The Format (album)

The Format
The Format
Studio album by AZ
Released	November 7, 2006 (2006-11-07)
Recorded	2006
Studio	Chop Shop Studios (Brooklyn, NY)
Genre	East Coast hip-hop
Length	45:55
Label	Quiet Money; Fastlife;
Producer	Arnold Mischkulnig; Bob Perry; DJ Premier; Emile Haynie; Face Defeat; Fizzy Womack; J. Cardim; Statik Selektah;
AZ chronology

2006 studio album by AZ

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	^[1]
AllHipHop	^[2]
Cokemachineglow	55/100%^[3]
HipHopDX	4/5^[4]
RapReviews	8/10^[5]
Tiny Mix Tapes	^[6]
XXL	3/5 (L)^[7]

The Format is the sixth solo studio album by American rapper AZ. It was released on November 7, 2006, via Quiet Money Records. Recording sessions took place at Chop Shop Studios in Brooklyn. Production was handled by Emile Haynie, J. Cardim, Lil' Fame, Arnold Mischkulnig, Bob Perry, DJ Premier, Face Defeat and Statik Selektah. It features guest appearances from Fresh, Big Pooh, Jha-Jha, M.O.P., Phonte, Ralo, and Samson.

The album's lead single is its title track, "The Format", produced by DJ Premier, with "Vendetta" as its B-side.^[8] The Format also features the bonus track "Royal Salute", a retaliation to 50 Cent's song "What If", which included a line aimed at AZ. On October 7, 2007, Quiet Money released The Format (Special Edition) adding six bonus tracks, including "Royal Salute".

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Am the Truth"	Fizzy Womack	3:59
2.	"Sit 'Em Back Slow" (featuring M.O.P.)	Face Defeat Fizzy Womack	3:48
3.	"Get High"	Emile	3:06
4.	"Make Me" (featuring Fresh)	Emile	3:09
5.	"Games" (featuring Samson)	Bob Perry Arnold Mischkulnig	3:49
6.	"Rise and Fall" (featuring Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte)	J. Cardim	4:10
7.	"Animal"	Statik Selektah	3:48
8.	"Doing That!" (featuring Jha Jha)	Fizzy Womack	4:06
9.	"This Is What I Do"	J. Cardim	3:18
10.	"The Format"	DJ Premier	3:03
11.	"Vendetta" (featuring Fresh and Ralo)	J. Cardim	3:14
12.	"Game of Life"	Emile	4:05
13.	"Royal Salute"	Emile	2:20
Total length:			45:55

Special Edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
14.	"Life"	3:58
15.	"Seems That Way"	4:07
16.	"You Know"	4:06
17.	"The Love of Money"	3:11
18.	"Damn It Feels Good"	3:48

Personnel

Anthony "AZ" Cruz – vocals, executive producer
Jamal "Lil' Fame" Grinnage – vocals (track 2), producer (tracks: 1, 2, 8)
Eric "Billy Danze" Murray – vocals (track 2)
Fresh – vocals (tracks: 4, 11)
Samson – vocals (track 5)
Thomas Louis "Rapper Big Pooh" Jones III – vocals (track 6)
Phonte Coleman – vocals (track 6)
Natoya "Jha Jha" Handy – vocals (track 8)
Ralo – vocals (track 11)
Jonathan "Chronic Face" Burke – producer (track 2)
Emile Haynie – producer (tracks: 3, 4, 12, 13)
Bob Perry – producer (track 5), co-executive producer, A&R
Arnold Mischkulnig – producer (track 5), recording, mixing, mastering
Jonas Cardim – producer (tracks: 6, 9, 11)
Patrick "Statik Selektah" Baril – producer (track 7)
Christopher E. "DJ Premier" Martin – producer (track 10)
Joseph Sherman – co-executive producer, management
Kaysh Shinn – photography

Charts

Chart (2006)	Peak position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[9]	59
US Independent Albums (Billboard)^[10]	35

References

^ Rott, Ivan. "AZ - The Format (Quiet Money)". About.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2007. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ "The Format". AllHipHop. November 7, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Betz, Chet (October 30, 2007). "AZ: The Format | Records". Cokemachineglow. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Virly, Justin (November 6, 2006). "AZ - The Format". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Jost, Matt (November 14, 2006). "AZ :: The Format :: Quiet Money/Fast Life Music". RapReviews. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Ranta, Alan. "Music Review: AZ - The Format". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Blanco, Alvin (November 2, 2006). "AZ The Format - XXL". XXL. No. 87. Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ Richburg, Chris (September 29, 2006). "AZ Prepares Return With New Album, The Format". AllHipHop. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
^ "AZ Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
^ "AZ Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

External links

AZ – The Format at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] Rott, Ivan. "AZ - The Format (Quiet Money)". About.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2007. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[2] "The Format". AllHipHop. November 7, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[3] Betz, Chet (October 30, 2007). "AZ: The Format | Records". Cokemachineglow. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[4] Virly, Justin (November 6, 2006). "AZ - The Format". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[5] Jost, Matt (November 14, 2006). "AZ :: The Format :: Quiet Money/Fast Life Music". RapReviews. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[6] Ranta, Alan. "Music Review: AZ - The Format". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[7] Blanco, Alvin (November 2, 2006). "AZ The Format - XXL". XXL. No. 87. Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[8] Richburg, Chris (September 29, 2006). "AZ Prepares Return With New Album, The Format". AllHipHop. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved August 16, 2024.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_AZ-9] "AZ Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2024.

[ac_BillboardIndependent_AZ-10] "AZ Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2024.