Not to be confused with Azie Faison, who used the stage name A.Z.
| AZ | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birth name |
Anthony Cruz |
|
Also known as |
AZ the Visualiza, Sosa |
|
Born |
9 March 1972 |
|
Genre |
|
|
Occupation(s) |
Rapper |
|
Years active |
1994-present |
|
Label |
EMI (1995-1997) |
|
Associated acts |
Ali Vegas, Amil, Buckwild, DJ Premier, The Firm, L.E.S., M.O.P., Nas, Statik Selektah, Styles P, Wu-Tang Clan |
Anthony Cruz (born 9 March 1972), better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. He is known for being a longtime associate of Nas, and also a member of hip hop group The Firm. Cruz is of African-American and Dominican descent.
Cruz made his debut in 1994 on Nas' album Illmatic with a guest feature on the song "Life's a Bitch". Cruz signed with EMI, and released his debut album, Doe or Die, in 1995 to critical acclaim and commercial success. His second album, Pieces of a Man, was released in 1998 but did not chart quite as well as his debut. Cruz signed with Motown later in 1998 and released two albums on the label: 9 Lives in 2001 and Aziatic in 2002. AZ has since released all of his albums on independent labels to varying levels of success.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1995: Doe or Die. 2,000,000
- 1998: Pieces of a Man. 700,000
- 2001: 9 Lives. 200,000
- 2002: Asiatic 500,000
- 2005: A.W.O.L. 100,000
- 2006: The Format. 68,000
- 2008: Undeniable. 55,000
- 2009: Legendary. 33,000