With the constant attention last year’s XXL freshman class continues to get, much abandonment has befell on the original 10 that were knighted as the wave of the future. While most have relinquished their buzz, Atlanta rhyme animal Gorilla Zoe continues to King Kong the game with his unique brand of Hip-Hop. Still rattling cages from his latest album Don’t Feed The Animals, Zoe breaks down his grind which includes a movie by the same name as his album, his humanitarian work and why you can never write him off as a gimmick.

As Zoe speaks with the Crew’s TC, read to find out why the animal is still hungry.

TSS: So you made a noticeable 180° with the new album [Don't Feed The Animals] from “Hood Nigga” and some of your other material. What inspired the turnaround?

Gorilla Zoe: Well everybody wants to make better music, you feel me? I can make “Hood Nigga” in my sleep. But it was more like “Can I make real music? Can I create subject matter? How far can I stretch?” Anybody can make hood music or club records, that’s not hard. But can you make music that touch people’s souls. That’s what I was out to do. I have a new lane I’m creating.

TSS: Are you worried about alienating your established fanbase with the new directions?

Gorilla Zoe: Hell nah, they’ll just have to play catch up.

TSS: It’s safe to say “Lost” took everybody by surprise. You actually have days like that?

Gorilla Zoe: Oh yeah, I think it’s safe to say everybody has days like that.

TSS: Why did Lil’ Wayne get cut from the song?

Gorilla Zoe: Politics. Little label shit. They choose and pick want they want to release.

TSS: And the title Don’t Feed The Animals doubles for the album and the movie. What does that mean exactly?

Gorilla Zoe: It basically means don’t give them niggas no money. It’s a post warning. Feed as in food actually means the money. And it’s post because I already got the money but once you taste success, you want more success and that’s what it is.

TSS: The [Don't Feed The Animals] chain is one of the most creative pieces we’ve seen in a while but the buzz on the Internet is everybody’s curious what it’s made out of and some were saying it was just plastic. Read the rest of this entry »

Zoo’s put up warning signs to patrons about not feeding animals to protect both them and the animals they view. On one end it protects them from the animals acting on their primal tendencies and keeps the zoo somewhat in control of the animals through the feeding schedule. Gorilla Zoe, a rapper indigenous to Atlanta, plays on this concept on his sophomore album Don’t Feed Da Animals. Seeking to portray himself as a vicious rhyme animal, he comes off sounding lethargic as he can’t decide whether to keep catering to the streets or expand his artistic scope past self absorbing topics. Read the rest of this entry »

After Gorilla Zoe stepped out of the box with his delusional street single “Lost,” I just assumed he would resort to his old hood figga’ ways for the rest of his upcoming album, Don’t Feed Da Animals.

Boy, was I completely wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

“Sittin’ on rims the size of Shaq’s big toe...”

If you don’t know the name Tone Tone, you will.

For the past year or so, little homie has gotten more radio love here than any other Detroit rapper. The original version of “Jockin” has been in heavy rotation for months and this Read the rest of this entry »

Some recent remixes that came out this past week & we just wanted to make sure you had them for the archives. Read the rest of this entry »

Would you look what the ape drug in. Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t look now, but I think I figured out the recipe for currency.

I know, it sounds easier said than done. But check it anyway because it’s only five easy steps. All you have to do is follow the recipe, and voila…instant riches!

1) Mix together 808s, 1 Just Blaze transitional sound effect, a sprinkle of Mannie Fresh toms and 1 synth instrument over the chorus.

2) Then, on top of that easy-make beat, sprinkle on 2 mediocre rappers (make sure they’re extra crispy), and have them spit nothing but irrelevant punchlines about material objects. Read the rest of this entry »