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Elemental Zazen
Hip Hop / Indie / Breakbeat

"The Glass Should Be Full" out now



SEATTLE now...BOSTON before..., Washington
United States

Profile Views:  50546




Last Login:  7/20/2009
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   Elemental Zazen: General Info
Member Since4/23/2005
Band Websitewww.gnawledge.com
Band MembersMe. But most of the time I play with a band.
InfluencesDao. Wind. Water. Trees mostly. Hand out the car window. Running away from things and towards other things. Life on other planets. Time travel. Insecurity. Girls. Being poor. No more alcohol and drugs. Finally getting some sleep. Some favorites of the musical variety include: Radiohead, Joy Division, Mission Of Burma, Public Enemy, Bonobo, Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Wolf Parade, Bjork, Talking Heads, Bad Brains, Big Daddy Kane, The National, TV On The Radio, Portishead, Minor Threat, Sufjan Stevens, Caribou, Sigur Ros, The Black Keys, Interpol, Death From Above 1979 & several other goodies. I read a lot of books too, but I have a hard time with the really long ones. Too hard to focus. Favorites include The Dharma Bums (Kerouac), Post Office (Bukowski), Man's Fate (Malraux), Cat's Cradle (Vonnegut) & The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (Murakami).
Sounds LikeWhat happens after your house burns down and you get a brain tumor
Record LabelGnawledge Records / Revolution DAO


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   Upcoming Shows ( view all )
Jul 16 2009 8:00P
Middle East Downstairs (w/ Chali 2na of Jurassic 5) Cambridge, Massachusetts
Aug 15 2009 9:00P
Middle East Upstairs Cambridge, Massachusetts

Elemental Zazen's Latest Blog Entry  [Subscribe to this Blog]

2009 European Tour...  (view more)

Zazen in the Boston Phoenix  (view more)

Named one of 5 "Locals On The Verge for 2008" By The BOSTON GLOBE!  (view more)

Named one of 10 artists to watch in 2007  (view more)

New Album Update (4/06)  (view more)

[View All Blog Entries]

   About Elemental Zazen
Elemental Zazen -- The Glass Should Be Full

IN STORES NOW -- Featuring production from Kno (Cunninlynguists), Joe Beats (Non Prophets), Maker (Glue), Gnotes (Gnawledge), Scroll, J. Ferra and Confidence

Praise for The Glass Should Be Full

"Zazen's flow sets a fearlessly tight example for countless indie rhymers...3/4." Adam Anonymous-Hip Hop Connection

"Zazen is...a top caliber lyricist, a rare treat in a genre where being thoughtful and insightful is often treated like a sinful vice instead of a saintly virtue. 8.5/10." Steve 'Flash' Juon-Rap Reviews.com

"Electrifying...Clean as a surgical scalpel and just as sharp...(The Glass Should Be Full) is what a nervous system would sound like if it were plugged into an amp." Raphael Luckom- The Weekly Dig

"given the pain that moved his pen at such agonizing angst-addled angles, his sophomore release is as hardcore an opus as Tupac’s Me Against the World...certifies that honesty, vulnerability, and introspection make for better hip-hop than masked insecurity and bullshit every single time." Chris Faraone- Boston Phoenix

"Zazen is one of the foremost hip-hop poets who shows rather than tells, and his second album is a musical and lyrical oasis for anyone who’s caught between Immortal Technique’s militant bent and white dudes who talk convincing politics but have never read a newspaper." Jump The Turnstyle

"...from "Handcuffs" to "Dying Planet" he drops straight up knowledge that makes Atmosphere look like they don't take their opportunity seriously enough." Andrew Fersch- Performer Magazine

"...tracks like "Disappear" display an existential flair from this skilled MC. The production, courtesy of a bunch of different producers, is hard and banging, matching Zazen's forceful flow throughout."- Lost At Sea

"In these trying times, hip-hop needs cats like Elemental to help convey these messages of fear, struggle and pain from deep within the American Dream, as well as on a more global level. Pump this in your jeeps while you are plotting your next public disturbance, or peace rally."- Rock The Dub

"Whether you’re in the market for a new favorite artist or looking for a soundtrack to supplement your daily fight against The Man, this album is definitely one to give a chance." Raina Change - Daily Evergreen

The Glass Should Be Full (Front Cover) Buy the album at CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes

Elemental Zazen at iTunes Elemental Zazen at CDBaby Elemental Zazen at Amazon



Elemental Zazen - "HANDCUFFS" (Music Video)

Directed by Canyon Cody

One of 5 "Locals on the Verge" in 2008! - Boston Globe.

