AZ
In such a disappointing hip-hop era, tears can be wiped away with a sigh of reassurance that a few artists still hold styles that leave a unique seal of approval. One dominant member from the strong Asiatic tribes lineage descending from the globe’s eastern region anoints western culture with laid-back mystique and original flow.
AZ (Anthony Cruiz) continues to remain highly dominant among the rapper species. Speaking in a ‘94’ native tongue, the same flow that ripped the hell out of Nas’ Life’s a Bitch track on Illmatic with an adolescent-like voice. In the past ten years, AZ has maintained his style without switching to mainstream junk.
Halftime Magazine was able to bump heads with the Aziatic Prince and gain insight about his scarce appearances, career, relationship with the streets and thoughts.
AZ Albums:
The Final Call (2004)
Aziatic (2002) 9 Lives (2001) S.O.S.A (Save our Streets AZ) (2000) Pieces of a Man (1998) Do or Die (1995)
Halftime: What’s up man, what’s going on?
AZ: Maintaining man, trying to get it popping again ya know?
That’s all I’ve been waiting for man. There ain’t shit else out here no more.
AZ: Nah, the east coast is going through it right now.
You know what’s crazy is that we’ve been trying to find you for like almost a year right now. Cats been telling us you got to go to Brooklyn and just look for him.
AZ: Haha! I be low man that’s how I like it. I don’t really mingle with a lot of people in the industry and I never did. I like to stay low, be easy and deal with my day one peoples.
I love your first album, “Do or Die,” I literally played it until one day the tape popped. Looking at that album what do you feel got in the way of you having much bigger success? That album was tight.
AZ: Well for one that era was just taking off. You had, Nas, Big, Snoop, Wu and we was just taking off and I locked into EMI and I don’t think EMI really knew the markets to tap into to blow up a hip hop artist. I think the only people that were signed with them at the time were Gangstarr and they were affiliated with the whole other movement. We were starting something new bringing Criminology to the table in like ’94. I guess they were learning just like I was learning. Then they folded a year after that and I had to keep it moving.
Can you define really quickly the term Asiatic?
AZ: Asiatic is the original people. Asiatic is the maker, the owner of the cream of the planet earth and that was given to me by the guy that put me onto the five percent thing. It’s the original man.
So are you still in Islam?
AZ: Nah, I’m just seeking information and trying to fill my reservoir up that’s it. I ain’t got no religion right now. There are so many religions out there to follow and if you tap into certain religions you see little pitfalls and shit. So its like do I really want to submit fully to that and then you got Mama Bear pulling you that way and your peoples pulling this way and you reading all types of books. It’s so much I just want to stay reading and put the love into the art that I’m doing.
June 5th, 2006
Hi Az my name is shieema lowman i love your music every since i was a young , i’m only 18 year’s old i thnk you are so sexy , i love everything you do i hope i will meet you an person , write back love ya
June 6th, 2006
Hi Az i love your music, every since i was young i had a crush on you , i think you are a fly brother love you write back…
June 20th, 2006
Love everything you do. Stay that fly nigga for ever. You and Nasir should really do that album together at all cost. Yo if you get this message send yo boy a autograph picture. AWOL is the hardest cd ever and Aziatic. You talk about real shit and I respect that. If I could get a chance to meet you I would love it. I still play play phone tapp with you and the Firm staff. Fuck the sales you dont get people fear what they dont understand and hate what they cant conquer. Please send me a autograph pictures to LA,Ca 90047 10212 s. Haas st. Lequan Herron is my name much love God.
July 14th, 2006
sup god,now i dont know if u even gunna see this but its worth a shot,i grew up in the caribbean ghetto scene so i was pulled into the life you know,i started listenin rap during the time when ruff ryders 1 came out cuz there it was more of the reggae thing,so as i continued listenin throughout the yrs i cuddent find that special vibe,the essence of the whole art so i stated going back in time and copped te illmatic and heard life’s a bitch, i was already a deep nas fam cuz he’s real but i didnt know who that other voice was but i knew the words for the whole verse,then i bought the stillmatic and heard the voice again and this time the name was at the back of the case,,az,,so i went to the music store and i had seen your album there 9 lives for quite some time but never looked and where i lived its 55 dollars for a cd so i saved my lunch money and got it and played it,,,as soon as i heard you say in the intro,,”f*ck sales as long as the streets accept me,its respect before the money if i’m wrong correct me!”i knew,,i played that over again before movin onto watcha day about,,and when i heard that song i had to sit down,problems, and the song that made me almost shed a tear,,love me,it was so perfect,trust me your music changed me,calmed me down ,i aint wildin,now i even catch myself sayin shit like,,am maintainin,to people,or callin my mom mama bear,you are the perfect mc in my eyes,when i think dam he cant get any better i bought a.w.o.l. and damm,,,i’m in england now and its hard but i’m tryin to track down all your previous cd’s all the stores tellin me they cant get it but i’m still listenin,especially after i heard wanna be there from a friend,,,dam i think thats one of the deepest songs i’ve ever heard i just which others could see what i see,your so ahead of your time thats the problem,,well i am rapping now and look to you as one of the people who totally look up to and respect,am not on the weak shit the bling bling thing,i am street knowledge webster couldnt cypher,i wear a clear concious thats obvious to whom ever get the chance to read my writng..i wuddent have chose this path if it wasnt for you though,,havent advertised my work yet to get signed,but if i do get in you can be sure you’d know its me …..if you do get this i dont need you to sign anything for me or send anything,,cuz if you are who i think you are from your music you are the type that said to yourself if you dont make it bigg but inspired someone who duz youd be happy and meant it,well you did inspire me more than you will know,dunno if i will make it rapping but i wont fail in life,,give another album to the kids coming up,the last generation already traded their chance at knowledge for shiney chains and half naked chicks…..”was i sent for the sinners thst never repent?or am just another nigga bent tryin to pay for his rent?”….thank you..amir is blessed
July 19th, 2006
Whas Good Dog,
This the first time i’ve ever sent anything to n e one i listen to.
