Zilla - Zilla Sh*t Pt. II Album Review

Artist: Zilla
Album: Zilla Sh*t Pt. II (Life As I Know It)
Label: TrapsNTrunks/Slow Motion Soundz/O’Third Ent.
Mixed & Hosted By: TrapsNTrunks, DJ Dow Jones, & DJ Dirty Money

In 2011 Huntsville, AL native Zilla started to grow a buzz with his “Zilla Sh*t” mixtape joining the ever growing list of Huntsville rappers to start making noise. Now a little over a year later Zilla drops Pt. II of “Zilla Sh*t” and this time has linked up with Huntsville’s OGs Slow Motion Soundz and Block Beataz production team along with enlisting some of Huntsville’s finest MCs to rhyme alongside him and his unique brand of dirty south gangsta rap.

The best production crew in hip hop, The Block Beataz, provides the backdrop for “Zilla Sh*t Pt. II” on all of the tracks on this album minus one (“L.U.V.” produced by Kash Kartel) so going into it you know Zilla is going to already have an excellent canvas to lay on his gangsta style of art. After a brief Intro Zilla kicks things off with a duet with one of the most respected MC’s in Huntsville: G-Side’s ST 2 Lettaz as the two come together for a “Monumental” affair. ST does his best to absolutely steal the show but Zilla is definitely able to hang in with the Huntsville Heavyweight. On “Why You So Sensitive?” Zilla goes after “weak a** n*ggaz” that’s “soft as a babies ass” and then absolutely flows his a** off on “Consistency”:

“give up everything just to see my whole team on/
its deeper than rap, we still in the trap, 10 toes we standing strong/
came from nothing, made me something, flipped that & made a lil’ bit mo/
yea the money come and go, but a n*gga need mo, so I hit that road/
put the south on my back, Alabama on the map, and told my city LETS GO/
now its hits back and forth in the middle of the yo cause I gotta carry that load/
if I don’t grind my kids don’t eat/
solid, strong, reinforced concrete/
foundation built off hope and a dream/
getting no younger/
ribs touchin my back, needa feed my hunger/”

Zilla is able to combine something that you can’t describe any other way than “gangsta” rap with also very sincere and sometimes touching rhymes as well which really comes on songs like “Consistency.” Zilla shouts out the syrup sippers on “Drank In My Cup” with a banger any H-Town representative would be proud of and then gets gully again on “F*ck You Mean” with one of the trillest opening verses you’ll find:

“if it aint about money don’t speak, zip it, hush/
I aint even tryin to hear that/
walkin round with ya chest poked out, woofin, n*ggas like me don’t fear that/
geekin’, popped 3 beans, strap off safe with the infrared beam/
walk around the city like, “f*ck yo team”/
“oh its f*ck my team? What the f*ck you mean?!” (UH OH!)/
yeah, don’t a damn thing move unless I say so/
all about that gaup: cheddar, mozzarella; let me get my pesos/”

Things take a less aggressive tone on “P.S.A.,” “Flashing Lights” (featuring an infectious Block Beataz beat and autotuned hook), and “On Our Own” which features a hook from longtime G-Side affiliate Chris Lee on the hook. Zilla successfully shows the gentler side of his gangsta and then switches up the tone again to a more contemplative theme on “Song Cry” which features a window rattling thumper from the Block Beataz as Zilla spits more personal bars about losing loved ones and Cunta brings his usual energetic bars about refusing to shed tears so he’ll just make the “Song Cry”. Definitely one of the highlights of the tape. Zilla takes it to the hashtag rap on “#Ionwannatalk” and then taking it back to the ladies on “L.U.V.” before closing out the tape with a collaboration with regular G. Mane affiliate Junebug on a song Zilla dedicates to the “real n*ggas” and the two take turns spitting about the streets.

Zilla seems to be getting better and better everytime he touches the mic and when adding the incredible Block Beataz behind the boards it only adds to his growth. Zilla threw something for everyone on this one from the ladies to the streets to even more deep thinking music lovers while boasting his unique and silky smooth flow. It’s hard not to get into that “Zilla Sh*t.”