AZ (rapa)

**Anthony Cruz** (amezaliwa tar. 9 Mei 1972 mjini Brooklyn) ni rapa wa Kimarekani mwenye asili ya Dominika. anafahamika zaidi kwa jina la kisanii kama **AZ**. Pia, hujulikana zaidi na zaidi kwa kuwa rafiki mkubwa wa kitambo wa rapa mwenzi - Nas na kuwa mmoja kati ya wanachama wa kundi bab-kubwa la hip hop, The Firm, ikiwa ni pamoja na Nas, Nature na Foxy Brown. AZ anafahamika sana kwa maudhui yake ya uimbaji wa kina na silabasi mbalimbali.

AZ alianza kujipatia umaarufu baada ya kuonekana kwenye albamu ya Nas' ya *Illmatic* katika wimbo wa "Life's a Bitch" (1994)—tena alikuwa msanii mgeni pekee kuonekana kwenye albamu hiyo. Baada ya vita ya zabuni, AZ amesaini mkataba na EMI, na muda mfupi baadaye akatoa albamu ya *Doe Or Die* (1995) ikatamba sana, lakini ilipata mafanikio madogo kibiashara. Single kiongozi ya albamu, "Sugar Hill", imekuwa kibao pekee kupata mafanikio makubwa kibiashara kwa AZ akiwa kama msanii wa kujitegemea, kwa kufikia nafasi ya 25 kwenye chati za Billboard Hot 100, na kutunukiwa hadhi ya Gold. Mkataba wa AZ na EMI ulihamishiwa katika studio enzi ya Noo Trybe Records/Virgin Records wakati EMI Label Group imefungwa.  Mnamo mwaka wa 1997, yeye na Nas wameonekana kwenye tangazo la biashara la Sprite
. AZ akaingia mkataba na Motown/Universal Records na kutoa albamu ya *9 Lives*. Mnamo mwaka wa 2002, ametoa *Aziatic*. Single kutoka katika albamu, "The Essence," (akishirikiana na Nas) imepata kuchaguliwa kwenye ugawaji wa Tuzo za Grammy wa mara ya 45 kwa Ajili ya Rap Bora ya Wawili au Kundi.

Mnamo mwaka wa 2004, AZ alikuwa akipanga kutoa albamu - inge-kuwa albamu yake ya nne, *Final Call*, hata hivyo, lakini hatimaye ikatiwa kapuni kwa kufuatia kuvuja kwa ajabu na imetolewa kama Final Call (The Lost Tapes) mnamo 2008. Ametoa albamu zake za 4 na 5 *A.W.O.L.* na *The Format* mnamo 2005 na  2006, kwa pamoja. Halafu *Undeniable* ilitolewa mnamo 2008.

Na kwa mwezi wa Oktoba wa 2009, anafanyia kazi albamu yake yake ya 10 iitwayo *Doe or Die 2* itakayotolewa mwanzoni mwa mwaka wa 2010.. Ana matumaini ya kuwaingiza kikosi cha utayarishaji cha awali cha Doe Or Die kama vile L.E.S., Pete Rock, DR Period na Buckwild. Ametibitisha hata kwamba amefanya nyimbo mbili na Pete Rock, ikiwa ni pamoja na "Rather Unique Part II". AZ pia ana mpango wa kuchukua biti kutoka kwa DJ Toomp, Dr. Dre na Kanye West kwa ajili ya DOD2 ikiwa ni pamoja na kumwingiza mkali wake wa mistari wa zamani Nas, pia kwa mujibu wa akaunti yake kwenye Twitter ametaja ya kwamba ameomba biti kutoka kwa RZA vilevile na kupanga kuitoa albamu kunako mwezi wa Mei au Juni 2010. Single ya kwanza kutoka albamu itakuwa "Feel My Pain" iliyotayarishwa na Frank Dukes.

