taking the time to ackowledge an incredible moment in our history, present and future. You can't help but hold your head up and be proud on this day.  All I'll say is they said it couldn't be done.  Often times its not the mysterious THEM that hold us back, its ourselves. Let us judge the content of character and not the color of skin (MLK paraphrase).

Make a joyful noise!

ZL continues to get props with a feature on mp3.com . Click to read

You can get an exclusive FREE download of the single "Where I'm At" feat. Mike G from the Jungle Brothers on mp3.com for a limited time!

Read another interview with Dumi RIGHT on Shotgun Reviews

You can pick up a copy of the album at fine retailers everywhere and the Redline Music Distribution Store

You can also get it on iTunes by clicking here Buy House of Stone on iTunes

Zimbabwe Legit
House of Stone
pH Music/Redline Music Distribution

The pioneering duo of Zimbabwe Legit are back with a hard hitting and incisive album, House of Stone.

The group continues to make their mark on this album with thought provoking lyrics over a backdrop of rugged beats. As an added bonus, this time out they brought along a who's who cast of emcees including, YZ, Mike G (Jungle Brothers), Breez Evahflowin', Vast Aire, Asheru (Unspoken Heard), Stic.man (dead prez), Prince Po (Organized Konfusion), Cadence, Chubb Rock, Apani and Skillz.


Straight No Chaser Magazine Called it "one of the albums of the Summer", and the album continues to get props with recent reviews on Okayplayer.com and Platform8470.

Overall, the combination of positive lyricism, vintage production, and memorable guest appearances from underground staples like Vast Aire and Asheru, and legends like Chubb Rock, make House of Stone a memorable and refreshing release for hip-hop in 2007. Okayplayer.com
Rated: 4 out of 5


...celebrating the long-awaited comeback of a group that remained too long in the shades. Meet real rap, meet real Brothers from The Motherland, meet their steelsolid comeback. Platform8470
Rated: Mighty Phat

Nikki Giovanni blessed me with the contribution you can hear in our music player - "Time". It actually was on the much slept on O.U.O of unknown origin album. As you will notice from listening she made it especially for this and didn't recite something previously written. I'm still amazed that a legendary poet and icon would be so gracious as to do that for me.

Who's on your guest list?

My crew is mad tight.

The votes are in! ZL is gettig mad props in online and print publications worldwide from Rap Mag (France), Superfly (Italy), Platform8470, Scratch Magazine, Hip-Hop Connection (UK), Dazed and Confused (UK), and Okayplayer.com. there's more to come.

Okayplayer

 http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/index.php/weblog/more/house_of_stone/

Zimbabwe Legit

House of Stone

pH Music; 2007

Zimbabwe Legit tried launching its career in hip-hop's early '90s Afrocentric phase. The debut was shelved and released a decade later, but now with its sophomore set, the African sibling duo of Dumi Right and Akim still create vivid and introspective music reminiscent of an era long gone. Albeit not the Afrocentric sound of Queen Latifah or X-Clan, House of Stone is firmly rooted in the sounds of mid '90s New York.

"Evil That Men Do," punctuated with jazzy piano and saxophone melodies, pairs the duo with Prince Po (formerly of Organized Konfusion) and stic.man (of dead prez), with the four MCs trading stories of humanity in all of its positive and negative forms. The jazziness continues on the Pete Rock-esque "Where I'm At," an upbeat head-nodder featuring Mike G of the Jungle Brothers.

Zimbabwe Legit's African heritage is an important part of its sound, and is present throughout House of Stone. One of many instrumental skits, "Mfowethu" pairs tribal chanting with a tight-snared hip-hop beat. Meanwhile rapping is tackled in English, Swahili and Zulu on "All Over The Map," which features several Southern African rappers like Maggz and Kenny Majozi.

Overall, the combination of positive lyricism, vintage production, and memorable guest appearances from underground staples like Vast Aire and Asheru, and legends like Chubb Rock, make House of Stone a memorable and refreshing release for hip-hop in 2007.

-          Adrian Ruhi

Platform8470 Hip-Hop Zine

http://www.platform8470.com/reviews/reviews_selectedlp.asp?id=415

 Zimbabwe Legit
House Of Stone
pH Music/Pro Se | 2007

Brothers from the Mother, Akim and Dumi Right, came from Zimbabwe to the 'Land Of Opportunities' more than ten years ago to do what no other African rap artist had done before; signing with a respectable US label (Hollywood BASIC). Then, under the guidance of the David Funkenklein, they stood at the beginning of a promising career, however sadly shattered by the sudden death of their protégé and due to multiple label mess-ups. In 2005, we were proud to witness the comeback of the duo, and in particular 'DoomE', who released the album 'Of Unknown Origin' with Pep, while, at the same time, Zimbabwe Legit came back in the picture while Glow-In-The-Dark re-issued most of their older stuff.