I got put onto u by a co-worker at a shoprite market i worked at. I used to git dissed and shit 4 sayin the best rapper was AZ. By feelin ya music i’ve come to learn that what u do aint rap. I been doing me for 10 years strong and i don’t call ma self a rapper, i’m a lyricist, but in a general, what u do simbolizes what Hip Hop stands for. Rap is a commercial term that describes what a certain group of people(Blacks) do similarly like some of these industry cats today do but names ain’t necessary. I coped Aziatic first and went backwards, but ya albums are in evry slot in ma 5 Disc change CD playa. U inspired and to this day inspire me as an artist and as a man. I don’t have a recrod deal and i’m not lookin for one. Just so u know, i’ve never stole or used any bar, rhyme, or line from anything of yours i’ve heard. Back in highschool niggas would laugh at me cuz i was the only one bangin Aziatic on the way and through the halls. Niggas consider u as a “slept on” artist, when eva people hear me say ya name its like oh AZ(like who the fuck is that). Fam, from the heart, man to man, I’m proud to have been inspired, so moved by a “slept on” artist. Right hand to God; when i spit wit a dude that worked at tower records at the cash register one day, when i was done the first thing he did was “u know who u remind me of, AZ” and i was overwhelmed. U da reason i’ve found ma self as an artist and ya impact on me was so deep that it was gittin to the point where i developed ya tone of voice and word pronuciation. But u don’t gotta to worry about hearin a nigga from south philly tryin to steal ya style or sound like u. I’m just being clear on the extent of ya influence on me. I will say for a fact that u play a big part in the way i formulate and deliver ma rhymes. It seems like those type of artist that sell few records or git passed over in the stores got the most to give and say.
I used to think its was crazy how a cat from “The Brook” could inspire a humble dude from South Philly but it happend. I can type all day and still not find the words to Thank You fam. In closing,
i wish u evry success.
i respect u (Hands Down, Fitted Hats and Skullies Off)
U got support in South Philly as long as i’m breathin.
Keep blessin us wit Lyricism and what the industry needed when u started and still needs now.
As an artist i’m forever in debt to u and for that ima stay humble stay me and continue to bless the mic the way u showed me how to when i first heard “To all those i still speak to, guess we still peoples….” up to when i heard ” You no ma personna, let me kindly remind ya…”
To AZ a.k.a Anthony Cruz a.k.a S.O.S.A.
“U made this dude keep signin his soul,
on fine lines of loose leaf shinin.
Supplyin the naked eye,
no fakin chasin the vibe, inside”
“Fadin him for instance
expect to miss Ock
AZ’s the difference
between rap and HipHop.”
Tonik
Thanks 4 everything ma nigga, 1
Shout Out To Brooklyn and Quiet Money.
I want to personally send A Special Shout with All Due Respect to “Mama Bear” for givin birth to ma “idle” and one of the greatest MC’s still alive and kickin.
Thank You
August 9th, 2006
Wow. The last two posters said it all. You are fantastic man, I can’t even find the words to tell you how good you are. I heard you on your website http://az.ivnet.tv/ saying you’re top 10. You’re further ahead of anyone I ever heard. Pac, Nas, Big were all blessed, but they can’t even come close to your poetry.
August 17th, 2006
Yo AZ ya cant let the final call be ya last cd man. seriously, hip hop is in a bad state right now, its all gimmicky and fucked up. ur a rare breed homie, got real shit to say real stories real lyrical talent all i ever hear is “g-g-g-g-gunit” or sum southern rappers doin they club raps and dance rap and all that. we need some realness put back into the game. every1 thinks busta will bring east coast back, fuck that i say its you homie. i think you jus need better marketing cuz your flow is perfect, ur lyrical abilities are fuckin godly, people just need to hear it to catch on. seriously though i listen to the track “never change” every single day. no lie. neways man, stay up. peace.
September 20th, 2006
AZ is the best rapper, most slept on rapper, he dont get love in the south no coverage. Whatever! i thought he was dead for a minute! DANG B!
September 27th, 2006
A YOU ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST IN THE GAME. YOU REP HARD LIKE SEDIMENTARY ROCKS.
January 16th, 2007
AZ,
You’re the only rapper worth writing. I know u hear this all the time but I am your biggest fan in Florida! My peoples get sooo tired of your music they get mad at me for constantly playing it. I don’t care the best rapper is someone’s opinion. Just because they say Pac and B.I.G are the best doesn’t mean they are. I have played your music and turned SEVERAL people onto your stuff. I know outside of N.Y., you are rarely talked about. In Florida, I promote your music at every red light and see people like damn that music is hot! What is he playing? I take it back to Doe or Die, they don’t know about that. Thank you for your music, NEVER STOP, and I’ll never stop buying your music. Let me know if u have any shows in Florida?
Advancement in progress
March 26th, 2007
People need to realize and start to appreciate the message, the knowledge, and the raw flow that “AZ” has always had! ONE OF THE BEST WHO EVER DONE IT! 1995 TIL THE DAY HE DECIDES TO QUIT! MUCH LUV FOR “AZ”
June 18th, 2008
wen it comes to rhyme skeemz, word play, reality and creativity. AZ is number one hands down!