Some West Coast stuff. My listening relationship with Zion I has been a strange one. Back when I was first getting into hip-hop at the start of high school I was heavy into their first release 'Mind Over Matter' and I really like their album 'Deep Water Slang'. Then for whatever reason they just sort of fell off the map for me and I got into some other areas of hip-hop. I kept tabs on them and checked in once and a while but I started to get away from strictly underground music.
Don't get me wrong I love underground hip-hop as it often provides a vastly different voice from the often hyper-consumption driven mainstream counterpart. But at the same time those kind of 'conscious rap' themes of rebellion and down with the man can get tiresome listening to 24-7. Besides anybody not digging Jay-Z saying 'I'd rather live enormous than die dormant' and has to get their head checked. My point is you need a balance of these seemingly divergent sub-genres depending on mood, time and place.
But this Zion I song is so good it fits into every mood, time and place. And the video is a beautiful thing as well with all it's sustainable technology and oh so smooth feel. Has to make my man Van Jones proud (middle finger up for Fox News; you're still going against those commies? Really?)
Zion I- Coastin'
