Zion-I

Zion I was an American hip hop project founded by MC and producer Baba Zumbi (real name Stephen Gaines) in Oakland, California. K-Genius and Amp Live were also project members.

Career

Originally formed as a group, Zion I released the debut studio album, ''Mind over Matter'', in 2000. It was nominated for "Independent Album of the Year" by ''The Source''. '' Deep Water Slang V2.0'' was released in 2003.

In 2005, Zion I released ''True & Livin'''. It featured guest appearances from Gift of Gab, Talib Kweli, and Aesop Rock.

''Heroes in the City of Dope'', the first collaborative album with The Grouch, was released in 2006. In 2009, Zion I released ''The Takeover''.

In 2010, Zion I released ''Atomic Clock''. ''Heroes in the Healing of the Nation'', the second collaborative studio album with The Grouch, was released in 2011. In 2012, Zion I released ''Shadowboxing'', which was included on ''SF Weekly''s "10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012" list.

In 2015, Amp Live left the group, and Zion I became Baba Zumbi's one-man project.

In 2016, Zion I released ''The Labyrinth'', their first studio album not to include Amp Live.

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. He had reportedly also contracted COVID-19 roughly three weeks prior.
On August 13, 2021, he died of initially unknown causes at the age of 48.
On August 20, 2021, the Gaines family announced that they hired attorneys to investigate what they believed was a suspicious death.

In May 2022, the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau finalized a report detailing Gaines's death. 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.

Members

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

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Mind over Matter'' (2000)
* '' Deep Water Slang V2.0'' (2003)
* ''True & Livin''' (2005)
* '' Break a Dawn'' (2006)
* ''Heroes in the City of Dope'' (2006)
* ''The Takeover'' (2009)
* ''Atomic Clock'' (2010)
* ''Heroes in the Healing of the Nation'' (2011)
* ''Shadowboxing'' (2012)
* ''The Labyrinth'' (2016)
*''Stay Woke'' (2016) (with Mikos Da Gawd)
* ''The Tonite Show with Zion I'' (2018)
* ''Ritual Mystik'' (2018)

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)
* "Lift Me Up" (2007)
* "Count It Down (Nomak Remix)" (2007)
* "Juicy Juice" (2008)
* "We Don't Wife 'Em" (2016)
* "Saving Souls" (2016)
* "Peace" (2017)
*"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

External links

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{{Authority control

1996 establishments in California
2021 disestablishments in California
Hip-hop groups from California
Rappers from Oakland, California
Musical groups from Oakland, California
African-American musical groups
Alternative hip-hop groups