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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Z-Ro| image = Z-Ro_cropped.jpg| caption =| image_size =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Joseph Wayne McVey| birth_date = Birth date and age|1977|01|19|mf=ycite web|url= http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths? c=search& first=Joseph& last=McVey& spelling=Exact& 11_year=1977& 11_month=0& 11_day=0& 4=& 14=& SubmitSearch.x=45& SubmitSearch.y=16& SubmitSearch=Submit|title=Texas Births 1926–1995|publisher="Family Tree Legends" http://www.rapartists.com/artists/z_ro/biography Z-Ro Biography. Rapartists.com (1977-01-19). Retrieved on 2011-06-21.| death_date =| origin = Houston , Texas , United States|US | instrument =| genre = Hip hop music|Hip hop | occupation = Rapping|Rapper , Hip hop producer|Producer | years_active = 1994–present| label = Asylum Records|Asylum Rap-a-Lot Records|Rap-a-Lot King of the Ghetto Ent.| associated_acts = Screwed Up Click , Trae , DJ Screw , Big Hawk , Lil' Keke , Slim Thug , UGK , Mưa , Lil Flip , Scarface (rapper)|Scarface , ABN (rap duo)|ABN | website = http://twitter.com/#!/zromocitydon Z-Ro on Twitter MySpace|zroofficial| notable_instruments = Joseph Wayne McVey (born January 19, 1977), better known by his stage name Z-Ro , is an United States|American rapper , singer and Hip hop producer|producer from Houston , Texas . He was named one of America's most underrated rappers by the New York Times .Sanneh, Kelefa. (2007-05-27) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/arts/music/27play.html A Hip-Hop Hurricane and Other Phenomena – New York Times. Nytimes.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-21.
Early life
Z-Ro was born Joseph Wayne McVey in Houston’s notorious South Park, Houston|South Park neighborhood on January 19, 1977.cite web | title=Z-Ro Biography | url= http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/z-ro/664377 | publisher=Artist Direct | accessdate=January 12, 2012 At age six his mother died, and he was shuttled from household to household in search of stability, eventually settling in the Ridgemont area of Missouri City , Texas . When Z-Ro reached his late teens he was unemployed and resorted to drug dealing and hustling on the streets. 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. Z-Ro discovered his talent of freestyle rap ping and after going through a couple of recording studios to make a demo, the CEO of a local label discovered and signed him.
Career
In 1998, Z-Ro released his debut album, Look What You Did to Me . Z-Ro is also a member of the original Screwed Up Click , an assortment of rappers from Houston. All of these things helped to escalate Z-Ro’s popularity throughout the South and by 2002 his talent and hard work caught the attention of Rap-a-Lot Records|Rap-a-Lot ’s founder and CEO James Prince , who offered him a deal.
In 2004, Z-Ro released his critically acclaimed Rap-a-Lot debut titled The Life of Joseph W. McVey . The record was a huge success and helped expand Z-Ro’s fan base beyond the South. In 2005, Z-Ro released Let the Truth Be Told (Z-Ro album)|Let the Truth Be Told , which was well received. Z-Ro's 2006 album '' I'm Still Livin' was released while he was imprisoned for drug possession , to positive reviews.cite news |title=Project Pat and Z-Ro: The Unsung Heroes of Southern Rap |url= http://blogs.villagevoice.com/statusainthood/archives/2006/12/project_pat_and.php |first=Tom |last=Breihan |date=2006-12-07 |accessdate=2008-09-07 |publisher= The Village Voice cite news |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/arts/music/27play.html? _r=1& n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/M/Music& oref=slogin |title=A Hip-Hop Hurricane and Other Phenomena |first=Kelefa |last=Sanneh |date=2007-05-27 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-07 It was called "a great album... powerful" but "relentlessly bleak" by The Village Voice and "one of the best rap albums to come out of Houston" by the Houston Chronicle .cite news |url= http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/entertainment/4314522.html |first=Eyder |last=Peralita |title=Z-Ro breaks ground, visits the past on new CD |date=2006-11-06 |publisher= Houston Chronicle |accessdate=2008-09-07 In 2010 he released his next album titled Heroin. In 2011 he announced a new album called Rother Vandross Sings The Blues, an all singing album, the lead single is "These Days".
Discography
Main|Z-Ro discography
Year
Title
class=artist
U.S.
U.S. R& B
1998
Look What You Did to Me
-
-
2000
Z-Ro vs. the World
-
90
2001
King of da Ghetto
-
-
2002
Screwed Up Click Representa
-
58
2002
Z-Ro (album)
-
-
2002
Life (Z-Ro album)
-
57
2003
Z-Ro Tolerance
-
-
2004
The Life of Joseph W. McVey
170
27
2005
Let the Truth Be Told (Z-Ro album)
69
14
2006
'' I'm Still Livin'
-
14
2007
King of tha Ghetto: Power
197
32
2008
Crack (album)
48
12
2009
Cocaine (album)
147
19
2010
Heroin (album)
142
29
2011
Meth (album)
90
12
References
Reflist Z-Ro Persondata | NAME = | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = American rapper | DATE OF BIRTH = 01-19-1977 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Category:1977 births Category:African American rappers Category:Hip hop singers Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Houston, Texas Category:Pseudonymous rappers Category:Rappers from Houston, Texas Category:Screwed Up Click members Category:Underground rappers
