Misc. Day – Jimmie Walker

Zelooperz is the walking equivalent of a painter with a twist that is able to combine his love for canvas with the love for rhyming. A member of the Detroit collective Bruiser Brigade, Zelooperz jumps into 2019 with his fifth release, Dyn-O-Mite.

Opening with the homage to Jay-Z, the track “JayJay-Z” has Dyn-O-Mite clashing over the “Where I’m From” beat with even allusions to past lines. Zelooperz describes, “I’m from the other side where other guys don’t talk too much, carry them butterflies we walk through you like walk’s through dust. I treat the weed like ya ice you know I be just crushing it up. You fucking with us, I swear you niggas be coughing it up.” You almost half expect Zelooperz at times to finish a bar with “I’m from Marcy son” as the likeness is uncanny but reworked to fit a polished frame.

He continues on to illustrate, “Pour that drink I’m topsy turvy, I’m getting high like Jetson. My nigga asked me if I’m depressed cause I still ain’t got my check in, shit… I’mma hold off on that them PayPal plays is present.” The beat selection that Zelooperz has on “JayJay-Z” really gives him this dynamic slash into the listener that is impactful and transitions well into the 11 track record.

As he marches on with brush and microphone in hand, “Bootleg” is a bombastic creep towards the listener almost as if it was a funeral march. The subtle piano work that coincides with the thumping 808s and kicks creates a simple, but sweetly layered delicacy. Zelooperz here is belligerent at delivery, but also has a shine of braggadocious nature.

He describes, “Bitch on my line and I tell her I ain’t pressed, niggas steal my style that’s some shit I don’t dread. Get a nigga stuck give that bitch the bootleg. Niggas fucking bums they be rocking bootleg.” He then continues on to say, “Sweet just like a push up, karats all white like the Ku Klux. Bitch, I’m going stu-pid.” His vocal performance on each track is recognizable but changes the formula enough to become fresh and engaging.

Like on “Easter Sunday” that features Earl Sweatshirt where the production here is a sun-lit anthesis where Zelooperz and Sweatshirt can come together to make a formidable team-up. Zelooperz describes, “When my momma hear this, I know she gon’ be feeling this, her son make her feel good like photosynthesis,” in one of the most iconic lines of the record. Black Noi$e who is also a Detroit native crafted the beat and continues to do a fantastic job with every track he touches. If Dyn-O-Mite has any noticeably wholesome points, “Easter Sunday” is that.

Not only is Dyn-O-Mite one of the strongest projects coming from Zelooperz at this time, but his entire wordplay and thematic trope are exciting through each track. There is no similar piece on the record and the adventurous backbone makes him such a treasure in hip-hop. Not only does every second spent with Dyn-O-Mite feel strangely nostalgic, but it makes for a great record to expand upon individual creativity.

Listen To Dyn-O-Mite Here!!! – BandCamp/Spotify/iTunes