"Fast, furious, raw, and reflective, this Cambridge-based MC has got a lot on his mind: war, poverty, Third World exploitation, visions of world leaders in handcuffs. Verbally nimble and righteously indignant, Zazen rhymes with a purpose - "pump a fist if you exist to bring the system down!" -Boston Globe "Locals on the Verge"

One of 10 to Watch for in 2007! - Weekly Dig.

"We love the fact that he's a revolutionary in running shoes, and that his bedroom produced "The Adolescence Weapon" is one of Boston's most enlightened hip hop discs in recent memory...The result, we believe, will have Immortal Technique fans liking at least one white person." - Weekly Dig "Boss Ten"


NO SURVIVORS LIVE @ THE MIDDLE EAST (DOWNSTAIRS)

LIFE IS PRICELESS LIVE @ THE MIDDLE EAST (DOWNSTAIRS)

VOTE LIVE @ THE MIDDLE EAST (DOWNSTAIRS)

You can download my debut album The Adolescence Weapon for free here in the A/V section. It's an oldie but goodie.

First of all: If you believe that enlightenment through peace is the goal, you are my comrade. Big up to everyone putting in work volunteering, helping the community, fighting oppression, and especially to those that educate themselves and others about the evils of capitalism.

I've decided that my bio is never again going to be one of those "this artist is entirely unlike anything else and is basically the greatest thing ever" paragraphs that most everyone else has. I grew up in Asia. I play shows. I record music. I believe in worldpeace. If you don't like the music, I still send positive karma your way

Those that I have collaborated with include: Dj Vadim, Kno, Jake One, Joe Beats, Illmind, Jean Grae, Vast Aire, Maker, Eligh, Scroll, Metaform, M-Phazes, Gnotes, Blue Sky Black Death, Qwel, Wise Intelligent, Esoteric and several other gems...

Some of the many artists I've had the pleasure of playing shows with: Immortal Technique, Kool Keith, Mr. Lif, Animal Collective, Ill Bill, Murs, Cage, Devin The Dude, Boot Camp Clik, Cunninlynguists, Wise Intelligent (PRT), Roc Raida (X-ecutioners), Masta Ace, Camu Tao, 2mex, Akrobatik, Yak Ballz, Freestyle, Akir, Q-Unique, Bigg Jus (Company Flow), Glue (Adeem, Maker & DJDQ), Louis Logic, Tonedeff, Slaine, Ed OG, Pack FM, Termanology, DJ Eclipse and many, many more....

check Gnawledge Records for more music and press information.



   Elemental Zazen's Friend Space (Top 28)
Elemental Zazen has 2298 friends.
 Gnotes 


 j.ferra 


 Canyon Cody 


 Leedz Edutainment 


 Granada Doaba 


 Scroll & Forest are: TREE OF CROWS 


 Afro DZ ak 


 JOE BEATS 


 Maker 


 Kno 


 Jake One 


 Blue Sky Black Death 


 daddy vad aka radio vah-deem 


 ELIGH 


 M-PHAZES GOOD GRACIOUS! 


 !LLMiND (illmind.biz) 


 METAFORM 


 Matty Trump 


 7L & ESOTERIC (NEW PTEROVISION UP!) 


 Jean Grae 


 Beats by Confidence, 90’s hip hop is back 


 DJSB - The Black Skater 


 irenic 


 DJ SlipWax the Bandit ( Deck Demons) & (DC) 


 Chris FARA1 


 Princess Party Mountain 


 KEHdrums 


 Dj Strategy 





Elemental Zazen's Friends Comments
Displaying 25 of 1289 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
Amatul





Jun 7 2009 3:05 AM

"...We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.

