Bethlehem, PA rapper zO-AlonzO dropped “Dear Hip Hop” back in February 2024 to mark the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Produced by Dreamlife, recorded in one take, and mixed and mastered in a single afternoon at MBpro Studios by award-winning engineer Meatbeatz, the track weaves in references to Grandmaster Flash, Nas, Eminem, Tupac, Biggie, and Big L – not as name drops but as actual wordplay, folding their names, albums, and songs into punchlines and metaphors the way old-school lyricism demands. It performed to critical acclaim at a sold-out show at ArtsQuest at SteelStacks.
This track is an honest love letter to the genre and to the art form that has changed so many people’s lives, including zO-AlonzO‘s and mine. This art form gives people a voice unlike any other music, which is because of its emphasis on words and lyricism; its verbosity is why it works. This is what hip-hop is, and zO-AlonzO recognizes what hip-hop really is. It’s those who spoke their mind in a beautifully poetic way over simple and memorable beats, not the abomination of mumble rap that’s almost a bizarre Frankenstein combination of lazy pop and something that vaguely resembles hip-hop. zO-AlonzO delivers his love letter with the same ferocity, honesty, and heart as the songs and artists he admired so much.
“Dear Hip Hop” closes with a spoken word outro that lands with genuine gratitude rather than performance, which feels right for a track this personal. Personally, I’m waiting to see what zO-AlonzO does next.