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Who here has heard the new Z-Ro album?

HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
edited November 2006 in Strut Central
Y'all seem to be all over Jay-Z, The Game, The Clipse...but I ain't heard much about what's really real. So whut it dew?
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  Comments

  • deejdeej 5,125 Posts
    I heard some negative buzz but was waiting to check it out
    you tell ME
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Negative buzz???

    It's definitely a unique project for Z-Ro with Mike Dean doing most of the beats on it...which gives it almost a blues orientation.

    Z-Ro is by far the best rapper who sings in the game...which is of course a strong point of the album.

    As you might expect, it's extremely powerful on the emotional tip. All this recent talk of grown man rap, and low and behold this may be the best example yet. Ro ain't even trying to go pop. He instead takes on really real issues of depression, anger management, chemical dependency, societal pressure, racism, stormy relationships, etc.

    I want to transcribe some lyrics for y'all as soon as I get a chance.

    The instant classics on it are Keep On and Still Livin' featuring Trae and Hawk.

    Never would I have thought that I'd enjoy interpolations of Spandau Ballet's True and Pat Benatar's Love is a Battlefield as much as I now do.

    As I've said in the past, it just blows my mind what people choose to pay attention to instead of something as vital as this.
  • deejdeej 5,125 Posts
    People were telling me it wasn't as good as his other recent shit.

    I'm not really worried about Z-Ro going pop.

    What you've described sounds a lot like his entire career. What makes this album different?
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    What makes this album different?

    It's definitely a unique project for Z-Ro with Mike Dean doing most of the beats on it.

    That and Ro has matured beyond merely just a one deep blasting of anything and anyone in his way. It's hard to describe because it's not really a major change in his personality as much as it's just a slight and smart adjustment.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    I was waiting for somebody to comment on this. I think the good songs are really good but there are some extremely questionable tracks on here that I couldn't really listen to at all. Like that T.H.U.G. track, the singing is a horrible look on this track in my opinion. I find his singing a little too PM Dawn-ish. M-16 is a hot track. Keep On is ehh. What's Going On - the beat is cornmeal. See, every song with a potentially good rap from Z-Ro is ruined by either a shitty chorus or a shitty beat with some 80s throwback sample garbage. I do like SOME of the singing on here, but really, I would rather listen to Devin sing than this guy. I get about halfway through this album and lose interest. And I do like some TX rap. A few tracks on here may make it on to some playlists for me but that's about it.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    You are clearly not real enough for this record, GB_Diggs.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Haha, I was worried about that actually...
  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts
    His last record was classic, IMO. For me, he has a tough act to follow.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    You are clearly not real enough for this record, GB_Diggs.

    At least he's listened to it.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    You are clearly not real enough for this record, GB_Diggs.

    At least he's listened to it.

    I didn't know one's realness was determined by whether or not they had heard that new Z-Ro.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    You are clearly not real enough for this record, GB_Diggs.

    At least he's listened to it.

    I didn't know one's realness was determined by whether or not they had heard that new Z-Ro.

    Pretty much.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    You are clearly not real enough for this record, GB_Diggs.

    At least he's listened to it.

    I didn't know one's realness was determined by whether or not they had heard that new Z-Ro.

    Pretty much.

    Duly noted.
  • dayday 9,611 Posts


    I didn't know one's realness was determined by whether or not they had heard that new Z-Ro.

    If Archaic proclaims it, so it shall be.

    On a side note, it's a trip with all these wire avatars - I'm starting to picture them saying what fools post.

    Hi R*l*h!
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts


    I didn't know one's realness was determined by whether or not they had heard that new Z-Ro.

    If Archaic proclaims it, so it shall be.

    On a side note, it's a trip with all these wire avatars - I'm starting to picture them saying what fools post.

    Hi R*l*h!

    Archaic: if you want my advice...



    Bodie: I don't, Slim. I don't.






    hi D*y
  • Young_PhonicsYoung_Phonics 8,039 Posts
    Ro ain't even trying to go pop.

    interpolations of Spandau Ballet's True and Pat Benatar's Love is a Battlefield

    It's going to be reviewed in this week's Voice. i've been meaning to peep it but i'm simply waiting on what the reviews have to say about this particular outing.
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    J-Ro >>>> Z-Ro

  • hogginthefogghogginthefogg 6,098 Posts
    J-Ro >>>> Z-Ro



    J-Ro's older brother called me yesterday and I'm still very confused about it.
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    i gave it a few listens and i think it could have been a lot better if it wasn't a cut and paste job (duh)

    thug's hook sucks but ro rips the verses. still living is a great song but it's pretty fucking depressing hearing hawk on something named that. battlefield if i remember correctly was kinda firey.

    i do remember a really bad cut and paste job trying to change 2005 to 2006 and there are a few recycled verses here and there but you really cant expect much with dude locked up. this is z-ro's last album on rap-a-lot, right?
  • tonyphronetonyphrone 1,500 Posts
    J-Ro >>>> Z-Ro



    J-Ro's older brother called me yesterday and I'm still very confused about it.

    what'd he say?
  • sergserg 682 Posts

    thug's hook sucks but ro rips the verses.

    man I fucking HATE thug, that hook is bad but it's nothing compared to that garbage ass beat. It's on some straight up shitty japanese cgi anime dancers karaoke video music. It's definitely the worst track on the album. I want to like One Deep but man leave the recycled lines to Mike Jones. Even with the bad spots there are some dope cuts though, I like M16, city streets, remember me, keep on and some others.

