In a crowded culture that constantly clamors for more quality content, Donteau “Zone00” Mazone stands out from the rest.
That sounds cliché – the kind of statement one makes in hopes of gaining a measure of extra attention. And in a world that sees 40,000 new single releases every week worldwide from independent artists with dreams of better lives, Zone00 knows it’s a bold statement. But as more and more people around the world discover this artist’s unique brand of music and signature sound, they’ve become believers.
Though his journey as a professional musician whose name is destined to be a household fixture began as a young child who fell in love with the legends of Hip Hop, it hasn’t been until recently that his development as an artist has come to full fruition. In 2019, he launched his career full-force by releasing two EPs. Those projects have gained some traction among fans of his in the South (he originally hails from Beaumont, Texas) as well as all along the West Coast. Operating out of Los Angeles, Zone00 has been putting together one hit track after another. And now in 2020, he’s ready to build off the success he saw last year.
He started the year off strong with the release of his EP “King of All Kings.” It’s a project that showcases his intriguing hybrid sound – a blend of different sounds and styles pulled from all of his favorite genres. Recorded at HandWrittenLA, the project has multiple singles that have caught the ears and attention of fans and industry insiders alike. Most recently, the song that seems to be gaining the most attention is the fun and in-your-face “Cuddy Buddy” recorded at the legendary Paramount Recording Studio in Hollywood, CA.
“It’s brash and unapologetic,” Zone00 said. “It’s about friends-with-benefits type of relationship. I’m bringing reality rap with bars on top of bars over the top of an up-tempo beat. I’m trying to come out of the gates really hard and aggressive with this song. I like that aggression and energy – like I’m putting my foot on people’s necks by coming with that energy. And when you hear the type of wordplay I bring with this song, you can only imagine my wordplay on other songs.”
Zone00 said he hopes the song will be his announcement to the world that he has arrived. In similar ways to Cardi B.’s “Bodak Yellow” – which was an aggressive, in-your-face track that pulls no punches and shows the world that Cardi is an artist who means business – Zone00’s “Cuddy Buddy” will be a shock to the system in ways that audiences will not be able to deny. But within that forceful delivery is nuance and an artistic excellence that showcase an entertainer who deserves to be recognized alongside some of the best in the industry today.
“I want to show people my talent and skill without then having a chance to miss the nuances of what I’m doing,” he said. “I want to let people get to know me with this song and then hit them with something else – like my single ‘Respect My G,’ which is a little more commercial. What sets me apart is when I do my music, I make it a point to make every line matter. ‘Cuddy Buddy’ has no filler lines – I’m not just putting a line in there to fill space. That’s death by a thousand cuts, provocative, fun, and nasty all at the same time.”
“Look, I get that it’s a saturated content market,” he continued. “I’m a big student of music and Hip Hop and I know that the biggest challenge I face is getting my voice heard in a crowded industry. Any artist today has to find a way to make themselves relevant. Over the long-term, you have to have some type of originality. That doesn’t always shine through at first because people are like hamsters on a wheel – they like what’s on the radio and they want that over and over again. But I’m going to try to stay in the lanes of what I’m familiar with. I’m going to make myself vulnerable in different stages of my music. I believe when you do that, people can feel you through the music and at the end of the day your music – my music – can be inspiring and elevate people.”
This year is going to be a big one for Zone00 … and it’s only the beginning.
