AZ: Return Of The Aziatic One

Mainstream rap first heard the lyrical skills of AZ when he stepped onto the scene way back in 1995 on Nas Lifes A Bitch. Since then, AZ has gone on to release five solo albums, selling over 700,000 records, found time to sign a few of his own artists, and even starred in a handful of movies.

Now set to release his new LP this August on his own Quiet Money Records, the Aziatic star is preparing to go A.W.O.L..

In downtown New York, AZ is busy doing promotional work for his upcoming album. Sitting laid back in a plush office suite, the veteran rapper welcomes one interviewer after another, happily answering every question journalists throw at him Or so I would imagine. Being on the other side of the Atlantic, I was scheduled in for a phone interview with AZ, so I can only imagine what the rappers surroundings were like. Sorry.

When Im put through to the man himself, he sounds relaxed and at ease, and when I ask if hes tired of talking about his new album already, he laughs and replies, Nah, not at all. After more than a decade in the music industry, AZ knows that long days and hard work are all part of the game. A game which he intends to take to the next level with the release of A.W.O.L..

Talking about this new project, AZ (born Anthony Cruz) said, You can expect a Doe Or Die AZ, from that era. On the album I got a few producers as far as Premier and Heatmakers, and Disco D that did the 50 Cent album I got Raekwon and Ghostface, Slick Rick, C.L. Smooth I got a long line of people on the album. So why the name A.W.O.L.? I guess, last year I was supposed to put out an album, Final Call. It was done actually three months before the release date, and then at the time of the release date, they wanted to push it back three more months, and I was like, Nah, I cant do that, he explained. When I record music, I know for me, musics loyal, and I wanted to give my fans something fresh, so I put that on the backburner and started recording a new album. All that was driving me crazy, and at the time I was just saying, Ima get ready to go A.W.O.L.. I kept saying that, then I was thinking, You know what? This gon be the name of the album! For real, thats how I named it, and I recorded in that frame of mind.

With only four guest appearances on the album, it would seem that AZ is keen to have the limelight all to himself for his 2005 comeback. After all, it should be a rappers lyrical skills that draw the fans in, not their collaborations. AZ agreed, describing how he came about working with the likes of Wu Tangs Ghostface and Raekwon. Yeah, the people that are on my album are people who we were like, You know what? These songs would sound good with these people on there. So I reached out to them and everyone was like, Lets go. They was on the same page as me, so thats a good thing.

During his time in the music industry, AZ has been with four different record labels, but it was his last deal, with Motown Records, which made the rapper vow never to return to a major label deal ever again. Well, Motown was just crazy within itself, he began. They were dealing with the Neo-Soul thing, and I was thinking I can change that, you know what I mean? I guess it was things going on internally, within Motown, so I got away from that and said to myself, Im never going back to a major, Im gonna do independent. Then I ran into Koch Records and I had the Quiet Money label which I started, and they were like, Ok, well distribute it. Im an artist on my own label now, so its a good look.

Being signed to such a big label famous for their R&B and Soul acts, it must have been difficult for a Hip Hop artist like AZ to express himself at Motown. Discussing the constraints he faced at the label, AZ said, I mean, you know, you get your creative control, but so much, you know? You arent able to dictate a lot of things. For some people its cool, I mean they can work in that zone, but for me personally, Im a control freak. Im a control freak, Im not gonna lie!

Back when AZ was a freshman in this rap industry, Biggie and 2Pac were still ballin; Jay-Z was only a small fish in this game, and there was no Eminem, no 50 Cent, no G-Unit. Oh how times have changed. Looking back on the decade gone by, AZ comments on the changes the rap game has gone through since 1994. Well, music is fickle; it moves around a lot. I mean, you got your East Coast, your West Coast, you got the Mid-West, you got Southern music, so musics just changing; its evolving, so it is what it is, you either get with it or you dont, you know? But its a good look cos everybody can express themselves, and we see things from their point of view. He continued, To me, music is like a code of communication; like, we bring people into our world and they bring us into their world. So who is AZ feeling right now? I like all artists that are making noise now, you know, Common, Fat Joe, T.I., Game Liking their music is one thing, but working with them is another question. Not necessarily, I mean, if we do, we do, you know? Its nothing that I plan, its a vibe that must be there first, you know?

For someone of AZs calibre, it is hard to believe that he has not garnered the kind of support and love that his peers have so easily acquired. Its not as if Cruzs flow and delivery has not been recognised in this industry; it has, only on a much smaller scale compared to the likes of Nas or Jay-Z. I ask why he thinks this is, and he replies casually, I guess because they had that machine behind them, which was pushed into where they had to go, and I never had that same particular machine, so I mean as far as me, personally, I feel like I have that same love, and that credibility that they have. I agree avidly, and try to get him to describe his music in three words. Hahaha! he laughed. (Im not quite sure what was so funny) Er inspirational poetical and to the point. When I mention that hed listed a little more than three words, he quipped, Well to the point is one word to me!

For the time being, AZ is fully focussed on his music. However, in the three years since the release of 2002s Aziatic, the rapper has been busy getting his Quiet Money Records off the ground, and in the rappers own words, it is only now getting its shine. Well I have my artists, which are from my hood Y.G., Animal, Trav he told, trailing off. They getting set up right now. They on this album right here [A.W.O.L.], and then were gonna figure out how things go.

AZ has also been occupying himself with making movies, taking one further step towards becoming an all-round entertainer. Well, I just did a movie called Envy, with Ray J, Lisa Raye, Mya Campbell and Chico De Barge, which hopefully comes out the end of this year, he revealed. I got the lead role in it, and its just me being in the street life, and Ray Js my little cousin, wanna follow behind my footsteps, so I leave it alone and he takes over. Then the friends that Im with, they wanna know why I handed it over, and theres a lot of shit going on. Lisa Raye plays my wife in the movie, so you know, its a good look.

With so much going on in his life, the rapper, who describes himself as low key - (I dont get caught up in the hype; I just do me.) is gonna need to find time in his already-packed schedule to do some touring to promote the new album. However, he assures HHDX readers that a tour is definitely on the way, despite not being able to give specific details. Were setting things up as we speak, so yeah, Ill solidify something real soon.

Finally, any last words? Just the album here, the A.W.O.L. album, which should definitely give my fans their bragging rights. Theyll be able to say, I told you so!

A.W.O.L. drops on August 23rd on Quiet Money/Fastlife Music, and is distributed by Koch Records.