## Diskografia
### Albamu za studio
* *Doe or Die* (1995)
* *Pieces of a Man* (1998)
* *9 Lives* (2001)
* *Aziatic* (2002)
* *A.W.O.L.* (2005)
* *The Format* (2006)
* *Undeniable* (2008)
* *Doe or Die 2* (2010)

### Albamu za ushirika
* *The Firm: The Album* (akiwa pamoja na kundi zima la  The Firm) (1997)

### Kompilesheni albamu na Mixtapes
* *S.O.S.A. (Save Our Streets AZ)* (2000)
* *Decade 1994–2004* (2004)
* *The Return Of S.O.S.A. (Part 1)* (2005)
* *The Memphis Sessions: The Remix-Tape* (2007)
* *Niggaz 4 Life* (2008)
* *Final Call (The Lost Tapes)* (2008)
* *Anthology (B-Sides & Unreleased)* (2008)
* *The Return Of S.O.S.A. (Part 2)* (2008)
* *Legendary* (2009)
* *G.O.D. (Gold, Oil & Diamonds)* (2009)

### Mionekano
* 1992: "Understanding" Nas *Pre-Illmatic Demo Tape*
* 1994: "The Genesis", "Life's A Bitch" Nas *Illmatic*
* 1995: "Wake Up Show Anthem" With Big L, Chino XL, Doug E. Fresh & Masta Ace Sway & King Tech *Wake Up Show 2*
* 1996: "A+Z" A+ *The Latch-Key Child*
* 1996: "When The Cheering Stops" With Zhané, Ray Buchanan & Scott Galbraith (from *NFL Jams (Import)*)
* 1996: "Lady [DJ Premier Remix]" D'Angelo *Lady 12"*
* 1996: "Album Intro", "Affirmative Action" With Foxy Brown & Cormega Nas *It Was Written*
* 1996: "La Familia" Foxy Brown ''I'll Be 12"*
* 1996: "I Miss U [Come Back Home Remix]" Monifah *Moods... Moments LP/ Miss U 12"/You 12"''
* 1996: "Something About You (Darkchild Remix)" New Edition single
* 1998: "Head Over Heels [Trackmaster's Remix]" Allure *Head Over Heels 12"*
* 1998: "Rock Me [JD Remix]" V.A. *Caught Up OST*
* 1998: "Promises" With LaTocha Scott Of Xscape & Ray Buchanan (from *NFL Jams (Intersound)*)
* 1999: "Let's Live" With Animal The Union *Hard Labor*
* 1999: "24/7 [Remix]" Kevon Edmonds *24/7 12"*
* 1999: "Thug Connection" With Kool G Rap Papoose *Alphabetical Slaughter 12"*
* 2000: "Takin' Ova Da Streets" The Bleach Brothers ''Takin' Ova Da Streets 12"*
* 2000: "Groove On [Remix]" Half-A-Mil *Groove On 12"*
* 2000: "Quiet Money" Half-A-Mil *Million*
* 2000: "Quiet Money [Blood Money]" With Animal & Half-A-Mil The Union *Organized Rhymes''
* 2000: "It's War" DJ Skribble *Traffic Jams*
* 2001: "Layaway" Jon B. *Pleasures U Like*
* 2001: "The Flyest" Nas *Stillmatic*
* 2002: "Holla Back" With Nawz & Tito Kool G Rap *The Giancana Story*
* 2002: "Keep On Lovin' You [Remix]" Dave Hollister ''Keep On Lovin' You 12"*
* 2004: "Redemption" Cormega *Legal Hustle*
* 2006: "Professional Style" The Alchemist *Chemistry Files*
* 2006: "The Hardest Pt. I" Styles P *The Ghost Sessions - Mixtape*
* 2007: "No Holding Back" With Cormega Statik Selektah *Spell My Name Right: The Album*
* 2007: "Who Am I?" with Cormega & Nature Cormega *Who Am I?: The Soundtrack*
* 2008: "Too Real" Foxy Brown *Brooklyn's Don Diva''
* 2008: "It's So Hard" with Ali Vegas, Styles P & Danny McClane
* 2008: "Road To Success" ASN
* 2008: "On The Road" ASN With Keisha Shontelle & Fuc That
* 2009: "Harbormasters" with Ghostface Killah & Inspectah Deck *Chamber Music*
* 2009: "D.O.A." (Death of Autotune) [Remix]" Jay-Z
* 2010: "I'm Ill" Doe or Die 2

## Marejeo
## Viungo vya nje
* 

Jamii:Waliozaliwa 1972
Jamii:Wanamuziki wa Marekani
Jamii:Wanamuziki wa hip hop
Jamii:Watu walio hai