True & Livin'

This 3rd full lengh album is Zion I's best to date, not to say that their other albums aren't equally impressive. Zions smooth lyrics go hand and hand with the organic production of Amp Live which is comprived of quite an eclectic group of sounds and instruments. They do their best to keep true to the roots of hip-hop and this album exemplifies that. Their first single "birds eye view" sets the tone for the rest of the album, and it won't be a mistake to cop this along with their other works. As a live act they bring more energy and good vibes than any other live act i've seen, enjoy.

hh is a real culture...is sound ...is art ...is serch..is a language to communicate and zion-i do this...

Unfortunately this is the type of album that will fly under most people's radar. But if you do happen to come across it, be sure to give it a listen.

Zion I is another great sound coming out of the Bay Area underground scene. This album easily falls into the rap sub-genre of "conscious/backpack hip-hop" but the beats are still catchy enough to grab the attention of the listener who is not that completely family with the sound coming from rap's underground movement.

The lyrics are thoughtful and expressive, but Zion I is not pushy about their message. While a group like Dead Prez call for revolution through over-throwing the current system with sometimes-flawed arguments, Zion I's message is a little more subtle. They seem to call for a positive change within yourself first before you can impose the change on others. In this sense, their message is somewhat similar to K-os. They are very much aware of the problems of society but are not brash enough to claim they know how to fix it themselves, the songs "LUV" and "Poems 4 Post Modern Decay" are the best examples of this.

The beats are an interesting mix of scratching and live intruments, resulting in a very expressive texture of sounds. Some of the instruments used are outright surprising, most notably a fiddle (I think) in "So Tall." A wide range of musical influences are apparent: from classic west-coast ("The Bay"), Jazz ("Doin' My Thang"), and the blues ("Oh Lawd Blues").

Finally, guest appearances by Talib Kweli (hopefully making up for the dissappointing "Beautiful Struggle"), Del, Gift of Gab, and Aesop Rock are very effective as they fit well within the framework of Zion I's sound.

Again, this album will most likely under most people's radar of mainstream hip-hop. Hopefully, it will somehow find its way to the ears of fans of creative and insightful hip-hop.

This album is simply amazing. The organic beats from Amplive, enlightening lyrics from Zion, and kickass guest appearances make True and Livin' bump from "True" to "Livin'". Just makes me feel happy to be alive. All the tracks are awesome, and the album flows well, so I'd just recommend buying it and supporting this fresh group out of Oakland.

Cop this, and anything else from Zion I. They're a hidden treasure. True and Livin' is a lot more musical than the others, but all their albums, especially Mind Over Matter, are easily worth the money and time.

This is already one of my favorite all-time hip hop albums and i just got it yesterday. Zion has reached an amazing lyrical level that most dream of and Amp Live, well, listen to Bird's Eye View and you'll know. Zion i has truly stepped up their level and raised the bar for underground cats to keep up with. I haven't found a weak part on this album, i truly have been searching for a bad thing about this and i can't do it. The song where Aesop Rock spits on is the best I've ever heard him, they got Kweli on an EPIC song, and if they ever come to a town near you CHECK THEM OUT, amazing energy. Zion i is what hip hop should be, done with the love for the art without forgetting where it and they came from, and building a positive future for it with CRACKIN BEATS and AMAZING LYRICS. PEACE