Brassy moles and brazen adventurers, another lavish illustrated book, the rap game Sam Spade, ZR, returns with Has-Lo and Open Mike Eagle for “Full Spectrum 2.” Maybe the best part of the rise of otherground rap is the demise of the mean-mugs that dogged every old video. Not everyone can be Roc Marciano.  After all, […]

Intro inscribed illiodically by Zilla Rocca. The Firm’s self-titled album sold a million copies…and was universally considered a colossal failure, so much so that Eminem took a shot at it when he ghostwrote Dre’s verse on “Forgot about Dre”. The project was such a travesty that it fractured the relationship of one the most talented […]

Pain brought and antidotes bandied about by Has-Lo, Curly Castro, and Ethel Cee, who is the greatest rapper to ever share a name with an I Love Lucy character. Word to Fab Five Freddy Mertz. Truthfully, I would prefer doses from Castro and Has too, who respectively lurk in the background and flip the classic […]

In light of Nas’ “Behind the Music” special and his recent string of stellar singles, Zilla Rocca breaks down the brilliance and maddening contradictions of the street’s disciple. You can check out Zilla’s own impeccably executed raps here. If you’re reading this, your relationship with Nas has probably been bumpy over the years. You’ve made […]

Castro, outside the window, selling la to the Darkman. Kung fu flicks. Brooklyn, you know. South Philly, you know. Monty Hall in the gallery. Zilla, stylish with bullet-proof confidence. Bad bitches and bad attitudes means mathematics has been studied. Vodka in the freezer. Todd Koppel looking nervous. Moms rocking Ghostface, not the Chef. Respect tape […]

Zilla Rocca, rap Serpico, updates his style from sepia film to contemporary house parties, covert phone calls, and the occasional parking lot car lean. Beyond existing as a metaphor for materialism, “Devil’s Pie” is also an archaic nickname for the 2004 Acura Integra.Why ask why? Small Pro supplies the horns and while no one could […]

Pelican briefs, Craig Ehlo, Lil Mac, the beat for Wu Banga, the ghosts of master killers, all channeled on the latest leak from the Wu Tang Pulp project. Some more strictly fam members only shit from the Wrecking Crew (Has-Lo, Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro), plus Boogieman Dela and David Little. Small Pro slices and dices […]

Bug eyed monsters clutching swooning heroines. Grassy knolls and brazen adventurers. Blue Beatle butterflys. Murder scenes swept with neon green urgency before tops are turned Ron Burgundy. What’s a Golden Gopher to a taxiderm? Zen koans by Zilla Rocca. Skies stained the color of ash and Tiramisu. Tarnished crowns and lacquered hair. Gold not bronze. […]

Check his history: Zilla Rocca’s been a beast. In just 16 bars, no other rapper could seamlessly namedrop the futility of the Seattle Pilots, Neruda, Hemingway’s love of daiquiris, Medellin, Omega 3’s, chicken nuggets, and Southern Comfort while flipping the beat to Tony Stark’s “Fish.” When the Wrecking Crew co-founder first floated the idea of […]

All hail the twin Gods of super 8 and synesthesia. Zilla Rocca and Has-Lo mix like yellow and brown to form gold (so the technicolor gods tell me). As I described it earlier, this song is charcoal hands. Purple ties and purple tapes. ZR and Has going crayola, a fresh coat for a tired blend. […]