Pieces Of A Man, AZ's second album was released on EMI. Doe or Die produced several singles, including "Mo Money, Mo Murder, Mo Homicide", "Gimme Your's (remix)", "Doe or Die" and "Sugar Hill" - which was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1995. Doe or Die was known for popularizing the theme of mafioso rap, alongside several albums, namely Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt and Nas's It Was Written. The album peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, and #1 on the U.S. Upon its release, Doe or Die received notable commercial success. Joe, Pete Rock, L.E.S., and Buckwild, among others. The album features guest appearances by Nas and production from N.O.
After Illmatic was released in 1994 EMI Records offered Cruz a record deal.ġ995–2001: Doe or Die, Pieces of a Man and 9 Livesĭoe or Die was released on October 10, 1995, by EMI Records. AZ appeared on the album intro and had a verse on "Life's a Bitch". Nas started working with his debut album Illmatic and invited Cruz to work with him in a studio. In the early 1990s he became friends with Nas, a young rapper from Queens. He grew up in East New York, Brooklyn with his mother and sister.ĪZ started writing rap lyrics when he was 12 years old. A single from the album, "The Essence" (featuring Nas), was nominated at the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.ĪZ was born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn to an African-American mother and Dominican father. The album fared well but did not chart quite as well as his debut and did not feature a crossover single like "Sugar Hill".Īfter this album's release, AZ signed with Motown and Universal Records and released 9 Lives. In 1998, AZ released his second solo album, Pieces of a Man. In 1997, AZ joined the group The Firm with Nas, Nature and Foxy Brown and released their only album as a group, The Album. AZ's EMI contract was transferred to sister label Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records when the EMI Label Group was shut down. The album's lead single, "Sugar Hill", became AZ's major commercial success as a solo artist, reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and achieving Gold status. AZ signed with EMI, and soon released his debut album, Doe or Die, in 1995, to critical acclaim. Online magazine listed AZ as the "Most Underrated of All Time", and made it onto the sites' "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)", where he was reiterated as "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever."ĪZ first became known by appearing on Nas's landmark 1994 album Illmatic on the song "Life's a Bitch", as well as featuring vocals on the opening track "The Genesis". He is known for being a longtime and frequent music partner of East Coast rapper Nas and also a member of hip hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. Anthony Cruz (born March 9, 1972), better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York.
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