young zone

YOUNG ZONE: THE FOUNDATION Foundation (foun•da•tion): (a) funds given for the permanent support of an institution: endowment (b) an organization or institution established by endowment with provision for future maintenance (c) a body or ground upon which something is built up or overlaid The modern state of hip-hop is one of constant flux. With trends changing as often as its fans change clothes (or at least the labels on them), too many artists fail to lay a foundation for long-term success as with the right track and proper timing, anyone seemingly can make a hit. But for an artist who seeks more than to make a quick buck, a quick hit isn't what hip-hop is all about. No, for the rare artist who seeks to be respected both commercially and by his peers, success requires something more: it requires a foundation. And with his solo debut The Foundation, the artist known as Zone ill (a.k.a. Young Zone) will let the world see why his is built to last. Born Dean Hummons, Jr. in Dayton, Ohio, Zone ill is best known by longtime followers of the Midwest hip-hop scene as one half of the group Definition. Backed fellow Dayton native Ill Poetic, Definition has established itself as one of the Midwest's premiere tandems, opening up shows for such hip-hop notables as,Diplomats, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek, and Little Brother,. Zone's music talents should come as no surprise, however, given his status by his father, Dean Hummons Sr. who worked with legendary groups such as Ohio Players, Slave, and Booty Collins.Also, was in groups SUN and Dayton Sidewinders Throw in three brothers who are also aspiring emcees and Zone's life as a hip-hop artist seems like a forgone conclusion. As for his own material, Zone's definition (no pun intended) of it reflects the strong musical foundation from which he comes. “I would say my style could be put in a whole other genre of hip-hop, and it would be ‘Cross-over hip-hop.' That's music that has the emotion and feel of pure hip-hop, but still has that competitive industry sound,” Zone says. “It spreads to the streets, (the) suburbs, thugs, back packers, party goers and normal everyday folk.” A 10-year plus veteran of the underground, Zone came up in the game the same way a lot of artists before him have – crushing competitors in local MC battles, rocking talent shows after passing out flyers at others and performing anywhere someone was willing to let him on the mike. Zone credits his sister for first getting him interested in hip-hop as “We listened to all the classic hip-hop records from the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Tone Loc, Public Enemy; she had every single hip-hop record on vinyl and tape.” Zone says he learned at an early age hip-hop isn't just music; it's a culture. The recognition (or rather, the lack thereof) of Midwestern hip-hop culture save for Chicago and Detroit, however, is something wants to make people acknowledge through his music – The Foundation being the first step. Featuring production by Ill Poetic, Fame Guttah and other members of his All Ranges of Thought (A.R.T.) family, The Foundation explores a number of “hip-hop” topics in unconventional, non hip-hop ways. Whereas the summer barbecue banger “Getting It” and the socially conscious, synthesizer-infused “BOUNCE.” find Zone riding the beat like a captain on his ship, cuts such as the nostalgic “Fresh” and “On Point” with ill Poetic are examples of pure lyricism at its finest. All of the tracks are part of a package designed to appeal to two groups of hip-hop fans – the “backpackers” or “underground” enthusiasts and the Billboard chart, club regulars – that rarely, if ever, meet. Zone says The Foundation is his attempt at making sure both groups get to know – and eventually understand – each other better. ”I want people to realize that people are multi-dimensional individuals who have lots of sides that they can express,” Zone says. “Hip-hop is a form of expression and no one can judge you on how to express yourself a longest comes from the heart. I want to break that barrier where people can stop stereotyping music and look as music.” He hopes his music will have a similar affect on his fellow artists and the music industry as well. “You don't have to accept the box that people put you in … The way things are now, if you're a ‘conscious rapper,' you can't have a song being aggressive and ‘street.'(Likewise), ‘street' rappers might get looked differently if they get ‘conscious' – at the end of the day, it's a big risk that you might lose your creditability,” Zone says. “A lot of people that do the type of music (artists like) Little Brother and Slum Village (do) get cheated out of what they deserve because record labels don't understand how to promote and marketing that sound. I had problems trying to break my music because of the same issues they have. People don't want to take a risk in breaking this sound, but listeners love it.” And once he makes the world fall in love with his music, Zone says The Foundation will be co