AZ has been relatively quiet since releasing the 2021 sequel to his classic debut Doe or Die. But the NYC rap veteran has announced his return, and he’s bringing along a legendary friend.
On Friday (November 3), AZ took to social media to announce the upcoming release of a new album, Truth Be Told. He said that the record, which comes out on December 1, would be entirely produced by Buckwild, the Diggin’ in the Crates crew member who has helmed songs for crew members like Fat Joe, Big L, Diamond D, and O.C. (including the classic “Time’s Up“). In addition, Buckwild has done the beats for songs like JAY-Z‘s “Lucky Me,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story to Tell,” and Black Rob‘s “Whoa!”
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“He brought more Hits to the table than imagined!!!” AZ said of Buckwild’s contributions to the album. “Hip Hop is still Alive.”
You can see AZ’s post below.
AZ’s rap peers Pharoahe Monch and Fat Joe expressed excitement for the record in the post’s comments, with Joe dropping a bunch of fire emojis and Pharoahe writing an all-caps “LETS GO!”
Perhaps this album cycle will be the one that gets AZ on Drink Champs. The show’s co-host N.O.R.E. explained last year that he had tried to get the rapper on the popular show, but it hadn’t yet worked.
“AZ knows we want him on the show he never responds,” the Drink Champs co-host wrote on Twitter.
AZ has other projects in the works as well. Last year, he shared the trailer for an upcoming documentary called Jewels, Gems & Treasures.
Helping to unpack his legacy as one of the most gifted (if not unsung) rappers of all time are cameos from Nas, 50 Cent, legendary producer Buckwild and former EMI executive Daniel Glass, who signed AZ to his first record deal.
“AZ would say some slippery shit,” 50 says in the trailer, while Nas adds, “He created a lane for himself. He didn’t want to go where anybody else went, where I went, where this guy went.”
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Buckwild chips in with, “A lot of cats that I know from around the world look at AZ like, ‘Yo, he’s one of the coldest rappers ever.’”
