“Not too many people can play in my lane. Ain’t nobody got a voice like mines. I’ma deliver. Everyday the songs get better and better.”
Then comes Lambo The music from Zoe’s alter ego will tell you one of two things: Zoe has indeed “Lost” his mind, or Zoe is really enjoying life at this moment. Neither one you can really be mad at. In a time where everyone from the fans down to the artists complain about lack of originality, creativity and simply aspiring to be different from the norm, the Lambo side of Zoe can stand to be appreciated and encouraged. But damn if it doesn’t catch you off guard. “That’s the reaction I’m looking for,” Zoe exclaims. “I don’t want people to hear these songs just to say it sounds just like another song.” Songs like the techno-esque “Love Her” and “I Like Girls” will surely raise more than a few eyebrows upon first, second and third listens. “Superman” and “I’m So High” will take you on a roller coaster ride that you won’t know if you enjoyed or not until it ends. “If I can say one word to describe what I heard at first, it would be ‘shocking,’” says label boss
Block, of Zoe’s latest creations. “But I like for an artist to come out of his zone and take their shit to another level. When people don’t come out of their zone, they don’t grow.” Zoe’s manager Rico Brooks adds, “You always want to support the artist. I can’t hinder his creativity, if he’s open to different things, I’m going to support him. Its good for him to get those ideas out.” “I just wanted to have fun with the records,” says Zoe. “I started living life a little bit, breathing. Getting chips off my shoulder. I’m not mean mugging everyday anymore. I’m seeing another side of life.”
overused, if it sounds good, why not? “I use different plug-ins and programs to alter my voice,” Zoe says to defend himself against the notion that he’s “doing that T-Pain shit.” “Gucci Mane and them did it years ago on ‘So Icy,’ so its been here,” says Zoe. “Big up to T-Pain, but he ain’t come up with the program. It’s about being new, so you have to be fresh in your own way. With so many new sounds and tools at your disposal, why not use them?” By the time the Lambo portion of the album listening session winds down, Zoe reinforces a thought that you already had: Gorilla Zoe has grown so much he’s damn near Lambo.
For most of the Lambo Zoe records, he uses Auto-Tune the entire song. The tool and effect had been used by rock and R&B singers and producers for years to add an extra bump to vocals. But recently, largely because of T-Pain, everyone from Snoop Dogg to Kanye West has been using the software, often choosing to harmonize instead of actually rap.
Love it or hate it, the music that Zoe is aiming to release doesn’t sound like anything his peers, or labelmates for that matter, are doing. With tentative plans to release Don’t Feed The Animals next January and follow up with a string of Lambo Zoe releases and possibly a mixtape afterwards, it doesn’t look like the Gorilla is going to be doing much hibernating this winter.
The tool has been used so much that it’s warranted magazine articles and internet video interviews with everyone giving their take on it. So far the consensus is, although it’s being
“I record verses and songs all day,” says Zoe, who is now back on the clock, headed to the club for some quick facetime. “Work all day, party all night, sleep never.” //
WORDS BY MAURICE G. GARLAND PHOTO BY ZACH WOLFE
OZONE MAG // 69