February 23, 2007 - University of California, Los Angeles Ackerman Grand Ballroom

Coming off of one of the year’s best hip hop albums, “Heroes in the City of Dope,” Zion I & The Grouch put on a performance that left even those who hadn’t heard of them pleading for more. They went on stage on time, with a lot of energy and pure excitement to be performing for long time fans as well as new ones. With DJ Amp Live controlling the turntables, they were on par with every beat and every rhyme. They definitely put on a show, with something different for every song. Whether it was asking the audience to take out their electronics for their song “Digital Dirt” which is about how technology is killing our simple way of life, or asking the crowd to wave their hands in the air to the beat of the song; they definitely got the audience involved. DJ Amp Live got the crowd into it with his mixing and had everyone in shock and awe from his turntable skills. Zion I also performed old favorites such as “Finger Paint” and “Silly Putty.”  They had an hour long set to perform, and perform they did, as they took advantage of every minute. You could tell their show was well rehearsed, in a good way, keeping it organized and having it flow. Nevertheless, they left room for improvisation as they began to freestyle. Furthermore, the venue was nearby, making it easy for students to check out the performance and head back to their apartments or dorms at a reasonable time. Overall, a great show by two of undergrounds up and coming rappers.

-Vishal Vibhaker