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'Anthony Cruz' (born March 9, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York), better known as 'AZ', is an American rapper currently residing in Englewood, New Jersey. Originally known as 'AZ The Visualiza', AZ has achieved a strong fanbase in spite of little mainstream success. He is of African-American and Dominican descent.

Contents

Biography

Technique

Example Verses

Discography

Albums

Compilations/Unreleased/Unofficial albums

References

External links

Biography

AZ was born Anthony Cruz to black American mother and a Dominican father. AZ first came to prominence by appearing on Nas' landmark album ''Illmatic'' on the song "Life's A Bitch" (1994) - he was the only guest rapper to appear on the critically acclaimed album. After a bidding war, AZ was signed to Virgin Records, and soon released ''Doe Or Die'' (1995) to more critical acclaim than commercial sales. The album's lead single, "Sugar Hill" (featuring Missjones), became AZ's only major commercial success as a solo artist, reaching the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and achieving Gold status.
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. ''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. Aziatic is regarded as AZ's comeback album, with restoring his crebility after his previous dissapointing efforts. The album showcased AZ's refined lyrical ability on songs such as "Hands in the Air" and "Paradise," and his unmatched story-telling in "Fanmail."
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.
AZ's 6th solo album, ''The Format'', was released on November 7, 2006. Four tracks from the album have been leaked or released as singles: "Royal Salute," a response to a diss in 50 Cent's track "What If"; "Rise & Fall (feat. Little Brother)"; "Animal," "The Format" (produced by DJ Premier) and "The Truth" (produced by Lil' Fame of M.O.P.)^[1] He also appeared on The Alchemist's mixtape ''Chemistry Files'', on the track "Professional Style" & on Styles P's ''The Ghost Sessions'' on a song called "The Hardest." It is known that AZ has sold over 3 million albums in the US with out having a platinum solo album.

Technique

AZ is known for his smooth, rhythmic cadence of delivery. He is also known for his use of multi-syllable rhyme schemes, internal rhymes, unconventional rhymes and a large vocabulary.

Example Verses

"So in God I trust, I lust for a 850-deluxe/
And until I touch a million-plus, ain't much to discuss/
Diamonds and double-digits, Gianni Versace down with lizards/
It's realism so I visualize it to live it/
Movin cleverly with intentions of longevity/
Strong pedigree got me touchin papers, others would never see G/
So through the crest in my claw,shine like fluorescents/
Symbolizes the essence, movin in the effervesence/"
-"Gimme Yours"
"Visualizin the realism of life and actuality/
Fuck who's the baddest, A person's status depends on salary/
And my mentality is, money orientated/
I'm destined to live the dream for all my peeps who never made it/
Cause yeah, we were beginners in the hood as five percenters/
But somethin must of got in us cause all of us turned to sinners/
Now some, restin in peace and some are sittin in San Quentin/
Others such as myself are tryin to carry on tradition/
Keepin this effervescent, street ghetto essence inside us/
Cause it provides us with the proper insight to guide us/"
-Nas' "Life's A Bitch"

Discography

Albums

★ '''Doe or Die'''

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★ Released: October 10, 1995

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: #15

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1

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★ Singles: "Gimme Yours"/"Uncut Raw", "Sugar Hill"/"Rather Unique", "Sugar Hill (Remix)", "Doe or Die"/"Mo Money Mo Murder "Homicide"

★ '''' (with The Firm)

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★ Released: October 21, 1997

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: #1

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1

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★ Singles: "Firm Biz", "Phone Tap"/"Five Minutes to Flush"

★ '''Pieces of a Man'''

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★ Released: April 7, 1998

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: #22

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5

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★ Singles: "Hey AZ"/"Sosa", "What's the Deal"/"Trading Places"

★ '''9 Lives'''

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★ Released: June 12, 2001

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: #23

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #4

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★ Singles: "Everything's Everything"/"At Night", "Problems"/"I Don't Give a Fuck"

★ '''Aziatic'''

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★ Released: June 11, 2002

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: #29

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5

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★ Singles: "I'm Back", "Wanna Be There", "The Essence", "Take it Off"

★ '''A.W.O.L.'''

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★ Released: September 6, 2005

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: #73

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #17

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★ Singles: "The Come Up"/"Magic Hour", "Still Alive"/"New York", "AZ's Chillin'"/"Never Change"

★ '''The Format'''

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★ Released: November 7, 2006

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position:

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:

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★ Singles: "The Format"/"Vendetta"

Compilations/Unreleased/Unofficial albums

★ '''S.O.S.A. (Save Our Streets AZ)''' (EP)

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★ Released: 2000

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position:

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -

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★ Singles: "I Don't Give a Fuck"/"Love Me in a Special Way"

★ '''Decade 1994-2004'''

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★ Released: October 12, 2004

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: -

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -

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★ Singles: N/A

★ '''Final Call'''

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★ Released: Unreleased (planned for 2004)

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★ Sales:

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★ RIAA Certification:

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★ Billboard 200 chart position: -

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★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -

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★ Singles: "Live Wire", "Magic Hour"

References

1. http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=6202

External links

★ AZ - TV

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