Z-Ro‘s new album, The Ghetto Gospel, aptly starts with a prayer — albeit one that makes liberal use of traditional devotionals. It begins with Billy Sorrells recalling the Houston rapper’s interactions with the devil, how Satan himself would pop up from behind bushes and Z-Ro would tell the Evil One to get off of his dick. Even worse than the temptations of the devil, though, are the sort of men who come coasting into the VIP section at the club and try to treat Z-Ro like they’re homies. They decidedly are not, and the former Rap-A-Lot Records rapper has no problem reminding them.
This is a fairly instructive look at the Mo City Don’s philosophy on The Ghetto Gospel. If you’ve ever supported him when he needed it, he’s got your back and he’ll go out of his way for you. But if you’re glad-handing, trying to leech off the goodwill he’s earned? That shit won’t fly.
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What’s most impressive about Z-Ro’s first solo record since 2022’s Pressure, is how fresh he sounds. As he approaches 50, he uses his age and experience as a weapon on the project, not something he tries to mask. Z-Ro is wise. He knows what he likes — namely, good weed, Houston, lots of women and loyalty. Though the songs that strike back at opps and haters are fun, he’s at his best when he’s paying homage to the things that light his fire.
On the bouncy and incredibly sensual “I’m So High,” he kicks things off by introducing a nickname — Teddy Pentagram — before urging listeners to tuck in their shirts. This is “grown man music,” after all. Z-Ro shows off a playful set of pipes, celebrating his hometown and relishing the joys of smoking on that good good. “Pimpin’ Over Here” is country-fried funk, buoyed by crackling snare drums, a P-funk-inspired bassline and an R&B chorus that moves the song from the club to the bedroom.
The emotional core of the album shines through on “Still Shinin’,” which features Paul Wall and Screwed Up Click rapper Mike D. The trio trade in Southern soul for some old school G-funk, proving they can still rap with the best of them. It’s a refreshingly modern take on a classic rap subgenre, and it accents why Z-Ro is still so relevant all these years later.
Never one to chase trends or follow conventional wisdom, he knows what works well for him and he refines it again and again. The Ghetto Gospel isn’t a reinvention of the wheel, but a reminder that the wheel is a damn fine instrument on its own.
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RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2024
RECORD LABEL: One Deep Entertainment/EMPIRE
Listen to The Ghetto Gospel below:
