ZillaKami released his debut mixtape, DOG BOY, a project in which he mixes the two sides to himself: the rebelliousness of his exterior, and the mental health of his interior.
ZillaKami, most known for his collaboration with SosMula under the two artists’ reckless and intense duo title, City Morgue. In most City Morgue songs, listeners hear that heavy metal, twisted lyricism side of Zilla’s voice, most notably in tracks such as “SHINNERS13,” “BUAKAW” and “33rd Blakk Glass.” He has shown his melodic, softer-toned voice with City Morgue as well, in tracks such as “THE FALL BEFORE THE GIVE UP” and “PEELING SCABS.”
ZillaKami gave listeners the best of both worlds on DOG BOY when it comes to his two main styles of flow, but he also added in some new sounds, in tracks such as “Not Worth It,” the fourth single that was released before the mixtape itself dropped. This track has its own alternative rock, grunge rap twist, with ZillaKami’s softer flow and emo-like lyricism focusing on his intrusive thoughts
“Everybody loves me, but I don't deserve it / Because I don't even know, I don't even know my purpose / You'll soon realize in your heart that it wasn't worth it / Just like everybody does, everybody does,” ZillaKami expressed on “Not Worth It.”
ZillaKami and long-time producer Yung Germ take Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and put their own twist to it on “Hello,” in which part of the chorus consists of Zilla calling out a Cobain-inspired “hello,” and the guitar riffs are clearly influenced by the infamous Nirvana track. The verses on “Hello” sound pretty random, but if you know ZillaKami, you know about his ability to spout some interesting stories in his tracks.
“Hello, the universe and me, we can be friends, I can tell / But you can't stand me, and that's something I can smell / The way you fear me, and I fear in you as well / Now let's make anarchy, let's all make anarchy,” ZillaKami gives us a look into his head on the chorus of “Hello.”
The heavy metal inspiration of “631 MAKES ME” is hard not to rage to. Zilla gives listeners more of what we love from him: his epic, intense lyricism in his iconic raspy tone. The track is followed by another rage track, “IHY,” one with lyricism that is perfect to scream along with to let out inner anger.
“I hate everybody, I hatе everyone (Hate) /I hate everybody, I keep fuckin' up (Wait) / I hate everybody, I hate everyone (Hate) / I hate everybody, I keep fuckin' up (Wait),” Zilla spits on “IHY.”
Toward the end of DOG BOY, Zilla slows it down a bit, with “Black Cats,” “dedgrl” and “FROSTY.” On these tracks, we hear Zilla open up about his mental health. “Black Cats” is about Zilla’s experience as someone with terrible luck that has caused his mental health to deteriorate to the point where it has taken a toll on his social life. No one around him can save him because he does not make it obvious that he is struggling mentally.
Zilla opens up on “Black Cats,” “I can't save the world if I can't save myself / Gun pointed at my mental health / Squeezin' on the trigger if it makes me well, please / Nobody can help shit that they can't see.”
On “FROSTY,” ZillaKami gives an inside look into the mind of someone with depression. This track may seem comfortable to those who resonate with Zilla when it comes to depression because Zilla puts into words how they feel on the daily. There are not many lyrics, and each line is short, but through his tone, listeners can tell this track hits home for Zilla. Listening to “FROSTY” is like listening to Zilla have an open conversation with his own mind about how his depression leads him to cope in grim ways.
Zilla expresses on “FROSTY,” “Hello, depression / I hear your message / Still don't understand (Oh) / I know we're hurting / Drugging and doping / Death by our own hands (Oh).”
Although ZillaKami has been igniting tracks with his flows for years with City Morgue, DOG BOY gave listeners more of an understanding of him as an individual. The project and his willingness to be vulnerable about his inner thoughts prove that the young artist has a huge future both as a solo artist and with City Morgue.
Listen to DOG BOY below:
All Photos by Slickjackson