Z-RO was born Joseph Wayne McVey IV in Houston's South Park neighborhood on January 19, 1977.[5] At age six his mother died, and he was shuttled from household to household in search of stability, eventually settling in the Ridgemont area, a middle-class suburb in Missouri City in Southwest Houston.[5] When Z-Ro reached his late teens he was unemployed and resorted to drug dealing and hustling on the streets.[5] According to Z-Ro, listening to the music of 2Pac, Geto Boys, Street Military, K-Rino and Klondike Kat inspired him to work harder for his goal of leaving the streets.[5] Z-Ro discovered his talent of freestyle rapping and after going through a couple of recording studios to make a demo,[5] the CEO of a local label discovered and signed him.
Z-Ro released his critically acclaimed Rap-a-Lot debut titled The Life of Joseph W. McVey.[5][6] The record was a huge success and helped expand Z-Ro's and Bobby Craig's fan base beyond the South.[5] In 2005, Z-Ro released Let the Truth Be Told, which was well received.[5] Z-Ro's 2006 album I'm Still Livin' was released while he was imprisoned for drug possession, to positive reviews.[7][8] It was called "a great album... powerful" but "relentlessly bleak" by The Village Voice[7] and "one of the best rap albums to come out of Houston" by the Houston Chronicle.[9] In 2010 he released the album titled Heroin, which was followed by an album titled Meth in 2011 and then Angel Dust in 2012.
Z-Ro released his first EP under The Mo City Don titled Tripolar on August 25, 2013 via One Deep Ent.[2] Z-Ro then followed up with The Crown in June 2014.[10] In February 2015, Z-Ro released his first proper studio album in three years, titled Melting the Crown.
In 2016, Z-Ro released Drankin & Drivin in August[11] and Legendary in November under his label One Deep Entertainment.
Free Style
Z-Ro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Z-Ro the motherfucking Mo City Don
Getting off my chest, know I'm saying
Cut these all the way off people, feel me
Yeah, this how it go, fa sho
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, fo'
I'ma come down, it's your partna Z-Ro
Never been a hoe, never been a broad
Every night 'fore I go to sleep, I gotta talk to God
One time, gotta keep it real
Got gold and diamonds in my grill
I'm for real, doing it like a song
Bleeding on the boulevard, all day long
Gots to get paid, in this damn rap game
Gotta get my feddy, gotta get my change
Me and my partna P-Roy, doing it every day in the struggle
Hold up my nigga, one day we gon' bubble
Nigga we'll shine, we gon put it down
I'ma pimp my motherfucking pen, one time
Hold up, nothing but syrup in my cup
Riding on tre buck, and I don't give a fuck
About the law, nigga fuck the FED
I'm up in the game, just to stack a big head
Family getting fed, me and my wife wed
I'ma come down, I'm a Southside vet
[Chorus]
Hold it down, like the sun we're gonna shine
And let it all swing out, I ride with Southside
Hold it down, like the sun we're gonna shine
And let it all swing out, I ride for Southside
Like a drama bull, plus I got pull
When you see me on the damn scene, you know I'm fool
Popping handle bars, popping a X
I don't give a fuck, it's feeling warm in my chest
And I hope that God bless me, to get a platinum plack
Ain't no turning back, once I get the stack
Once I ain't cutting no slack, up in the game
Said it one time, now everybody know my name
Hollin' Ro, do another show
Wanted me to swang down, on another 4
Charge twenty grand, for a show
Plus, I want half of the do'
In this rap game, to get all the do'
I'ma come down, I got my shine on glow
Hollin' at the Big Steve, Mafio
R.I.P., to the Fat Pat though
Hold up, cause we balling
See us coming down looking good, and we crawling
Ain't falling, I ain't stalling
Coming down outta town, birds I'm hauling
To get paid, nigga I got my family on my mind
I'ma put it down, that's why I'ma shine
All in they face, like a motherfucking moon
A star, a sun and my uzi weigh a ton
Sitting in the microphone booth, going off
Working with the hard, working with the soft
In the motherfucking game, stacking my change
I'm in the motherfucking zone mayn
On my motherfucking block, it go down
I'm the thoedest and the coldest, nigga there is in H-Town
Know I'm saying, I ain't playing, steady spraying
[Chorus: x3]
In Z-Ro's song "Free Style," he opens with a countdown before diving in on his verses about his life experiences and aspirations. From the very beginning, Z-Ro establishes himself as a confident and unapologetic artist who is determined to succeed in the rap game. He's honest about his journey and moves through his verses with purpose, captivating his listeners with his gritty storytelling.
Z-Ro emphasizes his commitment to faith, family, and hard work. He mentions speaking to God every night before bed and wanting to provide for his family. He also touches on the common struggles he and his partner P-Roy face daily, but he remains confident and optimistic about the future. The chorus emphasizes his dedication to his roots in Houston's Southside and his determination to succeed and shine.
The song's no-frills production and Z-Ro's confident delivery capture the energy of early 2000s Houston rap. The song has become a cult classic that represents the city's unique style and gritty attitude.
