Artist: Zion I
Genre(s):
Rap: Hip-Hop
Discography:
Mind over Matter
Year: 2000
Tracks: 21
This triplet of genre-bender pride has made a name for itself on the Bay Area scene by successfully mixing spiritualism and hip-hop. Oakland's MC Zion and DJ/producer Amp Live blend hip-hop and trip-hop beatniks with lyrics focused on a message of wholeness, hope, and religious awareness. After a duet of indie hits, the trio slowly made inroads while opening for pat royalty like De La Soul, Rakim, and Run-D.M.C. Their debut record album, Mind Over Matter, was released in May of 2000 and features collaborations with fellow Bay Area rappers Rasco, Planet Asia, and the Grouch. Although Zion I operates out of Berkeley, the grouping was originally formed in Atlanta, fashioning their music difficult to classify as purely West Coast rap music. Their musical elan makes them fifty-fifty harder to specify. With a trend that borrows from hip-hop, trance, drum'n'bass, and reggae, Zion I's trend is every bit mystical and mystifying.
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