Zion I is emcee Zumbi and producer extraordinaire Amp Live. Coming at you from Oakland, California, the duo has been putting out bass heavy bangers since 2000 when they released the critically acclaimed Mind Over Matter. Since then, they've been on a tireless mission to get their music to the masses. With several collaborations with Grouch and Eligh of The Living Legends and countless underground legends like Blackalicious' Gift of Gab and Talib Kweli, Zion I is always pushing the boundaries of its craft. Zumbi's often metaphysical lyrics combined with Amp Live's futuristic beats lends Zion I a fresh sound unlike any other. 2009’s The Takeover produced the single "Juicy Juice," which showcased the duo just having fun and doing what they like to do. Their new album, Shadowboxing, is out now. The fellas make the trek to Austin for the 11th time this year. They will be found wherever the speakers are about to blow. –Kyle Eustice
RAPstation: When did you first fall in love with hip-hop and why?
When I was a shorty; maybe 8 or 9, I was hanging out with my Grandfather (R.I.P.) riding around Philadelphia doing errands with him. "The Message" came on and I started catching a vibe. The music was in perfect sync with the city as it flashed by my young eyes. The song felt deep and emotional to me, I could feel the true heart of Hip Hop pounding inside of me. As the tune went off my Grandfather said, "I like that song". I couldn't believe that he was experiencing it the same way I was! We were both caught up in Hip Hop's magnetism. This was the moment that I fell in love.
Who or what made you decide to pick up the mic and start performing?
It was an inner calling for me. I was always into writing and poetry. My teachers always had glowing feedback after I turned in papers etc. I started memorizing songs as a way of entertaining myself, and it just stuck with me. I had to express myself and the way I see the world. God made it happen.
SXSW seems to be predominately indie band oriented. As a hip-hop artist, what do you hope to gain from your time there?
It's always cool to network with heads that I haven't seen for awhile. We've been attending SXSW since 2002, so it's always exciting to see what's buzzing around for folks. It feels like you can figure out what's going to happen the following year after leaving there.
With record sales on the decline in this digital era, how important are tours now? Merch?
Tours and merch have always been primary to our formula. We built ourselves from the ground up, so these are elements that were and are essential to our survival.
How have you been navigating the social media waters? What have you done that has been fan favorites?
Much better in the past few years. At first, I didn't realize how important social media was, but now I know that's it's integral to success in this era. Folks seem to enjoy the quirky pictures I post of our travels or of home life. The shots from shows do okay, but the funny behind the scenes captures seem to be favorites.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame started inducting bands in 1986. Out of the 279 performers who have been inducted, only 3 other Hip-Hop/Rapper acts have been included, most recently Public Enemy this year. As an artist that falls into this category, how does this make an impact on you?
The lack of recognition and respect does not surprise me. These fools didn't even realize Hip Hop was music until it started going platinum. I don't care what the gatekeepers think of us.
There is kind of a revolving door of rappers/emcees these days, what sets you apart from the pack and how will you attain longevity in such a fickle and oversaturated market?
I set myself apart by being myself. I'm fine with not fitting in anywhere, and this empowers my music. My spirituality has always been essential to my creative process, and as long as I honor that, I know that I'll be fine. This is what I was put on this planet to do. It's not trendy, it's not hot. It just is.
By Kyle Eustice for RAPStation.com
FROM OAKLAND TO AUSTIN - Zion I is About to Takeover
Zion I is emcee Zumbi and producer extraordinaire Amp Live. Coming at you from Oakland, California, the duo has been putting out bass heavy bangers since 2000 when they released the critically acclaimed Mind Over Matter. Since then, they've been on a tireless mission to get their music to the masses. With several collaborations with Grouch and Eligh of The Living Legends and countless underground legends like Blackalicious' Gift of Gab and Talib Kweli, Zion I is always pushing the boundaries of its craft. Zumbi's often metaphysical lyrics combined with Amp Live's futuristic beats lends Zion I a fresh sound unlike any other. 2009’s The Takeover produced the single "Juicy Juice," which showcased the duo just having fun and doing what they like to do. Their new album, Shadowboxing, is out now. The fellas make the trek to Austin for the 11th time this year. They will be found wherever the speakers are about to blow. –Kyle Eustice
RAPstation: When did you first fall in love with hip-hop and why?
When I was a shorty; maybe 8 or 9, I was hanging out with my Grandfather (R.I.P.) riding around Philadelphia doing errands with him. "The Message" came on and I started catching a vibe. The music was in perfect sync with the city as it flashed by my young eyes. The song felt deep and emotional to me, I could feel the true heart of Hip Hop pounding inside of me. As the tune went off my Grandfather said, "I like that song". I couldn't believe that he was experiencing it the same way I was! We were both caught up in Hip Hop's magnetism. This was the moment that I fell in love.
Who or what made you decide to pick up the mic and start performing?
It was an inner calling for me. I was always into writing and poetry. My teachers always had glowing feedback after I turned in papers etc. I started memorizing songs as a way of entertaining myself, and it just stuck with me. I had to express myself and the way I see the world. God made it happen.
SXSW seems to be predominately indie band oriented. As a hip-hop artist, what do you hope to gain from your time there?
It's always cool to network with heads that I haven't seen for awhile. We've been attending SXSW since 2002, so it's always exciting to see what's buzzing around for folks. It feels like you can figure out what's going to happen the following year after leaving there.
With record sales on the decline in this digital era, how important are tours now? Merch?
Tours and merch have always been primary to our formula. We built ourselves from the ground up, so these are elements that were and are essential to our survival.
How have you been navigating the social media waters? What have you done that has been fan favorites?
Much better in the past few years. At first, I didn't realize how important social media was, but now I know that's it's integral to success in this era. Folks seem to enjoy the quirky pictures I post of our travels or of home life. The shots from shows do okay, but the funny behind the scenes captures seem to be favorites.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame started inducting bands in 1986. Out of the 279 performers who have been inducted, only 3 other Hip-Hop/Rapper acts have been included, most recently Public Enemy this year. As an artist that falls into this category, how does this make an impact on you?
The lack of recognition and respect does not surprise me. These fools didn't even realize Hip Hop was music until it started going platinum. I don't care what the gatekeepers think of us.
There is kind of a revolving door of rappers/emcees these days, what sets you apart from the pack and how will you attain longevity in such a fickle and oversaturated market?
I set myself apart by being myself. I'm fine with not fitting in anywhere, and this empowers my music. My spirituality has always been essential to my creative process, and as long as I honor that, I know that I'll be fine. This is what I was put on this planet to do. It's not trendy, it's not hot. It just is.
By Kyle Eustice for RAPStation.com