Two years later, the new Zimbabwe Legit is ready to make noise with the much anticipated new album 'House Of Stone'. And what a comeback…stylistically this reminds a lot of the OUO album, most production is handled by Cadence of Raw Pro in his well-known jazzy ways, with a horn here, a piano lick there and some straight-up to smooth drums underneath it. Lyrically, Akim and Dumi Right are pushing their levels through the motivational presence of old school legends Chubb Rock, Skillz, Mike G of the Jungle Brothers, Prince Po and YZ and underground heroes like Vast Aire, Asheru of Unspoken Heard, Stic.man of Dead Prez, Breez Evahflowin and Apani B Fly Emcee. A line-up full of grandeur that adds a festive flavour to this celebration of rap. Introspective ('Still Trapped') (Hen Boogie production) as well as retrospective ('Where I'm At'), the two cousins deepen out their songs with narrative lyrics and a warm melancholic production to it. Ditto warmth in 'Evil That Men Do' with an easy sax-infested beat and Prince Po hittin it hard.

But it's the combination between fast and slow, peaceful and partyesque, rough snares and easy kicks that gives this album an entertaining cadence (no pun intended). 'My mic might erupt, I'm Vast Aire, I talk like a volcano', the former half of Can Ox opens in the energetic anthem ('They need to ship out or shape up') 'Wake Em Up' while Chubb -'lyrically I'm The One it's been clinically proven'- Rock takes us back to the days when he rushed the stage with Hitman Howie Tee. The bumpy bass line of 'All Over The Map', with some native African tongues, got our head bumpin even more. While the stereo is turned up another notch when the joyful rap dedication –when Brand Nubian meets KMD- 'Gotta Do…' blows through the speakers, celebrating the long-awaited comeback of a group that remained too long in the shades. Meet real rap, meet real Brothers from The Motherland, meet their steelsolid comeback.

posted by: cpf | 09-26-2007 | rated: mighty phat

You want it, you got it. Cop the Zimbabwe Legit - Brothers from the Mother Instrumentals on iTunes as well as any other paid download sites across the web. Get your zimstrumentals here!

Coming Fall 2007 - Zimbabwe Legit - House of Stone. A brand new album by the Z to the L featuring appearances by the likes of Vast Aire, Chubb Rock, stic.man of dead prez, Prince Po, YZ, Cadence and more.

Who is Zimbabwe Legit? Consisting of emcees doomE Right and Akim, its a group formed by the two blood brothers as they burst onto the US hip-hop scene in the early 90s. They were a pioneering group in that they were one of the first African hip-hop artists to put out a record with a major US label.

As fate would have it though, that label would go under, and the brothers would remain in limbo - left to find their way in hip-hop through other endeavors, vehicles, forums and even groups. OUt of this adversity O.U.O was born, a related group that consists of doomE and his cousin Pep.

More than a decade after Zimbabwe Legit had completed their full length album that never saw the light of day, they found a label and situation that would enable to release the lost tapes and re-introduce the world to the Brothers from the Mother.

The downtime for the group can hardly be considered a hiatus. After finishing college doomE Right remained on the scene releasing records, recording and performing with O.U.O. Akim continued to make a living as a performance artist in NYC embracing all the elements of hip-hop from dance to beatboxing and of course rhyming. He was even featured in the award winning documentary Freestyle alongside the likes of Talib Kweli, Supernatural, Grand Master Caz and others.

the full story of the group is chronicled in the liner notes of the CD brothers from the mother.  check it out on iTunes, Amazon.com, UGHH.com or any other fine retailer or cop directly at www.gitdrecords.com

Look out for some BIG things coming from Zimbabwe Legit and pH Music this year. Yeah sounds cliche, we about to change the game, blase blah but for real. The new album Codename - House of Stone is 98% complete. We've been blessed with so many special guests and such ill production from a variety of producers. Everyone came to the table with pure HEAT and the concepts, lyrics and hooks are really ill. When you're in the presence of greatness (Speaking of the veteran emcees that blessed us) you have no choice but to elevate your game.  It was so inspiring and enriching to do this project that has be close to 2 1/2 year in the making. Big shout to Breez Evahflowin', I think 36 months ago he blessed us with the first guest shot and its been on since.

