Z-Ro

Posted on 11.21.2003

Z-Ro
real name: Joseph Wayne McVey
Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
Label: Rap-A-Lot records

Z-Ro Biography:

"I come from nothing," says Z-RO. "Didn’t have nothing and couldn’t see nothing up ahead. Everything was just nothing. So I told myself a long time ago that I am going to adopt the name of nothing and make something with it. I [took] that name to keep me grounded [and] to remind me of where I came from [and] to respect my blessings right now so I don’t go back that way."

And the place where Z-RO came from was nowhere near nice. Born Joseph Wayne McVey in Houston’s rough and tumble South Park area. The 28 year old rap sensation was shuttled from household to household, in search of stability. But that stability would be even harder to find when at age six Z-RO’s mother died, forcing him to come to grips with pain at an early age. Once again Z-RO was forced to move to the east side of town, where things started to get kind of hectic for him. "That’s when shit started to get real," recalls Z-RO. "A nigga started experiencing gun shots, stab wounds and all that other type of shit….all the shit that comes with being grown."

By the time Z-RO had reached his late teens he had fallen victim to many of the traps that the system had set for young Black males, seeking a decent life with no jobs or opportunity available. He hit the block hustling.

Ironically, it was while he was hustling that he discovered rap music. According to Z-RO listening to the music of Tupac, The Geto Boys, Street Military, K-Reno and Klondike Kat inspired him to hustle harder so he could one day get himself out of the trap for good.

It wasn’t long before Z-RO went from listening to rap music to kicking his own little freestyles over instrumentals that he heard on the radio and deciding that he was good enough to get into the rap game.

After going through a couple of studios recording demo after demo he finally caught a big break when he was hanging out in a studio and the CEO of a local rap label heard him free styling and signed him. In 1996 Z-RO Dropped his underground debut entitled "Look What You Done to Me." The record created a huge buzz for Z-RO. 1999 saw the release of the equally lauded Rise by the Guerilla Maab, a group Z-Ro formed with his cousin Trae, and brother Dougie-D. Then in 2000 came his second solo album, the acclaimed Z-Ro Vs. The World, followed by King Of Da Ghetto in 2001. Songs like "World Wide" and "Still My Life" combined strong subject matter with commercial and club appeal, and with Z-Ro’s numerous guest appearances on releases from the likes of Big Moe, DJ Screw and ESG, the rapper enjoyed a growing following of loyal fans. "Each album was like a stepping stone to now," adds Z-Ro. "On my first album I did free shows, my second album I did $500 shows, and so on. The more money starts building up in my pocket, okay, now the more dope I am, ya know what I’m sayin’?" As such, Z-Ro shows are guaranteed roadblocks throughout the South.

With the release of an astonishing three solo albums in 2002 - Screwed Up Click Representa , Z-Ro, and Life, and a new Guerilla Maab album, Resurrected - all active on the Billboard charts, Z-Ro’s status as the most in-demand rapper not only Houston, but in the South period, was solidified. Then came the call from Rap-A-Lot, where Z-Ro has been made an official group member.

In 2004, Z-RO released his critically acclaimed Rap-a-Lot debut called The Life and Times of Joseph McVeigh. The record was a huge success and helped expand Z-Ro’s massive fan base beyond the Deep South. Now with his latest album Let the Truth be Told Z-RO is poised to take the world by storm, while starting a firestorm of controversy in the process. By sticking to what he calls "the G-Code" Z-RO is telling it like it really is on the streets and letting the chips fall where they may.

Produced by a slew of the South’s hottest producers lead by the legendary Mike Dean Let the Truth Be Told stands as one of the best records that the label has released in a while. True to Rap-a-Lot and Z-RO’s tradition of keeping their music real street is the lead single entitled The Mule featuring label-mate Devin the Dude & Juvenile, a slow and nasty song that harks back to the randy tradition of the Geto Boys "This Dick is for You" jam. "For those that don’t know hitting them with the mule means fucking the dog shit outta somebody’s daughter," explains Z-RO. Another standout track is the heartfelt song "I’m Going Platinum," a song that displays Z-RO positive outlook on his career. While these songs help to give the album a variety it is the hardcore, take-no-prisoners attitude of songs like the title page that make Let the Truth be Told so irresistible.

"I’m gonna let the truth be told on faggot-ass police. I’m let the truth be told on these faggot-ass CEOs of these record labels, I let the truth be told on these faggot-ass niggas in the street, I’m letting the truth be told on these rappers –that’s one thing about me is I tell like it is. You can call me a label muthafucka because I put labels on muthafuckas. It’s a lotta muthafuckas rapping from the 3rd person man. They just there to talk about shit in general. Me, I’m gonna talk about some particular shit or some particular muthafuckas. If I feel like a muthafucka’s being less than a G then I’m gonna say it on my shit. That’s why I called it Let The Truth be Told."

Z-ro Discography :

Z-Ro Albums
2006: I’m Still Livin’
2006: 1 Deep
2005: Let the Truth Be Told
2004: The Life of Joseph W. McVey
2004: Z-Ro Tolerance
2002: Life
2002: Z-Ro
2002: Screwed Up Click Representa
2001: King of da Ghetto
2000: Z-Ro vs. the World
1998: Look What You Did to Me

Z-Ro Mixtapes
2006: Underground Railroad: Paper Stacks 3 (Hulled & Chopped)
2004: Underground Railroad, Vol. 2: Thug Luv
2004: Underground Railroad, Vol. 1: Street Life (Hulled & Chopped)
2003: Gangstafied
2003: A Bad Azz Mix Tape

Z-Ro Compilations
2006: 4/20 the Smokers Anthem
2005: Z-Ro and Friends
2005: 4 Da Green Reloaded
2005: Fuck ’Em All: Z-Ro’s Greatest Verses Revisited & Remixed
2005: 4 da Green Reloaded (with Al-D)
2005: Kings Of The South (with Lil’ Flip)
2004: For My Thugs: Greatest Hits
2003: A.B.N.: Assholes by Nature: The Soundtrack
2002: Z-Ro vs. the World / King of the Ghetto

Z-ro Official Website : www.rapalotrecords.com

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