Z-Ro | |
|---|---|
 Z-Ro in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Joseph Wayne McVey IV[1] |
| Also known as | The Mo City Don[2] |
| Born | (1977-01-19)January 19, 1977 (age 48)[1][3] Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Missouri City, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Southern hip hop |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | EMPIRE |
Joseph Wayne McVey IV (born January 19, 1977), better known by his stage namesZ-Ro andthe Mo City Don, is an Americanrapper fromHouston, Texas. He was named one of America's most underrated rappers byThe New York Times in 2007.[4]
Z-Ro was born Joseph Wayne McVey IV in Houston'sSouth Park neighborhood on January 19, 1977.[5] When he was six, his mother died, and he was shuttled from household to household in search of stability, eventually settling in the Ridgemont area, a middle-class neighborhood in Southwest Houston near the suburb ofMissouri City.[5] When Z-Ro reached his late teens he was unemployed and resorted to drug dealing and hustling on the streets.[5] According to Z-Ro, listening to the music of2pac,Geto Boys,Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Street Military, K-Rino and Klondike Kat inspired him to work harder for his goal of leaving the streets.[5] Z-Ro discovered his talent offreestyle rapping and after going through a couple of recording studios to make a demo,[5] the CEO of a local label discovered and signed him.
Z-Ro released his critically acclaimed Rap-a-Lot debut titledThe Life of Joseph W. McVey.[5][6] The record was a huge success and helped expand Z-Ro's fan base beyond the South.[5] In 2005, Z-Ro releasedLet the Truth Be Told, which was well received.[5] Z-Ro's 2006 albumI'm Still Livin' was released while he was imprisoned fordrug possession, to positive reviews.[7][8] It was called "a great album... powerful" but "relentlessly bleak" byThe Village Voice[7] and "one of the best rap albums to come out of Houston" by theHouston Chronicle.[9] In 2010 he released the album titledHeroin, which was followed by an album titledMeth in 2011 and thenAngel Dust in 2012.
Z-Ro released his firstEP under The Mo City Don titledTripolar on August 25, 2013, via One Deep Ent.[2] Z-Ro then followed up withThe Crown in June 2014.[10] In February 2015, Z-Ro released his first proper studio album in three years, titledMelting the Crown.
In 2016, Z-Ro releasedDrankin & Drivin in August[11] andLegendary in November under his label One Deep Entertainment.
In 2017, Z-Ro announced he was retiring and releasedNo Love Boulevard in June as his final album.[12] He came out of retirement 6 months later and releasedCodeine in December.
In 2018, Z-Ro releasedSadism on November 16 under One Deep Entertainment and was distributed byEMPIRE.[13]
In 2020, Z-Ro released anEP titledQuarantine, The Social Distancing EP with appearances from rapperBoosie Badazz,Slim Thug, Lanlawd and late rapper Wicket Cricket. He then later released an album titledRohammad Ali on June 26.[14]
In 2021, Z-Ro along withS.U.C. rapper Mike D released a collaboration album titled2 The Hardway with appearances fromSlim Thug,Lil' Keke, Beanz from the production duo,Beanz N Kornbread, Klondike Kat, Grace from Grace Boys, Duke Gutta, Oticia Redmond,C-Note,Big Pokey, andLil' O.[15]
In 2022, in a statement toXXL, Z-Ro claimsTrae Tha Truth asked to talk to him outside a Houston Restaurant before he allegedly sucker punched him. After that, several men jumped in and continued to assault him.[16]
On July 26, 2017, Z-Ro was arrested after his ex-girlfriend, Just Brittany, accused him of beating her three months earlier. Z-Ro told the media that Brittany was using this accusation to get more publicity for herself as she is also appearing in a reality show on television.[17] On October 10, a grand jury dropped the felony charges.[18] The next day, theHarris County, Texas, district attorney filed misdemeanor charges against Z-Ro on the same alleged incident.[19] The case was later dismissed in January 2019 after Z-Ro completed a batterer intervention program.[20]
+ List of albums, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
| Year | Title | Chart positions[21] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | U.S. R&B | ||
| 1998 | Look What You Did to Me | — | — |
| 2000 | Z-Ro vs. the World | — | 90 |
| 2001 | King of da Ghetto | — | — |
| 2002 | Screwed Up Click Representa | — | 58 |
| 2002 | Z-Ro | — | — |
| 2002 | Life | — | 57 |
| 2003 | Z-Ro Tolerance | — | — |
| 2004 | The Life of Joseph W. McVey | 170 | 27 |
| 2005 | Let the Truth Be Told | 69 | 14 |
| 2006 | I'm Still Livin' | 75 | 14 |
| 2007 | King of tha Ghetto: Power | 197 | 32 |
| 2008 | Crack | 48 | 12 |
| 2009 | Cocaine | 147 | 19 |
| 2010 | Heroin | 142 | 29 |
| 2011 | Meth | 90 | 12 |
| 2012 | Angel Dust | 120 | 17 |
| 2014 | The Crown | — | — |
| 2015 | Melting the Crown | — | 16 |
| 2016 | Drankin' & Drivin' | 99 | 7 |
| 2016 | Legendary | — | 15 |
| 2017 | No Love Boulevard | 135 | 46 |
| 2017 | Codeine | — | 41 |
| 2018 | Sadism | — | 24 |
| 2020 | Rohammad Ali | — | — |
| 2022 | Pressure | — | — |
| 2024 | The Ghetto Gospel | — | — |
| 2024 | Call Me Rother | — | — |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
