Hailing from East New York, Brooklyn, AZ debuted in the rap scene in 1994 with his stellar guest verse on Nas’ landmark debut Illmatic. Following an intense bidding war created by the verse, AZ released his own classic debut the following fall, Doe or Die, on October 10, 1995.
Featuring the platinum hit single “Sugar Hill,” the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hip Hop Charts and cemented AZ’s place as one of the top New York lyricists in the game. While AZ was making a name for himself in NYC in 1995, Patrick was dominating in his Ewings on the hardwood at Madison Square Garden. Ewing Athletics has partnered with AZ to team up on a limited-edition SPORT LITE collaboration, capturing the essence of 1995 in NY and celebrating the 25th anniversary of Doe or Die.
“Getting fly was always a must for me,” says AZ. “Ever since my first pairs with no laces, I had a thirst for the freshest footwear. It sets the tone for the outfit, builds your confidence, and separates the official from the unofficial. Now Ewing Athletics is allowing me to bring my design to the table.”
Inspired by the Doe or Die album cover, this SPORT LITE features a tumbled white leather upper along with dark green and red accents. “AZ 1995” branding adorns the toebox while “DOE” is on the left heel with the matching “DIE” on the right. The package is completed in a special white co-branded collector’s box. In addition to the shoes, matching t-shirts and Champion crewnecks are available exclusively at EwingAthletics.com. Following up on his celebrated appearance on Nas’ latest album King’s Disease, AZ’s new album DOE or DIE 2 is coming soon.
Credit: Photography by Marcus Stevens / Words by Noah Goldowitz