Z-Ro:::: Fisherboy Records ** RapReviews 'Back to the Lab' series ** as reviewed by Pete T. When I think of Texas hip hop, I tend to think of two types of artists. Ansi/mss Sp-58-2009 Pdf. The first is the Geto Boys/UGK/E.S.G./Rap-A-Lot sort—rappers and producers raised on funk and soul tunes who came to prominence in the early-90s using distinct elements of those genres in their music.

The second is the Lil' Flip/Slim Thug/Swisha House/'tippin' on fo'-fo's' variety—MCs who came of age during the Clinton administration listening to DJ Screw tapes. Although the latter could certainly be cited as a mere chronological extension of the former, Houston's Z-Ro seems to have the best of both worlds, fitting seamlessly into both categories. Often likened to Scarface for his haunting narratives, inimitable soul, and glimpses of a conscience beneath his stone-cold demeanor, he is himself a disciple of the late DJ Screw and puts on for the extended Screwed Up Click as loudly and proudly as any. Z-Ro has a massive discography, and the lack of literature on it can make it almost impossible to distinguish between albums, mixtapes, compilations, and unauthorized releases—picking up a random Z-Ro record can be a perplexing experience because you never know what you're going to get. He regularly bounces between labels and does not approve of everything that comes out with his name on it, and with releases coming as frequently as every few months with varying levels of distribution, budget, and promotion, it makes for a giant volume of music. Free Download Laura Marling Alas Rapidshare Programs Like Microsoft more. Then again, perhaps it's not unlike his city's rich mixtape tradition—he has a ton of music and releases it accordingly. Z-Ro was 21 when his debut 'Look What You Did to Me' arrived in 1998, but even still he was no rookie—a widely circulated demo tape called 'The Crooked Mind' is purported to be from 1995.

That said, it's quite surprising how fully formed he is here, and it's immediately clear what a singular talent he is. He flows at breakneck speed with the technical precision of a seasoned vet, and his austere, inspired lyrics suggest the experience of a weathered, world-weary survivor twice his age.

He is also a startlingly effective singer, using his deep baritone to enhance his mournful tales, making him, as RapReviews' Pedro 'DJ Complejo' Hernandez wrote, 'a modern day bluesman and folk-tale purveyor.' He possesses a truly unique combination of street readiness, musical sensibility, and strong songwriting, but what makes him such an unusually compelling artist is simply the sheer emotive quality of his music. One need not hustle, sell crack, or carry firearms to appreciate Z-Ro; he evokes all the pain, power, and emotion of the human struggle, and rarely in a more raw or hungry manner than on his debut. Z-Ro's performance on 'Look What You Did to Me' initially drew many comparisons to 2Pac.

At times there are uncanny similarities in their vocal deliveries, especially when he drops a line or reference reminiscent of Pac—for instance, 'Lord Tell Me Why' lifts its hook from the same Five Stairsteps sample that 'Keep Ya Head Up' did, and when he rhymes 'When they kill me don't shed a tear / Remember, I'm not happy here' on 'City of Killers,' you'll swear it was an outtake of 'I Ain't Mad at Cha.' But most striking, Z-Ro shares with the late Shakur an unlikely charisma despite, or perhaps even because of, his terribly bleak outlook. Even the album's title might breed a comparison—just as 2Pac once noted, 'I was given this world, I didn't make it,' Z-Ro's brooding character is a product of his grim environment, and the result is his chillingly somber 'reality rap'—tales so sobering that often he can't help but look to God for help, as on the opener 'Guerilla Till I Die' in a triple-time verse so fast that it would twist Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's tongues: 'Could it be I'm too good for hell?

A music festival and car show in honor of DJ Screw was set up in 2006. The inaugural DJ Screwfest featured 200 vehicles and. II: All Screwed Up: Bigtyme. DJ Screw - All Screwed Up - Amazon.com Music. 2000), was the main music mixer for the Screwed Up CLICK and involved in the Houston hip hop scene; screw music, a type of rap music with heavy bass and. II [Explicit] by DJ Screw and tens of millions of other songs on all your devices with Amazon Music Unlimited.