caption associated_acts years_active alias label article_title name background birth_date instrument genre image origin birth_name occupation
az in new york , 1998 the vegas , smigg dirtee , buckwild , l.e.s. , wu-tang firm clan , statik selektah , styles p , m.o.p. , , amil nas , dj premier , ali 1992 -- present az emi , quiet money records , noo trybe records/virgin , motown , koch az -lrb- rapper -rrb-
 az solo_singer 9 march 1972 vocals hip hop az-03 . jpg brooklyn , new york , usa anthony cruz rapper
az -lrb- rapper -rrb-

anthony cruz -lrb- born march 9 , 1972 -rrb- , better known by his stage name az , is an american rapper .
born in brooklyn , ny .
he is known for being a longtime and frequent rhyme partner of nas , and also a member of hip-hop group the firm alongside nas , foxy brown , cormega and nature .
in a countdown of the 10 most underappreciated rappers -- most underrated rappers of all time , the editors of about.com listed az as # 1 on the list .
he was also included on about.com 's list of the top 50 mcs of our time -lrb- 1987 -- 2007 -rrb- , where he was described as `` arguably the most underrated lyricist ever . ''
