Gourt Home::Gourt :: AZ (rapper)
AZ (born Anthony Cruz in Brooklyn, New York City) is an African-American/Dominican East-Coast rapper. His original name was "AZ The Visualiza" and was later changed to just AZ. AZ has achieved a cult following in spite of little mainstream success. He first came to prominence appearing on Nas' landmark Illmatic on the song "Life's A Bitch" (1994) and soon released Doe Or Die (1995) to more critical acclaim than commercial sales.
AZ's fanbase grew considerably after he joined The Firm, a supergroup consisting of AZ, Nas, Foxy Brown and Nature with Dr. Dre and The Trackmasters producing. The Firm's debut, The Firm: The Album, was regarded as critically disappointing but managed to go platinum. Pieces of a Man, AZ's second solo release, didn't sell well. Independently, AZ released S.O.S.A. to little fanfare in 2000. Soon, however, AZ signed to Motown and released 9 Lives, which returned his name to popular consciousness among hip hop critics but still did little to bolster his sales.
In 2002, he released Aziatic. From the album, "The Essence" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group. The video to its first single, "I'm Back," received moderate MTV2 play. Over the course of these years, AZ and Nas (who had appeared on each others' albums several times apart from The Firm album) gradually stopped doing tracks together. During 2005, AZ was heard proposing a duo album to one-time rhyme partner Nas. The other rapper never responded to the offer, and AZ then told an interviewer that he doubted he and Nas would make music again.
AZ was supposed to release an album, Final Call, around late 2004 or early 2005. Due to massive bootlegging, however, the album was never released. Instead, A.W.O.L. was released on September 6, 2005. This album featured many tracks that were on the unreleased "Final Call," as well as some new ones--the first single was the DJ Premier-produced "The Come Up," and became a moderately popular single. As ever, the album saw some critical acclaim from fans and publications, but no great amount of sales.
In 2006, AZ released the solo track "Royal Salute;" this was a response to a diss in 50 Cent's track "What If." He has also released three other tracks, entitled "Animal," "The Format" (produced by DJ Premier) and "Professional Style" (produced by The Alchemist). A new album, entitled The Format, is scheduled to be released in 2006.
Albums
- 1995: Doe Or Die
- 1997: The Album #1 US Platinum
- 1998: Pieces Of A Man
- 2000: S.O.S.A. (Save Our Streets AZ) *
- 2001: 9 Lives
- 2002: Aziatic
- 2004: Decade 1994-2004
- 2004: Final Call (Shelved due to bootlegging)
- 2005: A.W.O.L
- 2006: The Format
External links
American rappers | Five Percenters | Living people | Year of birth missing
"AZ (rapper)"