Zion I [rank: 905] based on users subscribed

Show ReviewsUpcoming Shows:

 No upcoming shows found.

Users who like Zion I also like:

Guru	Polvo	Wolf Eyes
Hieroglyphics	An Albatross	Daedelus

All Purchases Support BandegaMusic by Zion I:

CDs from Amazon.com »

Listen and buy at iTunes »

"Zion I (pronounced 'Zion Eye') is a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer and DJ Amp Live and emcee Zion. The two are highly respected and acclaimed underground artists, famous for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zion's poetic, positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I debuted in 1997 with the locally distributed cassette only EP Enter the Woods. Their first single on Indie label Ground Control Records ('Inner Light') paved way for an album deal and in 2000, they released the critically acclaimed Mind Over Matter.

The duo's musical roots stem back to early childhood. Taking interest in the workings of musical instruments, Amp Live began reassembling his family's radios at a young age and he soon began to play musical instruments like the drums and piano. Though he suffered many setbacks in his youth, specifically his blindness, Amp continued to grow as an artist. He started crafting beats in his high school years, finding inspiration in a number of musical genres. Zion became fascinated by Hip Hop in its early stages; songs like 'The Breaks' by Kurtis Blow and 'Rock Box' by Run-D.M.C. got him hooked on the budding culture. He has said that Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest gave him lyrical inspiration, originally feeling that his unique vocal tone and style wouldn't be accepted. Zion wrote his first rhyme around 1990 during one of his Social Studies classes in High School. After continuing his writing, he gained the confidence to start rapping in local ciphers and began learning about critical aspects of rapping, like breath control, cadences and rhyme patterns."

[reproduced or excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Zion I" and its use is thus licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License]