Shout out to DJ B-Liv for putting together a Tribal Remix of “DJ DJ” off The Take Over album. Check it out & make sure to let us know what you think.

Tweet

ZION I kicks off the fall tour in New Mexico for another hype all ages event. Check out the rest of the TOUR DATES to see when we’ll be in your city. It goes down!

Tweet

If you weren’t there to see Zion I rip the freestyles at Red Rocks in Colorado this summer, don’t trip. We might be hitting up your city real soon on our upcoming fall tour. Check out the TOUR DATES to see when we’ll be in your town. Can’t wait to see you out there family!

Tweet

Check out the interview we did with Veuxdo Magazine where we talk about how we got started in hip hop, the upcoming Zion I projects, and more.

Tweet

ZION I Facebook
ZION I Twitter
Veuxdo Magazine

One love to the fans who took time out to make these creative videos for “Don’t Lose Ya Head”. Nice Up! Follow the Zion I Movement on Twitter.

Tweet

Shout out to DJ Winterman for putting together a Baltimore club mix of “Doin My Thang” from our True & Livin album. Good look on the old school soul train clips!


Tweet

Give Thanks Tour 2010

Zion I is touring with Rebelution this Fall 2010! Mark your calendars and join Rebelution, Zion I Crew and Tribal Seeds This Fall for the “Give Thanks Tour”: AZ, TX, FL, MS, GA, MO, IL, MI, PA, NY, VA, MD, CO, MN, NE. For detailed tour dates and pre-sale tickets click here: http://www.zionicrew.com/events

www.rebelutionmusic.com
www.tribalseeds.net

Tweet

We had a great show in Bellingham, WA last night. It’s always a pleasure when the audience is enthusiastic, it creates a dynamic synergy between performer and observer. It’s like hitting a switch and flipping into high gear, where all involved are elevated by the energy. Shout out to Snax who flipped a piece for the backdrop of the stage. One love family..enjoy.

America, the beautiful, was born out of necessity. In many ways, our country represents a new age experiment in diversity. As exemplified in the old School House Rock skit, we are born out of a melting pot of cultures. The natives of America still live and breath throughout our culture, though we struggle to recognize their influence. The old country is represented through the vast array of Europeans here: Italians, Germans, Dutch, Spanish, Greek, etc. Africa is alive and well in it’s ancestors who were brought to these shores by force, and in turn have shaped culture by our very essence and being. Both Asia and Latin America course through the veins of the US, having been present since our inception. We are all apart of the story of America. Thus, the 14th amendment seeks to recognize that anyone born in this country has a right to contribute a chapter in it’s history.
Yet, today we see that there is a growing backlash against the very tenants that we are based upon. It seems that smalls minds from coast to coast are mounting on attack on liberty. The “birther” movement seeks to oust the President from his seat, because they claim that he was not “born” on American soil. The battle around immigration has also been a hotbed for protest against what the 14th amendment calls for as equity. These people have obviously forgotten what America was, and is built upon. Without all of the diverse gifts from around the world, we could not have come this far. Quite possibly, we would not even exists without the blood, sweat, and tears of the global community living within our borders. To push back against the 14th Amendment, is to denounce the essence of what America is. Out of ignorance and fear, some seek to wipe away our history and create a new monoculture. I am sorry people. It won’t work. That just isn’t the American way.

1. Party Mix-Vinroc
2. One Thing-Amerie
3. Beautiful-Snoop Dogg
4. Juicy-Biggie
5. Party Mix 2-Vinroc
6. Drop it Like Its Hot-Snoop Dogg
7. Southern Hospitality-Ludachris
8. Lean Back-Fat Joe
9. Party Mix 3-Vinroc
10. Like Glue-Sean Paul
11. Shake-50 Cent
12. Love Like-Busta Rhymes
13. Brand New-Beenie Man
14. Got It Twisted-Mobb Deep
15. King of the Dancehall-Beenie Man
16. Ohh-Ciara ft. Ludachris
17. Move Ya Body-Nina Sky

This was a good night! It’s always a blessing seeing good folks, shooting the breeze, and enjoying some dope dancing. I had the privilege of being one of the judges for the dance battle you get to see bits and pieces of. Shouts out to all the artists who came out and got down. Respect!