    I agree that this record could have been a lot better, it's not horrible but z-ro can do better.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    still living is a great song but it's pretty fucking depressing hearing hawk on something named that.

    What's especially spoooky to me is how much Hawk sounds like Mac Dre as he opens up that verse.
  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    I agree that this record could have been a lot better, it's not horrible but z-ro can do better.

    i was wondering the hawk mac dre thing was purposeful. even the content is super macish.
  • Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts
    this record could have been a lot better, it's not horrible but z-ro can do better.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    I've got to knock out a review of the album today for the paper. I only have 200 words to work with and I could probably do 2,000. Anyway, I listened very carefully to the whole album through this morning on headphones...and I have to say that I was nothing less than moved. Call it a disclaimer if you'd like, but I don't think this particular Z-Ro album can be judged within the same parameters that one would use for a more commercially-aimed album by the likes of Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, The Clipse or The Game.

    The reason being is that Ro makes sure to wallow in the miseries of his trying life long enough to give a serious look into the psychological conditions created by racism, war, drug addiction, incarceration, etc. His intent is just so far removed from that of his many peers. Even comparing this album to Trae's Restless, which contains many of the same traits, still leaves you wondering where Ro has yielded even a single potential radio hit ala "In the Hood". I'm Still Livin isn't remotely an album for dance-happy teenagers. It's for those looking for someone who is going through the same sort of pain in their own lives. Possibly, that could be said about any given Z-Ro album...but there is really something about this particular album that I'm afraid a lot of people who hear it might be missing given that they aren't in the proper mindstate to receive the full brunt of Ro's messages.

    And maybe that's a good thing. I would hope that there aren't that many people out there who have it so bad that considerations of suicide are a reoccuring theme in their lives. But then again, I already know of people who have been living the last 2 weeks practically mesmerized by this release.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    I'm Still Livin isn't remotely an album for dance-happy teenagers. It's for those looking for someone who is going through the same sort of pain in their own lives.

    I love it when you get like this.

    I sense an impending episode of trademark Shied solipsism: the music is real because you listen to it and you are real because you listen to the music in question.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    I'm Still Livin isn't remotely an album for dance-happy teenagers. It's for those looking for someone who is going through the same sort of pain in their own lives.

    I love it when you get like this.

    I sense an impending episode of trademark Shied solipsism: the music is real because you listen to it and you are real because you listen to the music in question.

    So petty.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    I'm Still Livin isn't remotely an album for dance-happy teenagers. It's for those looking for someone who is going through the same sort of pain in their own lives.

    I love it when you get like this.

    I sense an impending episode of trademark Shied solipsism: the music is real because you listen to it and you are real because you listen to the music in question.

    So petty.

    When someone insults you it is "so petty"; when you insult someone else it is a Glorious Blow Struck by the Hammer of the Gawd in Defense of Righteousness.
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    I'm Still Livin isn't remotely an album for dance-happy teenagers. It's for those looking for someone who is going through the same sort of pain in their own lives.

    I love it when you get like this.

    I sense an impending episode of trademark Shied solipsism: the music is real because you listen to it and you are real because you listen to the music in question.

    So petty.

    When someone insults you it is "so petty"; when you insult someone else it is a Glorious Blow Struck by the Hammer of the Gawd in Defense of Righteousness.

    I said the equivalent of you can't juDge a Howling Wolf album by the same standards that you would judge a Justin Timberlake album.

    And that insulted you?
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    I'm Still Livin isn't remotely an album for dance-happy teenagers. It's for those looking for someone who is going through the same sort of pain in their own lives.

    I love it when you get like this.

    I sense an impending episode of trademark Shied solipsism: the music is real because you listen to it and you are real because you listen to the music in question.

    So petty.

    When someone insults you it is "so petty"; when you insult someone else it is a Glorious Blow Struck by the Hammer of the Gawd in Defense of Righteousness.

    I said the equivalent of you can't juDge a Howling Wolf album by the same standards that you would judge a Justin Timberlake album.

    And that insulted you?

    Did I say that?
  • jazzercismjazzercism 838 Posts
    Dude, you sound like a 14 year old who listens to The Cure.
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