Anthony Cruz (born March 9, 1972), better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper. Best known for his work with fellow East Coast rapper Nas, the two formed the New York City-based hip hop group the Firm in 1996, along with Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. Cruz most notably guest appeared on Nas' 1994 single "Life's a Bitch," and signed with EMI to release his debut studio album, Doe or Die (1995), which was met with critical... [more on Wikipedia]