Come vibe with us backstage as we bring our live hip hop show back home to they Bay at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Check us out opening for Black Star: Mos Def & Talib Kweli and see how it all went down…

Filming / Editing Credits: Spencer Fortin
Assistant Editor: Alex Mallonee

The collaboration is a unique aspect of hip hop. This tradition is directly descended from the jazz roots that are a part of the gumbo that came together to form our culture. The technique of joining different groupings of musicians to expand into new directions is necessary to the evolution of the music. These pairings have been used to mentor musicians, as well as create new styles, and genres. It is thus, an essential aspect of the perpetuation of music which represents the feelings of the people.
Thus, Zion I & the Grouch decided to link up for our first album in 2006, entitled Heroes in the City of Dope. I learned a lot in the process, as I am used to writing albums by myself for the most part, outside of editing ideas. Yet, working with the Grouch is much more of a collective effort in terms of forming concepts around songs. It is always inspiring to get a fresh perspective or idea that I would not normally think of on my own. The collaboration is a creative push, a challenge to go further and see what level of beauty can be achieved.
On today’s show, we get to chop it up with all the homeys on a more intimate note about technology, the future of music, and staying centered in a world gone wild. AmpLive holds down the tables, blessing up with choice selections, and the Grouch and I chop up game about life. Tune in..tune up..and evolve.

1. Silly Puddy Remix ft Coldplay-Zion I ft the Grouch
2. 1940- Submarines (Amplive Remix)
3. Better Man- Chali2na
4. Hot Right Now- AmpLive ft. Zumbi, Grouch, Fashawn, Eligh
5. Get Up-Dilla ft. Common
6. U Neva Knew- Heiroglyphics
7. Passin By Me- Pharcyde Remix
8. Last of a Dying Breed- Aesop Rock
9. One Love (Remix)-Nas
10. Childhood Drama-Goapele

What up family…We’ve been incredibly busy over the last couple of weeks and are excited to announce that we have some new music ready for you! In addition to the Zion I album which we’ve been meditating on, we’re also almost done with the new Zion I & the Grouch project. Thus, we would like to present to you the first single off the new album from Z&G entitled “Leader” and backed by “One” (which has landed in the new film Step Up 3D)! We are excited to be bringing you this new music. The studio is feeling like home these days, as we’ve been living there for the past couple months. Watch us talk about the singles in the video above and preview the tracks in the below widget. let us know how you’re feeling the new jams. Hit us up at facebook.com/zioniandthegrouch and leave a comment about the song, or if you’re on twitter hit us up at: twitter.com/zioni, twitter.com/zumbi808, twitter.com/amplive, or twitter.com/therealgrouch. Give thanks y’all, enjoy!

Zion I & The Grouch have a song entitled, “One” featured in the upcoming movie “Step Up 3D” which is in theaters now!

Official single available now on Topspin and on iTunes Tuesday, August 10 along with another brand new song. “Leaders”. Zion I & The Grouch are currently in the studio recording for their follow-up album to 2006′s successful “Heroes in the City of Dope”.

Fear. What is this thing? Is it an emotion, a feeling, or a need? I’m not sure exactly how to categorize it, but I feel as though this thing called fear is a tool that is used to pollute our thoughts and minds. A conspiracy you say? Hardly, its just that misery loves company.
I notice this trend when I browse the internet and read the commentary below videos and news articles. The comments posted generally have a negative tone to them. They are often accompanied by racists quiffs, when appropriate, and a blatant disconnection with human suffering. Quite possibly all the autonomy online has exposed the true level of fear that, we humans still possess. It’s scary right? Ah, not so much.
Fear, as far as I know, is an instinctual response that was developed as a means for survival as we developed as a species. In modern life, it still serves its purpose, yet we seem to crave it more than is necessary. It feels that we are constantly pumped full of things to fear thru the media: recession, violence, the BP spill, war. You get the drift. But, what do we really have to fear?
I propose that we relinquish our need to fear anything. To respect is good, to fear is to paralyze one’s self. Just take a moment and imagine what our world would be like if we no longer feared one another because we looked different. What if we were no longer afraid of different religions and cultures? Could we possibly move unto a higher level of awareness as a collective? I think that is very probable once we do away with fear. The best way to treat fear is to turn around and face what is haunting you. It’s never quite as bad as we think it is, and if it truly is that dire, you might as well get it out of the way sooner than later. Releasing it will allow fresh energy to flow in and through your life. Now, go into the world, with courage as your guide.

Morning Sunrise-Twennynine with Lenny White
Good Old Music-Funkadelic
stimela -Hugh Masekela
Rude boy-Lee Perry & Prince Jammy
Flashpoint-Music DeWolfe
Drama Blackcloth-Alan Lew
Overjoyed-Stevie Wonder
What You Won’t Do For Love-Bobby Caldwell
I Walk on Guilded Splinters-Johnny Jenkins
hells kitchen-syd dale
Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth-24 Carat
Remind Me-Patrice Rushen
Remind Me-Patrice Rushen
We Can Make It If We Try-The Sylvers
Boogie Back-Roy Ayers
Boogie Back-Roy Ayers
Wind Parade-Donald Byrd & the blackbyrds
Buck’em Down (Remix) voc/instr-Black Moon