Zion I
Amp Live (left) and Baba Zumbi (right).
Amp Live (left) and Baba Zumbi (right).
Background information
OriginOakland, California, U.S.
GenresAlternative hip hop[1]
Years active1996–2021
Labels
  • Ground Control
  • Raptivism
  • Live Up
  • Gold Dust
Past members
Websitewww.zionicrew.com

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]

Career

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]

Death of Stephen “Baba Zumbi” Gaines

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.

Members

  • Baba Zumbi – rapper (1996–2021)
  • K-Genius – DJ (2000–2002)
  • Amp Live – producer, DJ (1996–2015)

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

  • Curb Servin': The Mixtape Sessions (2003)
  • Politicks: Collabs & B-Sides (2004)
  • Family Business (2004)
  • The Alpha:1996–2006 (2006)
  • Science of Breath (2006)
  • Street Legends (2007)
  • The Search & The Seizure (2008)
  • Bringers of the Dawn (2009)
  • Zion I Sampler (2010)
  • Live at KEXP Vol. 5 (2009)
  • Hella Fresh Fest (2013)
  • The Rapture: Live from Oaklandia (2015)
  • Street Legends Volume 2 (2017)

EPs

  • Enter the Woods (1997)
  • New Dimensions (1998)
  • Starship (1998)
  • Chapter 4 (1999)
  • The Vapors (2013)
  • The Masters of Ceremony (2014)
  • Libations (2014)
  • The Sun Moon and Stars (2015)
  • Wake Up (2017)

Singles

  • "Inner Light" (1998)
  • "Critical" b/w "Venus" (1999)
  • "Revolution (B-Boy Anthem)" (2000)
  • "Boom Bip" b/w "Le Le Le" (2001)
  • "Cheeba Cheeba" b/w "Kharma" (2002)
  • "The Drill" b/w "Flow" (2003)
  • "Salt in the Game" b/w "Break Rap" (2005)
  • "Bird's Eye View" b/w "Luv" (2005)
  • "Temperature" b/w "The Bay" (2005)
  • "Act Right" b/w "Target Practice" (2006)
  • "One" b/w "Trippin" (2006)
  • "Hit 'Em" (2006) (with The Grouch)
  • "Lift Me Up" (2007) (with The Grouch)
  • "Count It Down (Nomak Remix)" (2007)
  • "Juicy Juice" (2008)
  • "We Don't Wife 'Em" (2016)
  • "Saving Souls" (2016)
  • "Peace" (2017) (with Locksmith)
  • "End Times" (2020)
  • "2 Eyes" (2021)
  • "Stay Focused" (2021)

Guest appearances

  • Linkin Park – "Plc.4 Mie Haed" from Reanimation (2002)
  • The Planets – "Can't Stop" from The Opening (2002)
  • Triple Threat – "Hit 'Em Off" from Many Styles (2003)
  • Goapele – "The Daze" from Even Closer (2004)
  • Relic – "Trust Yourself" from Note to Self (2004)
  • Rico Pabón – "Pa 'Fuera" from Louder Than Fiction (2006)
  • Ty – "Oh!" from Closer (2006)
  • DJ Deckstream – "Spread Love" from Soundtracks (2007)
  • Omina – "Keep Move'n" from Bust (2007)
  • Crown City Rockers – "B-Boy (Remix)" (2007)
  • Guru – "For Ya Mind" from Guru's Jazzmatazz: Back to the Future (2008)
  • Ise Lyfe – "Thigh Bone" from Prince Cometh (2008)
  • CLP – "Rockin' Wiz Us" from Supercontinental (2008)
  • The Jacka – "Dream" from Tear Gas (2009)
  • Jern Eye – "Get Right" from Vision (2009)
  • Webcam Hi-Fi – "Promised Land" from Livity Is My Temple (2009)
  • Bicasso – "Party Metroid" from Rebel Musiq (2009)
  • Pro the Leader & Dopestyle – "Back Wit a Vengence" from Hip Hop Depression (2010)
  • Rebelution – "Safe and Sound Remix" from Remix EP (2011)
  • Minnesota – "Float" from Altered States LP (2012)
  • Latyrx – "It's Time" from The Second Album (2013)
  • Matisyahu – "Built to Survive" from Akeda (2014)
  • Bassnectar – "Lost in the Crowd" from Noise vs. Beauty (2014)
  • Unified Highway – "Same Thing Coming" from Unified Highway (2016)
  • Bassnectar – "The Antidote" from All Colors (2020)

References

  1. ↑ Weiner, Erik (September 3, 2013). "SUPERB Fall 2013 Lineup". The Daily Californian. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  2. 1 2 John, Matt St. (February 28, 2018). "The Reawakening of Zion I's Baba Zumbi". East Bay Express. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ Keast, Darren (June 14, 2000). "Changing the True School". SF Weekly. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  4. ↑ Phaneuf, Whitney (October 24, 2012). "Zion I Fully Embraces the EDM Craze". East Bay Express. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Braidwood, Stefan (May 11, 2005). "Zion I: True & Livin'". PopMatters. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  6. ↑ Drumming, Neil (February 21, 2003). "Deep Water Slang v2.0 (2003) – Zion I". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  7. ↑ Mudede, Charles (May 18, 2005). "Wonder Twins". The Stranger. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  8. ↑ Brown, Marisa. "Zion I & the Grouch Are Heroes in the City of Dope". AllMusic. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  9. ↑ Berry, David (February 1, 2009). "Zion I: The Take Over". PopMatters. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  10. ↑ Maine, David (January 12, 2011). "Zion I: Atomic Clock". PopMatters. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  11. ↑ Faraone, Chris (May 6, 2011). "Zion I & the Grouch – Heroes In the Healing of the Nation". The Phoenix. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ Palmer, Tamara (December 21, 2012). "The 10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012". SF Weekly. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  13. ↑ Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (April 17, 2017). "Zion I's "Wake Up!" Video Is A Call To Action". The Fader. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 Gartrell, Nate (30 September 2022). "Exclusive: Zion I rapper Zumbi's death ruled a homicide, but no criminal charges filed". The Mercury News. Bay Area News Group. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  15. ↑ St. Jawnson, Kershaw (August 14, 2021). "Bay Area Mourns as Reports Say Baba Zumbi of Zion I Dies of COVID-19". All HipHop. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  16. ↑ Moench, Mallory (August 15, 2021). "Bay Area rapper Zumbi dies at a Berkeley hospital. Fans are grieving and police investigating". San Francisco Chronicle.
  17. ↑ Woodrow, Mallory (August 20, 2021). "Family of hip hop artist Stephen 'Baba Zumbi' Gaines hires attorneys to investigate hospital death". ABC7 Bay Area.
  18. ↑ Woodrow, Mallory (August 20, 2021). "Family of hip hop artist Stephen 'Baba Zumbi' Gaines hires attorneys to investigate hospital death". ABC7 Bay Area.
  19. ↑ Voynovskaya, Nastia (5 October 2022). "Criminal Charges in Zumbi Homicide Investigation Still Possible, Family Says". KQED. PBS. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
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