Zion I

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]

"Starship EP" redirects here. For other recordings, see Starship (disambiguation).
"What U Need" redirects here. For the JoJo song, see Good to Know.
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

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. 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. 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. 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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