AZ

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Lore & Background

AZ and Nas's connection started in the early 1990s when AZ, from Brooklyn, became friends with Nas, a young rapper from Queens. Nas was working on his debut album Illmatic and invited AZ to work with him in the studio. AZ appeared on the album intro and had a verse on "Life's a Bitch." After Illmatic was released in 1994, EMI Records offered AZ a record deal. Their partnership deepened when they formed the Firm in 1996 with Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. The group's sole album (1997) peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart despite unfavorable critical response; the group disbanded two years later. Years later, AZ's fourth album Aziatic (2002) contained the song "The Essence" (featuring Nas), which earned a nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards.

In Their Own Story

In the early 1990s, AZ became friends with Nas, a young rapper from Queens who was working on his debut album Illmatic. Nas invited AZ to work with him in the studio. AZ appeared on the album intro and laid down a verse on "Life's a Bitch." The track became the defining moment of AZ's early career. After Illmatic was released in 1994, EMI Records offered AZ a record deal. In 1996, the two formed the Firm with Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. The group's album (1997) hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 but received unfavorable critical response, and the group disbanded two years later. Their creative partnership continued: on AZ's 2002 album Aziatic, the duet "The Essence" featuring Nas earned a Grammy nomination.

Reader's Guide

AZ's most famous contribution to Nas's catalog is his guest appearance on Nas' 1994 single "Life's a Bitch." This track launched AZ's career and led to EMI Records offering him a record deal. Their collaboration expanded when they formed the Firm in 1996, a group that also included Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. The Firm's sole album (1997) peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart. On AZ's fourth album Aziatic (2002), the song "The Essence" featuring Nas earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards. For fans exploring their work, start with "Life's a Bitch" from Nas's Illmatic (1994), then The Firm: The Album (1997), and finally "The Essence" from AZ's Aziatic (2002).

Did You Know?

• AZ was born on March 9, 1972, in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn to an African-American mother and a Dominican father.
• He attended Eli Whitney High School with fellow Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z until the school closed in the late 1980s.
• AZ's debut album Doe or Die (1995) was released on EMI Records and its lead single "Sugar Hill" peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received gold certification by the RIAA.
• Online magazine About.com listed AZ as the 'Most Underrated [Rapper] of All Time' and named him 'arguably the most underrated lyricist ever' on its 'Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007).'
• AZ's tenth studio album Truth Be Told was released on December 1, 2023, entirely produced by Buckwild.