AZ, born Anthony Cruz in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, on March 9, 1972, is an American rapper. Raised in East New York, he began writing lyrics at age 12 and attended Eli Whitney High School alongside Jay-Z. He achieved widespread recognition in 1994 for his guest feature on Nas's single “Life's a Bitch”, which led to a record deal with EMI Records. In October 1995, AZ released his debut studio album, Doe or Die, which received critical acclaim. Its lead single, “Sugar Hill” featuring Miss Jones, reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received gold certification from the RIAA. In 1996, AZ co-founded the hip-hop supergroup The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, and Cormega, later replaced by Nature. The group's sole album, The Album, topped the Billboard 200 chart in 1997. Following EMI's dissolution, AZ released his second studio album, Pieces of a Man, on Noo Trybe Records in 1998, followed by 9 Lives on Motown in 2001, which reached number 58 on the Billboard 200. He released his fourth studio album, Aziatic, on Universal Records in 2002, featuring the duet “The Essence” with Nas, which earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. AZ established his independent imprint, Quiet Money Records, releasing his studio albums A.W.O.L. in 2005, The Format in 2006, Undeniable in 2008, and Legendary in 2009. He subsequently released his sequel studio albums Doe or Die II in September 2021 and Truth Be Told in December 2023. In May 2026, AZ released his 11th studio album, Doe or Die III, through Quiet Money Records and Mass Appeal Records, supported by the lead single “So High” featuring Mumu Fresh and guest appearances from Nas, Jadakiss, and his son Amar Noir.
