All this electro-influenced rap coming out the woodworks isn’t new to Zion I, who had been freaking over drum-n-bass and house beats since their first album, Mind Over Matter, which dropped almost a decade ago.  While the duo waits for everyone to catch up, they pay a visit to the old school, and track their way back into the weird outerspacean cosmos that they’re used to.

Check out one of the tracks, their remix of Santogold’s “Starstruck,” featuring Grouch:

Ready for the best part though? The mixtape’s FREE at the Zion I website. Oooh yeah baby.

Go figure that when Adriel moved out of his parents’ house run by his small stylish Chinese lady mom, he moved in with mai-lei, a small stylish Chinese lady mom.  Besides saving the Bay as one of the freshest DJ’s out, mai-lei is also an expert stylist, having done work with Levi’s, Zion I, Goapele, and Ruby when she can’t decide what to wear to Trader Joe’s.

Check out her freakincoolass porfolio here, and her brand new music/fashion/lifestyle blog here. (designed by Adrizzle!)

Looks like Kanye isn’t the only guy dropping an album just a little over a year after the last one! Yes, it wasn’t too long ago that our iLL-homie Bambu dropped his acclaimed album i scream bars for the children (as modeled by the lovely Maya), and now Bam returns to the Bay on Tuesday for his pre-album tour, Exact Change which also happens to be the name of his new LP that drops soon (smart marketing, ayyyyy?)!

This is bound to be a hot show, packed to the brim with our Bay comrades including Ise Lyfe, Do D.A.T., Power Struggle, Eyeasage, Emassin, and hosted by Baba Zumbi of Zion I!

That’s two mentions of Zion I in one day. Whaddayaknow.

Sup fam, we’ll be playing with the iLL-Homies Zion I as well as supa dupa hot national slam champion poetry hotnesses AMMO from Philly, Gabriel Teodros from Seattle, Sirens Echo from Portland, and Andrea Gibson and Katie Wirsing from Boulder, Colorado!

Yep, pretty much got the the western United States rolling through. You should come too.

at Kiwi’s videoshoot, with Kiwi, Adriel, Ruby, Phatrick and Do D.A.T..

Speaking of Kiwi, come dance in SF!