Biography

AZ, or SOSA, or the God, was born Anthony Cruz to an African-American mother and a Dominican father. He now resides in Englewood,New Jersey with his six children. 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 emcee to appear on that critically acclaimed album. After a bidding war, AZ signed with EMI, and soon released Doe Or Die (1995) to more critical acclaim than commercial sales. The album's lead single, "Sugar Hill" (featuring Miss Jones), 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 EMI contract was transferred to sister label Noo Trybe Records/Virgin Records when the EMI Label Group was shut down.

AZ's fan base grew considerably after he joined The Firm, a supergroup comprised of AZ, Nas, Foxy Brown, and Nature, with Dr. Dre and The Trackmasters producing. The Firm's only album, 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 with Motown//Universal Records 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. A single 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 disappointing 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 titled 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 it became a moderately popular single.

AZ's 6th solo album, , was released on November 7, 2006. Four tracks from the album were leaked or released as singles: "Royal Salute," a response to a dis 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.).

Since The Format, AZ has released a Remixtape titled The Memphis Sessions and a J-Love mixtape titled Return fo the S.O.S.A.

Style

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. AZ is "one of the greatest rappers as far as lyrics and longevity", his style and flow are instantly recognizable and comparable to his friend and collaborator Nas. A couple of his most notable rhymes include:

"Visualizing the realism in life and actuality, fuck who's the baddest, a person's status depends on salary"- Life's A Bitch

"The visualize is like a coke rush, vivid enough to make living this a must, plus it's real"- Sugar Hill

"Low as Saddam, and his pawns, so unharmed, I'm unarmed, though I'm calm, I could yawn, sing a song, I'm the don, king of dons, king kong can bring it on, word is bond"- City Of Gods

"Niggas wanna see me dead, death threats being spread but it's easily said, they can't touch me, stay with a chick and a dutchie, slim and quick but the fifth make me feel like I'm husky"- The Hardest

"Now in the physical form, verbalize through the scriptures I was biblically born"- The Format

Discography

• Doe or Die
  • Released: October 10, 1995
  • Sales: 1,000,000
  • RIAA Certification: Platinum
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #7
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1
  • Singles: "Gimme Yours"/"Uncut Raw", "Sugar Hill"/"Rather Unique", "Sugar Hill (Remix)", "Doe or Die"/"Mo Money Mo Murder "Homicide"

• The Firm: The Album (with The Firm)
  • Released: October 21, 1997
  • Sales: 1,200,000
  • RIAA Certification: Platinum
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #1
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1
  • Singles: "Firm Biz", "Phone Tap"/"Five Minutes to Flush"

• Pieces of a Man
  • Released: April 7, 1998
  • Sales: 478,000
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #22
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5
  • Singles: "Hey AZ"/"Sosa", "What's the Deal"/"Trading Places"

• S.O.S.A. (Save Our Streets AZ) (EP)
  • Released: 2000
  • Sales:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles: "I Don't Give a Fuck"/"Love Me in a Special Way"

• 9 Lives
  • Released: June 12, 2001
  • Sales: 435,000
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #23
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #4
  • Singles: "Everything's Everything"/"At Night", "Problems"/"I Don't Give a Fuck"

• Aziatic
  • Released: June 11, 2002
  • Sales: 500,000
  • RIAA Certification: Gold
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #29
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5
  • Singles: "I'm Back", "Wanna Be There", "The Essence", "Take it Off"

• Decade 1994-2004
  • Released: October 12, 2004
  • Sales:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles: N/A

• Final Call
  • Released: Unreleased (planned for 2004)
  • Sales:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles: "Live Wire", "Magic Hour"

• A.W.O.L.
  • Released: September 6, 2005
  • Sales: 295,000
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #73
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #17
  • Singles: "The Come Up"/"Magic Hour", "Still Alive"/"New York", "AZ's Chillin'"/"Never Change"

• The Format
  • Released: November 7, 2006
  • Sales: 110,000
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Billboard 200 chart position:
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
  • Singles: "The Format"/"Vendetta"

• The Memphis Sessions (Official mixtape: Remixes over Al Green-inspired beats)
  • Released: 2007

• Undeniable
  • Released: 1st quarter 2008
  • Singles: "Life On The Line"

Appearances

• 1994: "Life's a Bitch" (from the Nas album Illmatic)
• 1996: "A+Z" (from the A+ album The Latch-Key Child)
• 1996: "When The Cheering Stops" (from NFL Jams (Import))
• 1997: Nas & AZ Sprite Commericial.
• 1998: "Promises" (from NFL Jams (Intersound)
• 1999: "Wu-Chronicles" (from Wu-Chronicles)
• 2001: "Flyest" (from the Nas album Stillmatic)
• 2002: "Holla Back" (from the Kool G Rap album The Giancana Story)
• 2004: "Redemption" (from Cormega Album Legal Hustle)
• 2006: "Professional Style" (from the The Alchemist album Chemistry Files)
• 2006: "The Hardest" (from the Styles P album The Ghost Sessions)
• 2007: "No Holding Back" (from the Statik Selektah album Spell My Name Right: The Album)