S. Samuel
Rap veteran AZ has announced plans to step away from the microphone and pursue more of a music executive role beginning next year.
According to AZ, he is aiming to hang up the mic following 2011’s release of his next solo album, Doe or Die 2.
“I think after [my next album] Doe or Die 2, I’ma wrap it up,” AZ revealed in an interview. “It’s been fun, it’s been fun, I did good. You gotta go out like [undefeated boxer Floyd] Mayweather. Mayweather go out, he’ll jump back in but he’s gonna go out without scars. So I’m cool, I did a good job.” (Mikey T The Movie Star)
Last year, AZ said he was hoping to snag A-list producers for his likely final solo effort.
“Buckwild’s on board,” AZ revealed in an interview. “I spoke to L.E.S., I spoke to D/R [Period], I spoke to them, they all there. At the same time, I wanna bring newcomers to the table. I’m gonna get some joints from him. I spoke to him. I’m trying to reach out to Dr. Dre. I’m trying to make this epic too, like just bring everything to a full circle. So I’m gonna [reach back] into the past, but I’m also gonna bring it to the future. I even need a joint from Kanye. I gotta knock on his door. I’m gonna knock on his door real soon.” (Hip Hop DX)
AZ recently spoke with SOHH about his motivation for putting the album together.
“I mean, I reached out to [Nas], uhm, I think he’s going through a couple of whirls, he’s going through a lot of situations so we haven’t really sat down and politic’ed and talked about everything,” AZ explained. “Actually, I did reach out for this Doe Or Die 2, that’s what I’m working on, the Doe Or Die 2 stuff. Raekwon did the Cuban Linx [2], and The Blueprint 3 and the Carter III and IV, so them sequels do good in the marketplace. So I’m trying to do this Doe Or Die 2, I reached out to him, I haven’t gotten feedback as of yet, but like I said, look at what he’s going through.” (SOHH)
AZ has nearly two decades of history in the music industry.
In the wake of his debut Doe or Die‘s critical success, AZ collaborated with Nas in the ill-fated supergroup the Firm and released Pieces of a Man (1998), another critical favorite. But for the most part, that was it from AZ for several years as he fell by the wayside, not surfacing in a big way again until a pair of Motown releases, 9 Lives (2001) and Aziatic (2002), that didn’t sell any better than his previous efforts. He subsequently took his music underground, periodically releasing albums such as A.W.O.L. (2005). (All Music)
A confirmed release date for Doe or Die 2 has not yet been announced.
Check out AZ’s interview below:
