Subject: Zion I

• M.I.A., DJ Shadow, and Modest Mouse: shipwrecked on Treasure Island!

  June 18, 2007

• Get Blunted With Snoop Dogg's Boy in SF Tonight

  July 26, 2007

• Treasure Island Fest Set Times Announced

  September 13, 2007

• Juno, Preggo Porn, Erik Otto, and SF Sketchfest - Your Monday Morning Hangover

  January 7, 2008

• Juno, Preggo Porn, Erik Otto, and SF Sketchfest - Your Monday Morning Hangover

  January 7, 2008

• Juno, Preggo Porn, Erik Otto, and SF Sketchfest - Your Monday Morning Hangover

  January 7, 2008

• Last Night: Bang Data at the Elbo Room

  Bang Data at the Elbo Room January 12, 2009 Review by Eric K. Arnold Photos by EKAphotography What more could anyone ask from a Tuesday night in the Mission than discovering both a new favorite taqueria and a new favorite band? First the taqueria: Los Coyotes on 16th (in-between Mission and Valencia) is a welcome change of pace from overly-familiar Mexi-food joints like El Cumbre and Pancho Villa. Two words: mango salsa. That's all you need to know. Well, that, and the fact that their "super ta

  January 14, 2009

• Zion-I Return with New Album, Studio, Remix Contest

  EKAphotography copyright 2009. all rights reservedZion-I and Goapele at the Zoo. If you've been waiting for local hip-hop to get back on track following a so-so 2008, you'll be overjoyed to know that The TakeOver, Zion-I's long-awaited follow-up to True & Livin', is upon us. Vibrantly electrified, yet too intelligent and conscious to be lumped in with the hyphy movement--2005's "The Bay" remix and the single "Don't Lose Ya Head" with Too Short notwithstanding--The TakeOver reaffirms Zion-I'

  February 16, 2009

• Zion-I's Ex-Manager Eats Last Piece of Chicken

  EKAphotographyThe culprit: Rob C. Last night's Zion-I record release party at 330 Ritch's "Pacific Standard Time" really demonstrated why that spot has become the go-to Tuesday night weekly for the urban crowd. Despite the lack of a dress code--sneakers and/or a hoodie were acceptable attire--there were no problems with thuggish, ruggish types getting too, well, thuggish and ruggish. Door security actually had a pleasant attitude. DJ Sake One and special guest Vikter Duplaix both did a nice job

  February 18, 2009

• Zion-I perform at NAACP Anniversary Celebration

  EKAphotographyZion-I crew The NAACP turns 100 this year, and youth outreach is on their mind. Perhaps inspired by Barack Obama's historic Presidential campaign--and the large number of young voters who participated in the process--they've joined forces with a new activist group, "Citizen Hope," and are throwing events specifically targeting the hip-hop generation. This Wednesday, the NAACP and Citizen Hope present "A Party for the Century," featuring headliner Zion-I, along with DJs Manny Bla

  February 24, 2009

• Bay Area Hip-Hop Prepares to Invade SXSW

  Texicali Roads: Keelay & Zaire We're still checking whether it's possible to ghost-ride a tumbleweed (we'll get back to you on that), but here's one thing we do know: Bay Area hip hop will be in the, er, prairie, at SXSW. MYX label artists Keelay & Zaire perform at four--count 'em--showcases during the annual music conference, so it's safe to say the production duo ain't playing. The festivities begin Thursday March 19, when K&Z are joined by Jern Eye and Fortilive for an afternoon

  March 4, 2009

• 10 Things to Do This Weekend for Under $10

  MochipetOur hand picked list of events worth your spare time, for the price of your spare change. Zombie Beach Party (Friday)In San Francisco, Zombies never say die. When they're not "killing" people during flash mobs, they're going to the beach--indoors, of course, because the real sun would damage all that rotting flesh. This event at the DNA involves performances by a bunch of undead-friendly bands, a photo booth to document the zombies in all their black, white, and red all over horror, and

  June 5, 2009

• Zion I

  February 11, 2009

• The Grouch Personifies the Hip-Hop Hustle

  April 2, 2008

• Easy Bay's inventive hip-hop heads Zion I and Trackademicks

  January 9, 2008

• Treasure Island Booty

  A Guide to Getting Shipwrecked This Weekend

  September 12, 2007

• French robots rule! Daft Punk takes the lead at the summer's biggest dance party

  July 25, 2007

• The Fifth Element

  As mainstream hip hop stalemates in commodities, underground MCs keep old-school aesthetics alive through art

  March 14, 2007

• Various Artists

  Om Hip Hop Volume One (Om Hip Hop)

  February 21, 2007

• Live Wires

  The high and lowlights of 2006 performances

  December 20, 2006

• Zion-I & the Grouch

  Heroes in the City of Dope (Om Hip-Hop)

  October 18, 2006

• Hip Hop 101: the Underdogs/Alt-Rock 101: the Secret of Their Overseas Success/ DJ Culture 101: the Critical Mash Honors Club

  October 18, 2006

• Zion-I get "Paid" again

  September 13, 2006

• Zion I

  Hip hop's hope for uniting the underground and the streets

  October 19, 2005

• Award Show Guide

  Americana/Folk/Country DJ/Turntablist Electro/Electronic/Experimental Hard Rock Hip Hop Indie Rock/Noise Pop Jazz Soul/R&B World Music Music Video

  October 19, 2005

• BeatBox

  The Team declares "It's Gettin' Hot"; rappers Guru and Kool Keith get smooth and batshit crazy, respectively

  September 14, 2005

• Psychokinetics

  September 7, 2005

• BeatBox

  Mu brings the techno stompdown to Rx; Mighty hosts a hip hop jammy-jam block party

  July 27, 2005

• Zion I

  True & Livin'

  April 20, 2005

• Celebrate Good Times

  Local soul music success story Goapele talks about getting to the top, and staying at the top

  March 16, 2005

• Hear This

  All-star MCs line-up for the "Cali Comm 2004" tour; Sondre Lerche is one more reason to love Norway

  November 24, 2004

• BeatBox

  June 2, 2004

• SF Weekly Music Awards 2003

  Americana DJ/Selector/Turntablist Electronic/Electro Hard Rock/

  Metal Hip Hop/Rap Jazz Latin/

  International Lifestyle Music New Genre/Beyond Pop Punk Rock/Indie Rock Soul/Funk/ R&B

  If music be the brandy of the damned, then we're drunk off our asses

  October 15, 2003

• Playing the Field

  On a horse, of course

  September 3, 2003

• This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

  April 2, 2003

• Expensive Tastes

  February 12, 2003

• SF Music Awards 2001

  An exotic adventure into the mysterious world of sound!

  October 17, 2001

• Various Artists

  August 8, 2001

• Mission:

  May 30, 2001

• Thinking Outside the Beatbox

  Local label Nu Gruv retools its octopuslike approach to underground hip hop

  May 16, 2001

• Changing the True School

  Berkeley's Zion I is out to prove that hip hop and drum 'n' bass aren't strange bedfellows

  June 14, 2000

• Hear This

  January 20, 1999

• Zion-I Tour Hits SF on Friday

  EKAphotographyZumbi of Zion-I Local heroes Zion-I are currently completing a West Coast swing in support of their hot new release, The Takeover. How nice of them to stop through Slim's on Friday before continuing on to points East, including Chicago, Michigan, Vermont, New York, and Ontario. Their Slim's show should be off the chain, however, for a couple of reasons. First of all, Zion-I's live set is legendary. Nuff said. But do pay close attention to the undercard, an all-local bill featurin

  April 29, 2009

• BRWN BFLO Album Out Today

  EKAphotographyBuffaloes in Sepia: BRWN BFLO In case you forgot, or didn't remember in the first place, today is Cinco de Mayo. And what better way to celebrate Mexico's victory over the French army on May 5, 1862, than by copping the new album from Oakland's BRWN BFLO, which hit stores this morning? Their eponymous release is a little reminiscent of a more-conscious Cypress Hill. Except constant references to mota are replaced by frequent mentions of La Raza and Cesar Chavez' immigrant labor m

  May 5, 2009

• The Jacka reprises hyphy with a gangsta twist

  June 10, 2009

• 10 Things to Do This Weekend for Under $10

  Lazer SwordOur picks for cheap arts, bands, and farts that won't break the bank. L.O.W.'s One-Year Anniversary w/ Bar Crudo (Fri)We don't remember our first birthdays being this extravagant (then again, we don't remember much about them at all). But hey, Look Out Weekend has been hosting semi-high-concept, totally-low-budget happy hours for a full year now, and they're throwing a birthday celebration tonight with bass-bombing tunes from Lazer Sword, lots of DJs, and delicious treats from Bar Cru

  June 19, 2009

• Crown City Rockers Sign to K7

  Boom Bapster: Raashan Ahmad I caught Rashaan Ahmad opening up for Nino Moschella at the Shattuck Down Low last Friday. Got to give it up to Ra--he cannot be accused of keeping it "too real," yet he certainly keeps it 100% true-school hip-hop with his adidas sneakers and Cazal frames. Ra's rapid-fire emcee verses had that 'block party' feel to them, and even though the SDL wasn't as packed as it should have been, Ra's intensity never wavered onstage. Here's another reason to give Raashan props:

  June 22, 2009

• Om Launches Apparel Line Tonight - Free Booze

  Amped up: Amplive​ Hey there, thirsty, fashionable devotees of electronic music! Tonight (6-9pm) at Azalea, Om Records lunches its hot new apparel line. Music will be provided by Amplive--the production half of Zion-I, who is releasing a solo album on Om subsidiary Child's Play--and the ubiquitous J-Boogie. Also, designer Eric Otto will be in the house. Free beverages will be provided by Function, and you can score some free CDs if you purchase $60 or more worth of clothing. Read all about it

  July 30, 2009

• New Local Videos from My First Earthquake, Lyrics Born

  Two-fer Tuesday here on the local video tip. My First Earthquake riffs off the concept of chicks getting kicked outta bands run by backwards dudes. And Lyrics Born drops a new video for "Pushed Aside, Pulled Apart" featuring Lateef The Truthspeaker. The song also has cameos by Joyo Velarde, Zion I, Pigeon John, Trackademicks, Kat Ouano, DJ D-Sharp and ApSci. The single, which comes off his forthcoming album As U Were, digs into LB's mutliple interior monologues. Lyrics Born - "Pushed Aside,

  August 25, 2009

• Outside Lands Post-Script

  EKAphotographyVinyl Vamp: Zap Mama​ Fickle weather and last-minute headliner replacements aside, Outside Lands was a success, by most yard sticks. Here's what folks are saying about the three-day extravaganza, which drew more than 100,000 people to Golden Gate Park: Local reaction: The Chron's Aidin Vaziri noted the lack of "urgency in the air" for big-ticket headliners, but added that the event itself was the event: "unlike last time, when people stampeded for hot commodities like Radio

  September 1, 2009