Get To Know: Zo!

The next artist in the Get to Know series needs hardly any introduction. Working with such talents as Little Brother and Grammy-nominated Foreign Exchange, multi-talented producer Zo! continues to elate us with musical jewels. His debut solo project, SunStorm, is set for release July 27th (pre-order now at www.theforeignexchangemusic.com) and pays homage to his Detroit roots while giving you an intimate view at his depth and range as a producer. Be sure to also check out the video to the first single This Could Be The Night feat. Eric Roberson, Darien Brockingham and Rapper Big Pooh at +FE Music. Distinguished, gifted, very humble, and of course brilliantly talented; Get to Know: Zo!

What inspires you to create?

I get inspired off of pretty much everything. You can’t be like a one dimensional dude and just get inspired off of just the positive or just the negative. As a creator, you’ve got to be able to pull from pretty much every emotion you have whether it’s positive or negative. Music is emotions. You’ve got to be able to create from both spectrums and what’s in between. For instance, if I’m having a terrible day I can create off of that. If I’m having a great day I can create off of that. If I see someone that I admire come out with a new album I can create off of that. It’s just different things in everyday life that inspire me.

Tell me a little about the new album.

The time can’t go by quick enough. It seems just like yesterday I was posting 67 days til SunStorm on Twitter and now its 10 days and counting. The album is basically my solo album and anyone putting together a solo piece will tell you it’s your baby. This one is special to me because it gave me the opportunity to work with people I follow and really admire and look up to. It’s like bringing a bunch of my favorite artists together. It was incredible. We had Phonte, Sy Smith, YahZarah, Darien Brockington, Eric Roberson, Big Pooh from Little Brother, Jesse Boykins, Monica Blaire, Chantae Cann, Lady Alma, and Carlitta Durand. These are some of the artists who are putting a dent in music right now and I’m looking at them and man I feel real humble for having them work on this project with me. It’s really flattering to work with this caliber of talent.

I’m sure that the feeling is vice versa. Reading up on the premise of this album and also with your previous projects, your range as a producer is vast. How do you feel when someone attempts to categorize your music?

I don’t really care too much about it I mean that’s what people do. That’s the first thing you’re asked when someone finds out you’re a musician is what type of music do you do. I agree with you that I don’t categorize because one minute I might feel like doing a jazz record, the next hip hop. One day I might just decide to do a salsa album. I don’t like to classify it, but I understand that people need that sometimes and I don’t have a problem with that. I classify it as either good music or bad music. I try and make good music.

Now I’m looking at geographical locations and I realize that you’re nowhere near Phonte and Nicolay (Phonte and Nicolay reside in North Carolina, Zo in D.C). How did you wind up connecting with Foreign Exchange?

Phonte and I meet face to face at a Little Brother show in 2005. It was funny because obviously at that point I was a Little Brother fan and earlier that year I had come out with a remix album (Re:Definition) that had two Little Brother remixes on it. I had heard that Phonte had taken a listen to one of the songs, but I can’t remember what his opinion was on them. But I had made up in my mind that I was going to at least say hey you know I respect you as an artist and I heard you had taken a listen to the joints I did. I had like my whole little speech mapped out in my head as to what exactly I was going to say to him. So after the show I was like hey Phonte blah blah blah and he was like hey I know you. It turns out that he had my album in his iPod and was telling me that his family played the record and basically from there we exchanged contacts and we kept in contact. About three months later we started working on the original “Stepping Out” track that appeared on the …just visiting album and he sang the hook. I was like bugging out. Here’s one of my favorite emcees singing the hook on one of my tracks. And of course, it sounded dope. After that it was the “When Everything Is New” track with Little Brother and from there “If She Breaks Your Heart” with Foreign Exchange and then once their album came out Tay was like we’re going to go out on the road and we want you to come out on the road with us. The following year Foreign Exchange did their first show.

Can we expect you to tour this solo project soon?

Definitely. You know that’s the whole plan. With the Foreign Exchange family there are so many different entities on stage you have Nicolay with his solo project as well as producing and Dj’ing, Phonte who is a phenomenal emcee, YahZarah who is an amazingly gifted talent, Darien Brockington who’s effortless in his delivery. It’s crazy. It’s like a supernova of talent on stage. What better crew to be around promoting this album. It’s definitely a family affair because everyone who’s on stage is basically on the album.

I know you just wrapped up with this album, but are you currently working on any new projects?

It’s funny because this is the first time that I can remember where I don’t have another project lined up after completing one.

That’s okay. Everyone needs a break every now and then.

Yeah because this album has been in the works for two years and in between that I’ve released three albums (Zo! & Tigallo Love the 80’s, Overdue Process, and …just visiting too), so it’s almost like normal for me to be working on several projects at once. I will still be in the studio creating. Just not focusing on a particular project right now.

You guys have a serious fan base here in Memphis, so my last question is would Foreign Exchange ever consider doing a show here in Memphis?

All day long. When you trying to bring us? We try to play where ever.

Okay. I am going to talk to some people here and we will definitely be working on that. It would be an amazing show indeed. Thank you so much for your time; it was indeed a pleasure and much success on the album. I already know it’s going to be great!

Thank you.