The Holy Quran tells us, Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.

The Talmud tells us, The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace.

The Holy Bible tells us, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth."

- President Barack Obama
June 3rd 2009 speech at Cairo University
Scroll & Forest are: TREE OF CROWS





Jul 7 2009 6:46 PM

KESTRIL!!!!!!
Concussionary Measures





May 30 2009 1:27 AM

Being you're on the west coast now. When you gonna hit up Phoenix?
Scroll & Forest are: TREE OF CROWS





Apr 11 2009 12:43 AM

Photobucket
Princess Party Mountain





Mar 28 2009 11:52 PM

i wish i could.
but i don't know how.
i am seemingly incapable of viewing myself as anything besides the scum of the earth.
perhaps if i promise to be dead by 33 it would qualify as self-promotion?
probably not.
the next album is gonna be all about my collection of ant farms.
it's gonna be badass.
it will promote itself.
everyone will hate me even more.
i hope you're doing well.
Scroll & Forest are: TREE OF CROWS





Mar 14 2009 4:16 PM

call me you smelly bag of ballsPhotobucket
jonny





Mar 13 2009 4:02 PM

who's producin on this one?! hoping more of you as well
Retrospek





Mar 11 2009 3:53 PM

much respect.

peace
Emcee Graffiti (emceegraffiti.com)





Mar 2 2009 9:36 PM

Sup homie. Hope everything's goin good for you. Haven't been to your page in a while, but the new tracks are ill. Keep up. Peace.

-E.
Graffiti
RICKY MORTIS aka GORY HAIM!





Feb 27 2009 3:27 PM

when u comin back to shmig a dang with the diz....miz ya maing!!!!!
Matty Trump





Mar 1 2009 7:31 AM

my team sucks....lol...how things on the other side of the coast?
Minamoto





Feb 23 2009 2:43 AM


This is an Asian Hip Hop Band that I made up in my head..
Minamoto





Feb 8 2009 4:33 AM

hey why does noise travel faster at night and why does a violin look like an apple cord to me sometimes?
Matty Trump





Feb 7 2009 1:27 AM

Season's getting ready to start...Who ur top ten must picks?
Granada Doaba





Feb 6 2009 2:51 AM

que bola zazen? we made beats outta flamenco, but we need vocals. you dont happen to know any rappers, do you?

música antigua, ahora hecha nueva

GranadaDoaba

peace
Concussionary Measures





Feb 12 2009 3:13 AM

I don't know if it's my computer or what, but your page (videos and player aren't working).
-backing the movement tho!
Preston Smith





Feb 5 2009 10:43 AM

keep rockin it bro Prestonian
Silver Samurai





Jan 21 2009 6:31 PM

Hows the west coast treating you?
Scroll & Forest are: TREE OF CROWS





Jan 21 2009 2:14 PM

yo guy, dude my internet is to slow to send files right now, as soon as i get my lap top to a place that doesnt have caveman internet...il send dem shits, check the new beat to 1996
Beats by Confidence, 90’s hip hop is back





Jan 21 2009 11:38 PM

what up kid, it's been a minute, i hope everything is going well with you out west. peep some of these joints when you get a minute...
Photobucket
http://www. zshare. net/download/535266152a097201/
Top Notch





Jan 15 2009 4:03 PM

Hope all iz well
Keep it Top Notch..
momma said knock you out





Jan 10 2009 6:16 PM

just droppin in to see how things are mang hope alls well
be safe
Leedz Edutainment





Dec 17 2008 7:50 PM

Ramadi Asati





Oct 17 2008 11:34 PM

Photobucket
The Projectivity Movement





Dec 17 2008 5:24 AM

yoyo, hope you been well homey. i might be up at the new years show with scrollio. just wanted to touch base and with you and let you peoples know about Projected 3. Your track along side Brother Ali, Slug, LIttle Brother, The Higher Concept and more. We def want to collab on something for projected 4. let us know if you interested. take care homey.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT PROJECTED 3!!..




you can hear all the tracks hit us up for copies if you want. keep doing your thing, hope the holidays treat you well and 09 is great from you.

-tekstTHC
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