Not sure how many other people are juggling a regular 9 to 5 as well as life in addition to pursuing musical endeavors but its hard as hell. Your committment and drive is tried on the regular and this is definitely not for the faint at heart.

You learn quickly that as Onyx said "All We Got is Us" and often times us is "YOU."

A lot of good people connected to make this happen from heads in South Africa and Tanzania (All African hip-hop crew hold tight) to an ill producer in Germany (H-Peh, its time - let's get it).  Would have been impossible to do this before broadband and cable internet.

I honestly feel that a showdown is imminent. A showdown between those who would emasculate hip-hop into a mindless caricature of amos and andy for a bling era coon show, and the keepers of the art, those that are sworn to keep the forces of darkness in check and hold the babarians that would destroy the art at the gate. As the experssion goes there is no point casting pearls before swine and so the majors front on the art and root in the wasteland of clones talking about the same old garbage.

Ask Hammer about the fickle mainstream audiences. As Cube said, they'll have a new nukka next year. So to will they find a new fad to ride and these bling cats will fade into obscurity.

Ok its late. Got the mailers ready to stuff and bios and one sheets to print.

hit us up. Hope you enjoyed the track "A Fitting Tribute."

until the next time - hamba kahle

This isn't a real retrospective. I don't have time to rundown the whole of the year 2006 but from a personal standpoint this has been one of the most productive years musically for me. Got so many songs written and recorded for a variety of projects and also saw existing projects grow and blossom. Also connected with a lot of good people [luckily the snakes were few and far between but they are out there and I caught one snake bite even but can't focus on the negative. Karma will take care of him.]

In the world politics continued to be the dirtiest game since mud wrestling and the G-Dub (the prez not a rapper) administration continued to fumble more than a rookie wide out. What more can I say here, its in the papers every day. They say that we went to Iraq to make the world safer. As shakespear wrote in Julius Caesar, "and these are honorable men."

The Dems took control of the house and senate and leave us to wonder if anything in washington will change. The senate has given themselves steady pay raises over the last decade but continues to front on raising the minimum wage. I haven't been minimum wage for a while and I struggle to keep the family fed and a roof over head so I can only imagine those that make minimum wage. Its criminal really. Let's see if the Dems do anything. That's their first test and should be an easy one to pass.

In music the industry continued to complain about falling sales while online sales reached record highs. A word to the wise, Darwin stated (paraphrase), adapt or die. When people taped from the radio (at least in Zimbabwe) they said that home taping was killing music sales. When VCRs came out the movie houses moaned that ticket sales would fall (so now Magic Johnson charges you $14 bucks for a matinee but its cool b/c its a business in the hood). When CD copying technology rose the industry said that piracy would kill sales. Adapt or die. video killed the radio star. I don't feel bad for these fat, overweight conglomerates. Who's fault is it if their business model is being rendered less profitable. I started to say obsolete but don't get it twisted. It takes one mindless album to offset their losses (Gwen Stefani - what the HELL is that new track, can't even call it song. Sound of Music yodelling are you kidding me and they actually classify this as music. They got you, like Morpheus told Neo, THE MATRIX has you). I still wonder why they're making hundred thousand dollar videos about nothing. Amateur college film studios could make videos light years ahead of the cars, video sluts, rims and big chain mundane BS that constitutes the Viacom conglomerate playlist. If you squander funds, sales don't add up don't blame me. 

 The writing is on the wall  - you've been weighed and found wanting. The day will come when the Lord will say, "I gave you a voice and a platform to speak to millions and what did you say to them?" But who am I, I'm just a voice in the wilderness, the one who comes after me baptizes with fire.

Paris Hilton dropping records, Brooke Hogan. C'mon man. At least they didn't try pass them off as rap records but I'm sure some stations consider it to be "hip-hop."  Sean Paul (very talented dude by the way) gets nominated as a "rap artist." Hmmm. 

People got mad (some okayplayerhaters anyway) at Common for doing a commercial for the Gap. I like Common and I realize that in 2006 hip-hop is not trying to shut them down we just want them to cut a check. Anyway some years ago my teacher told me that the revolution is about basketball.

So these are just random thoughts. Unlike my college English essays I didn't think of an intro, thesis, conclusion and transitions.

You may agree or disagree with some or all of what I've posted but its something to think about.

If you have read 1984 you'll realize that often people tend to believe or accept a lot of what they are told. Sometimes you don't have enough facts to refute what's being said and so a lot of what gets passed off as truth is not.

If nothing else take a second to reflect, count your blessings and give thanks for what you have.