Line by Line Meaning
Ha ha, 2000 and 1
Laughing about the year 2001
Z-Ro the motherfucking Mo City Don
Introducing himself as the boss from Mo City
Getting off my chest, know I'm saying
Sharing his thoughts and feelings
Cut these all the way off people, feel me
Encouraging the listener to listen closely
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, fo'
Counting down to his introduction
I'ma come down, it's your partna Z-Ro
Introducing himself as the listener's friend
Never been a hoe, never been a broad
Asserting his masculinity and pride
Every night 'fore I go to sleep, I gotta talk to God
Sharing his religious beliefs and practices
One time, gotta keep it real
Stressing the importance of honesty
Got gold and diamonds in my grill
Showing off his wealth and success
I'm for real, doing it like a song
Expressing his authenticity and uniqueness
Bleeding on the boulevard, all day long
Highlighting his struggles and hardships
Gots to get paid, in this damn rap game
Emphasizing the importance of financial success in the music industry
Gotta get my feddy, gotta get my change
Reiterating his goal of making money
Me and my partna P-Roy, doing it every day in the struggle
Explaining how he and his friend work hard every day despite their difficulties
Hold up my nigga, one day we gon' bubble
Encouraging his friend and expressing hope for their future success
Nigga we'll shine, we gon put it down
Confidently proclaiming their success and impact
I'ma pimp my motherfucking pen, one time
Boasting about his lyrical prowess
Hold up, nothing but syrup in my cup
Describing his drink of choice
Riding on tre buck, and I don't give a fuck
Explaining that he's driving a three-wheeled motorcycle and doesn't care about the consequences of his actions
About the law, nigga fuck the FED
Expressing his disregard for authority and law enforcement
I'm up in the game, just to stack a big head
Admitting his main motivation is making money
Family getting fed, me and my wife wed
Asserting his desire to provide for his family and mentioning his marriage
I'ma come down, I'm a Southside vet
Announcing his status as a veteran of the Southside
[Chorus]
Repeating the main hook of the song
Like a drama bull, plus I got pull
Comparing himself to a powerful animal and emphasizing his influence and connections
When you see me on the damn scene, you know I'm fool
Explaining that he is often seen as a foolish person because of his actions and behavior
Popping handle bars, popping a X
Admitting to using drugs
I don't give a fuck, it's feeling warm in my chest
Justifying his drug use by saying it makes him feel good
And I hope that God bless me, to get a platinum plack
Expressing his desire for success and recognition
Ain't no turning back, once I get the stack
Stating his commitment to making money
Once I ain't cutting no slack, up in the game
Saying he won't take any shortcuts in his pursuit of success
Said it one time, now everybody know my name
Boasting about his rising fame and popularity
Hollin' Ro, do another show
Receiving requests to perform live
Wanted me to swang down, on another 4
Being asked to ride in a car or motorcycle with four wheels
Charge twenty grand, for a show
Stating his concert fee
Plus, I want half of the do'
Insisting on receiving a large portion of the earnings
In this rap game, to get all the do'
Explaining that he wants to make as much money as possible from his music career
I'ma come down, I got my shine on glow
Referring to his glowing aura of success
Hollin' at the Big Steve, Mafio
Mentioning some of his acquaintances
R.I.P., to the Fat Pat though
Paying homage to a deceased fellow rapper
Hold up, cause we balling
Boasting about his lavish lifestyle
See us coming down looking good, and we crawling
Describing the way he and his friends drive in a low, slow, impressive manner
Ain't falling, I ain't stalling
Asserting that he won't fail or hesitate
Coming down outta town, birds I'm hauling
Bringing drugs or money with him to a new location
To get paid, nigga I got my family on my mind
Emphasizing that his main motivation for making money is providing for his family
I'ma put it down, that's why I'ma shine
Explaining that his hard work will lead to success
All in they face, like a motherfucking moon
Asserting his boldness and confidence
A star, a sun and my uzi weigh a ton
Comparing himself to celestial bodies and mentioning his gun
Sitting in the microphone booth, going off
Describing his energy and passion while recording music
Working with the hard, working with the soft
Saying that he is skilled at working with different types of beats or styles
In the motherfucking game, stacking my change
Reiterating his focus on making money from music
I'm in the motherfucking zone mayn
Feeling confident and focused
On my motherfucking block, it go down
Asserting his dominance on his home turf
I'm the thoedest and the coldest, nigga there is in H-Town
Claiming the title of the best rapper in Houston
Know I'm saying, I ain't playing, steady spraying
Finishing the song with a confident, forceful statement of his abilities and intentions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TEXAS4REAL
I don't know what's more impressive, Z-Ro's freestyle or the dude holding the camera steady haha. Cause I know if I was the one recording, I would be bobbing that camera - cause I be jamming out!
@1SonTMONT
I feel u brotha I'd def be bobbin to this
@BeautyDaB3ast1111
hell yeah😂😂😂💪
@joshteller7774
TEXAS4REAL or that ZRO was able to drive and freestyle while looking at the camera
@numba1664
TEXAS4REAL that’s a Fact 💯💯💯
@ljohnson85tj
On my mama lol
@Youngapollo47
One of the most slept on emcees of all time.
@boogeyman1710
for real he go hard!
@jermisious8737
What's an Emcee?
@RoyMane
+Jermisious lol master rapper, great lyricist, ect.