe or Die 2. He wanted to enlist the original production team from Doe or Die, including L.E.P., Pete Rock, DR Period, and Buckwild. Az had aspired to find beats from DJ Toomp, Dr. Dre, and Kanye West for the album, as well as reaching out to his old rhyme partner Nas. Frank Dukes produced the first single from the album "Feel My Pain."
Da Beatminerz Baby Paul's 2010 member confirmed that he would be recording for the album and serving as executive producer. Doe or Die, the 15th anniversary edition of Doe or Die, was published on November 30, 2010. Dr. Dre and Kanye West were supposed to be too busy to produce for the album in 2010, but AZ said he was patiently waiting for them to finish their next solo albums so they could join the production team. He was also looking for a DJ Premiership. AZ revealed that Nas will be included on the album during a 2011 interview with XXLMag.
Arizona's first street single, "My Niggas," features production by longtime collaborator Buckwild, released on March 27, 2012. The album features songs from Statik Selektah, Baby Paul, and the original Doe or Die team of beatsmiths L.E.S., Pete Rock, and Buckwild.
AZ was heavily featured on Ghostface Killah's album 36 Seasons in 2014.
Doe or Die II was announced on September 10, 2021, after several delays.