Zion I | |
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 Amp Live (left) and Baba Zumbi (right). | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative hip hop [1] |
| Years active | 1996–2021 |
| Labels |
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| Past members |
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| Website | www |
Zion I was an American hip hop project founded by MC and producer Baba Zumbi (real name Stephen Gaines) in Oakland, California. [2] K-Genius and Amp Live were also project members. [3]
Originally formed as a group, Zion I released the debut studio album, Mind over Matter , in 2000. [4] It was nominated for "Independent Album of the Year" by The Source . [5] Deep Water Slang V2.0 was released in 2003. [6]
In 2005, Zion I released True & Livin' . [5] It featured guest appearances from Gift of Gab, Talib Kweli, and Aesop Rock. [7]
Heroes in the City of Dope , the first collaborative album with The Grouch, was released in 2006. [8] In 2009, Zion I released The Takeover . [9]
In 2010, Zion I released Atomic Clock . [10] Heroes in the Healing of the Nation , the second collaborative studio album with The Grouch, was released in 2011. [11] In 2012, Zion I released Shadowboxing , which was included on SF Weekly 's "10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012" list. [12]
In 2015, Amp Live left the group, and Zion I became Baba Zumbi's one-man project. [2]
In 2016, Zion I released The Labyrinth, their first studio album not to include Amp Live. [13]
On August 12, 2021, Gaines checked himself into the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center for a mental health examination. [14] He had reportedly also contracted COVID-19 roughly three weeks prior. [14] On August 13, 2021, he died of initially unknown causes at the age of 49. [15] [16] [17] On August 20, 2021, the Gaines family announced that they hired attorneys to investigate what they believed was a suspicious death. [18]
In May 2022, the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau finalized a report detailing Gaines's death. [14] According to officers and hospital staff, Gaines experienced a panic attack which involved him chasing hospital staff for fifteen minutes and putting a security officer in a "choke hold." The report stated that Gaines died after being held down by three hospital security guards and handcuffed by officers from the Berkeley Police Department while unconscious. [19] Gaines reportedly died from "physiologic stress of altercation and restraint during a psychotic episode" as the cause of death with COVID-19 and cardiomegaly as contributing factors. While the coroner report ruled the death a homicide, the Alameda Country District Attorney’s office declined to pursue criminal charges.
Shawn Moltke better known by his stage name MC Shan, is an American hip hop and R&B recording artist.
Timothy Jerome Parker, better known by his stage name Gift of Gab, was an American rapper best known for performing in the Bay Area hip hop duo Blackalicious along with DJ Chief Xcel. He was also a member of Quannum Projects, a Bay Area hip hop crew and record label, and performed and recorded as a solo artist.
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Om Records is an American record label, established in 1995, which releases electronic music, dance music and hip hop. The label was founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Chris Smith. Om Records releases both artist albums and compilations, including the Om Lounge and Mushroom Jazz series. Om's roster of artists includes Groove Armada, Underworld, Dirty Vegas, Bassnectar, Indiana Taurus, J Boogie, People Under The Stairs, Samantha James, Amp Live, Greenskeepers, Hot Toddy, and Wagon Cookin. Past artists have included Kaskade, Wolfgang Gartner, Ladybug Mecca, and Juan Atkins.
Deep Water Slang V2.0 is a studio album by Zion I. It was released by Raptivism Records in 2003. It peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.
True & Livin is a studio album by Zion I. It was released by Live Up Records in 2005.
Aaron Pointer, better known by his stage name Abstract Rude, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California.
Heroes in the City of Dope is the first collaborative studio album by Zion I and The Grouch. It was released on Om Records on October 10, 2006. It peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, as well as number 34 on the Independent Albums chart.
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Amp Live is an American alternative hip hop producer and DJ. He was one half of the duo Zion I, but left the group in 2015 amicably. He has remixed works by Radiohead, Tokyo Police Club and Jamie Lidell.
Corey Scoffern, better known by his stage name The Grouch, is an American rapper and producer. He is currently based in Maui, Hawaii, but grew up and spent most of his time in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a founding member of Living Legends, an underground hip hop collective based in Los Angeles, California.
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Heroes in the Healing of the Nation is the second collaborative studio album by Zion I and The Grouch. It was released by Z & G Music on March 22, 2011. It is the follow-up to their 2006 collaborative album, Heroes in the City of Dope. It features guest appearances from Fashawn, Casual, and Freeway, among others. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, number 47 on the Independent Albums chart, number 48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and number 23 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
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This is the discography for American hip hop musician Murs.
Shadowboxing is a studio album by Zion I. It was released by Live Up Records on October 2, 2012. It includes contributions from Collie Buddz, Goapele, The Grouch, Eligh, and Bassnectar. It peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
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