Zion I amp the Grouch - Zion I the Grouch Are Heroes in the City of Dope (15 tracks) +Album Reviews

It doesn't get much doper than this

Alan Pounds | Minneapolis, MN | 10/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is all I could have hoped for from Zion I and The Grouch. The beats are absolutely bangin'. The lyrics flow like butter, and are just as intellectual and conscious as ever. This has got to be one of my all time favorites of 2006. I've played this CD roughly 10 times in the last 3 days. I just can't get enough of it. The best track in my opinion has got to go to "Trains And Planes". If you are a fan of the Living Legends crew or hip-hop in general, I would highly recommend it."

For those who don't know......

Tyson R. Staab | Portland, OR | 10/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""goin dumb's not really a movement, you are really goin dumb..."-The Grouch, Bad Lands

For those that dont know who Zion I is, saying you're missin out is an understatement. I first learned about Zion I shortly after True and Livin came out. I heard Bird's Eye View and it was OVER, I knew they were somthing beyond special. I was also mad that growin up in an non-underground city for the most of Portland OR, i was never exposed greatly to the likes of Zion I, Living Legends, Rhymesayers crew, ect. I now own way too much music for it to be healthy from all of rap n have been listing on everything i have been missin for the past year to "catch-up." Above all the ones taht stand out to me is Zion I especially wit their gem True and Livin which i think was not only the best album to come out in 2005 but also one of the best in all time! Needless to say i was eagerly anticipating this album, and let me tell you it did NOT disappoint. Beat wise its a no brainer wit Amp Live the are goin to be top notch. And all though they didnt blow me away like on True and Livin they were still A+ material. Lyrically there's not much of a doubt with Zion n Grouch also! Togetehr they weaved stories of "The City Of Dope" so well that you feel lik you are walkin through the streets of Oakland while listenin to this album. Now it didn't blow me away like True and Livin and there aren't any tracks that match the greatness of Silly Puddy, That dosen't mean this is a failure at all. Zion I could, but they may never match the greatness of True and Livin because it was.... so great, n Silly Puddy has haunted the heads of underground listeners for six years now and only gets stronger every year!

All in all if you were a normal, radio, hip hop head lik i was a year and a half ago, 2006's biggest album was the (borin and uninspirin) Rick Ross- Port of Miami. This just shows the way hip hop has literally turned upsidedown. The top 4 hip hop albums of this year go like this: 1. Lupe Fiasco (Because of buzz dyin down form leaked album, still anticipated but for the greatness still overlooked, amazin n chillin album for me) 2. The Roots (Always overlooked, what's new, but NICE bounce back from the downhill Tipping Point n i really think toppin Things Fall Apart as their BEST album!), 3. Swollen Members (Surprised me, i mean swollen members are tight but the went to a whole different level with this one!) and 4. Zion I & The Grouch. This just shows Hip Hop is not dead as Nas is claming on his new album, it stronger then ever. The power has just switched and now the underground heads you have all (including me) made fun of can now say "I told you so!" Get this album by ne means necessary!"

It's basic. buy it.

Andres G. W. Lora | Illadelph, PA USA | 10/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been down with Zion I from Mind Over Matter, and basically they have evolved into one of the most diverse and intelligent hip hop groups to come out in the past couple of years. Fans of old Talib Kweli (reflections eternal) and blackstar should get this album. Two of the best MCs out there and you'll know it after hearing this album. Just check it thats it."

Heroes In The City of Dope? They should run for mayor.

Pablo | 04/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my first taste of both Zion I and The Grouch. I'd always heard good things about them, especially the former, but never really gave either a chance. I'll be honest in admitting that I've never been big on most West Coast emcees; there's a handful of exceptions(Murs, Game, Snoop, Kurupt, E-40, Del, Cube, Dre, Asia), but beyond that, the West has never really presented me with some of my favorite hip-hop cuts. While I know that there's three very different, and prominent styles in the West(Gangsta rap artists like Snoop, Bay Area/Hyphy artists like Mr. F.A.B., and the 'different' emcees like Del), I wasn't sure what to expect from either Zion or The Grouch. What I got was Heroes In The City of Dope; an album that certainly puts the emphasis on dope.

The production on this album is magnificient. Flawless from start to finish. The majority of it was produced by the producer half of Zion I, Amp Live, who has a great range of diversity in his sounds. Getting soulful like Chi-town's best on tracks like Make You Fly, and bringing it to the Bay with Bad Lands, Amp Live constructs an album behind the boards that is sonically pleasing no matter what region you represent.

Zion is an amazing rapper. I'll state that now. While The Grouch is quite an ill emcee in his own right, Zion is in a league of his own. Borrowing social consciousness that is similar in vein to fellow California emcee, MUrs, Zion manages to craft together a string of songs with a positive message, while also being able to shed some light on the topics he chooses, providing some humor in between. His vocal tone is very smooth, akin to Q-Tip in range, and his flow almost seems effortless in execution. The Grouch has a bit more raspy of a tone, but still sounds right at home alongside Zion's. A member of the Living Legends crew which includes the aforementioned Murs, The Grouch is a bit more cynical than Zion, but still presents a positive message, even when criticizing something such as the Hyphy movement.

As a pair, the two share some incredible chemistry, something that is rare for two emcees who seem randomly placed together. This is best displayed in tracks like Current Affairs and Bad Lands, where both emcees go back and forth without missing a step. While every single track on here is certifiably dope, the stand-out tracks are still evident; lead single Hit 'Em features tight production that sounds like it could crossover given exposure, as well as an ill guest spot by Mistah F.A.B. Make You Fly features the elegant Esthero, who croons a beautiful chorus for the track; equally gorgeous is the beat Amp Live provides to it, and the pair of dope verses from both Grouch and Zion. Smack is another great track that shows the duo's chemistry, while Digital Dirt is a track that blames technology for some of society's current ills.

Heroes In The City of Dope is an excellent album that any hip-hop head should have in their collection. There are absolutely no complaints to be made, and it's certainly recommended, to new-comers and fans alike."

Good cd

Nathan Edward Cohen | 01/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Takes some time to get use to, but after a phew listens. You really start to appreciate the music immensely. Track 2, 11, 15 are my 3 favorite songs. The rest of the songs are really well written and produced well. How ever those three songs are my favorite. Number, 11 is my new favorite song out of my whole collection of music, so far."

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