True & Livin is a studio album by Zion I. It was released by Live Up Records in 2005.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The A.V. Club | favorable[1] |
| Blender |   [2] |
| Dusted Magazine | favorable[3] |
| East Bay Express | favorable[4] |
| HipHopDX | 7.5/10[5] |
| PopMatters |   [6] |
| Prefix | 7/10[7] |
| RapReviews.com | 9/10[8] |
| Vibe | favorable[9] |
| XLR8R | favorable[10] |
Kabir Hamid of Chicago Reader described the album as "soulful hip-hop that favors acoustic sounds over electronics, thoughtfulness over braggadocio, and spirit-enhancing grooves over testosterone-fueled beats."[11] Rachel Swan of East Bay Express wrote, "This is hip-hop without irony, geared for people who prefer feel-good vibes and songs with happy endings."[4] A.J. Wolosenko of Vibe wrote, "True & Livin' is an album full of contradictions, and that's what makes it so interesting and appealing."[9] Del F. Cowie of Exclaim! commented that "While past efforts dabbled with drum & bass and delved into melodic electronics and live instrumentation, this organic effort represents the most potent synthesis yet of their spiritually-infused hip-hop."[12]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "True" | 0:58 |
| 2. | "Doin' My Thang" | 3:28 |
| 3. | "Bird's Eye View" | 2:34 |
| 4. | "The Bay" | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Luv" | 3:25 |
| 6. | "Soo Tall" | 3:06 |
| 7. | "I Need Mo" | 4:27 |
| 8. | "Rockin'" | 1:16 |
| 9. | "Temperature" (featuring Talib Kweli) | 2:43 |
| 10. | "One Chance" | 4:11 |
| 11. | "Amerika" | 1:39 |
| 12. | "Poems 4 Post Modern Decay" (featuring Aesop Rock) | 4:25 |
| 13. | "Heads Up" | 2:48 |
| 14. | "Next to U" | 3:48 |
| 15. | "What U Hear" (featuring Del the Funky Homosapien) | 6:09 |
| 16. | "Stranger in My Home" (featuring Gift of Gab) | 3:49 |
| 17. | "Oh Lawd Blues" | 3:27 |
| 18. | "Livin'" | 3:14 |
References
- ^ Rabin, Nathan (May 17, 2005). "Zion I: True & Livin'". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Hsu, Hua. "Zion I : True & Livin'". Blender. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Drimmer, Josh (May 26, 2005). "Dusted Reviews: Zion I - True & Livin'". Dusted Magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ a b Swan, Rachel (April 13, 2005). "Zion-I". East Bay Express. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ J-23 (May 25, 2005). "Zion I - True & Livin'". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Braidwood, Stefan (May 11, 2005). "Zion I: True & Livin'". PopMatters. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Cpacifico (October 24, 2005). "Zion I - True and Livin'". Prefix. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Chan, Nin (April 26, 2005). "Zion I :: True & Livin'". RapReviews.com. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ a b Wolosenko, A.J. (May 17, 2005). "Zion I -True & Livin'". Vibe. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Mayo, James (June 14, 2005). "Zion I True & Livin'". XLR8R. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Hamid, Kabir (June 2, 2005). "Zion I, One.Be.Lo". Chicago Reader. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Cowie, Del F. (January 1, 2006). "Zion I's Home Life". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
External links
- True & Livin' at Discogs (list of releases)