After teasing us for months with his quarantine-inspired DAYZZ OFF video series, Montreal rapper Zach Zoya has released his long-awaited single “Slurpee”, the first release off of his upcoming EP Spectrum set to be released later this year. While DAYZZ OFF gave us a glimpse at Zach Zoya the skilled rapper and emcee, “Slurpee” introduces us to Zach Zoya the budding, charismatic hip-hop star.
The visuals, directed by fellow Montreal native GED, are a dark and quirky, yet comedic and high energy display of Zoya’s full range of talent. The video opens with Zoya showing off some of his comedic and acting chops as he adds a bit of liquour to his Slurpee and ends with Zoya hitting some intense dance choreography.
Zoya has been racking up the accolades since the release of his 2018 EP Misstape with Platinum producer High Klassified who has worked with industry heavyweights including Future and The Weeknd. Zoya was a finalist position for the FEQ Rising Star Award at Festival d’été du Québec, graced the stage at local music staples M For Montréal and the Montréal International Jazz Festival, was recently included on Exclain’s 10 Emerging Canadian Artists You Need To Hear This June list, and was named one of the Top 20 Artists to Watch This Spring by KIND Magazine.
Having grown up in a rural city in Québec to a South African father who fled apartheid, the climate in which he is releasing his label debut hasn’t been lost on the Montreal rapper. Although he isn’t known as a political rapper, he has taken to social media in recent weeks to talk about systemic racism and Black lives.
“It is impossible for me to not be affected by the events surrounding George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement that’s currently taking place,” Zoya says. “I think people will understand when I say you can feel the hurt in the air lately. In reflecting on what part I ought to play in all of this as an artist, I realized that I have the opportunity to lighten the weight of the heaviness and celebrate Black excellence through my art.”
Slurpee by Zach Zoya is available on all streaming platforms.
Related article:
https://shiftermagazine.com/music/zach-zoya-hiatus