Usually when you have a producer who can rap and sing, the production skills are so much greater than the latter that if possible, you’d recommend that they quit rapping or singing and stick to producing. However, the Pretorian creative Zoocci Coke Dope excels in all aspects, everything he touches turns into gold, both as a producer and artist. He has produced and featured in a number of great records this year including DJ Speedsta’s I Don’t Know, DJ Trix’s Dope, Big Star’s Flavors and many more, the list is really endless.
He has now prolonged the list with his 9 record debut EP titled Morning Star; which shares stories of how naysayers always said that he wouldn’t make it when he was starting out.
He opens the extended play with the title track Morning Star going straight to the point saying, “They really thought I wasn’t going to be a star/ they were hating, they were dissing from afar/ I couldn’t sleep I had a lion in my heart, But it wasn’t all in vein so here we are.” On the song he also opens up about his relationship with his parents, his late dad who he never really got to spend much time with and his mother who he is trying to make time for despite his busy schedule. The sincerity in this song will have you in your feelings, it’s too deep. “I spend too much time in the studio, turning knobs making songs perfect, fixing up trying to make music perfect that’s why I hate going outside. Ain’t no knobs to make life perfect, that doesn’t stop me from trying/” He wraps up this immaculate record with a justified brag, he has been putting in work with no signs of stopping, so yeah he can run his mouth. “I don’t really fear no body n?%ga, when it comes to these f?ck?n melodies and these beats n?gg?, any n?gg? Can get it n?gg?”
On the second song Mr. Nice Guy which features Kid X, Zoocci comes to the realisation that being a nice guy will never get him where he wants to be, so he switched up and now he’s well connected, winning and making his folks proud: “Daddy proud in a coffin, mama famous at the office.” Kid X swings through well with a solid verse, rapping about the things that being a nice guy won’t get him; “No more Mr. Nice Guy, cause that don’t put no gas up in my tank/ so all these girls want is a nice time and my n?gg? that’s going to blow the bank bluh/“ As usual, the Rap Lyf rapper leaves you with some food for thought: “I’m hella spicy, I left them over biter,” “You in a better place somehow I am still where you'd rather be.” Love his delivery, so confident and captivating. This is a dope record, Zoocci and X makes a good combination.
The next record titled Nobody features Ginger Trill and the boys come together to share stories of how hard they had to work for what they have today with no favours or help from anyone. **“I remember they was laughing I was working, now it’s paying off and it was hella worth it, long nights long days, when I needed you you weren’t there/” Impeccable joint effort. I love how Trill switched flows on his verse, very catchy.
On No Love Zoocci narrates a story of a girl who is broken because of her bad taste in association with boys. She always chooses guys who don’t love her although she thinks they do because of all the things they do for her. Now she's broken and she feels like all guys are the same but that’s merely because she never gave a real guy a chance, she’s always after one’s possessions. The song's well executed over immaculate banging 808's.
A co-sign is a great deal in the Hip Hop world, so collaborating with certain artists you hold in high-regard should be an achievement you can pop bottles for. I Knew featuring Stogie T and Die Mondez, is a celebratory record. Zoocci celebrates proving the naysayers wrong and provides proof in the form of god MC Stogie T who further proves to people that he really made it. “Had a session with Stogie, knew I had made it I went home started celebrating” A matchless record, everything from production to execution is riveting. Die Mondez held nothing back, he gave it his all; his verse is eloquent. Stogie’s verse is mind-blowing; love the witty usage of words.
On For Real with the aid of BFLR, marvelous production and a mollifying hook, Zoocci introduces Boitumelo to us; a girl who changed his ways of having multiple girls, now he just wants to be hers only. This girl really hit home for the boy, he’s even bringing out his A-game with the melodies singing his lungs out. 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the song, the boy pours his heart out to the utmost level: “I plan forever with you and I/ I will do anything too see you smile/ I get lost when I look in your eyes/ Sometimes I think this love is going to be my demise/ it’s a lot, I have no control/ I tell you that I love you but you’ll never know just how much you really make me feel/ Ain’t got time for nonsense so let’s keep it real/ I know that we together but I want you still/” Great voice control and accurate emotional range, sounds so sincere. It actually inflicts loyalty and faithfulness into you; it makes you yearn for this kind of love, untainted.
The closing track Too Late is a public service announcement to every mad folk who said he wouldn’t make it, the boy made it and what you say now doesn't matter at all 'cause he’s focused on getting the money.
“I really understand you; if I was you I’d be mad too/
I am only doing what I am supposed to do; I recommend you do the same too/
Too late, too late, I used to listen to you now you too late/
You too late you too late opinion used to matter now you too late/” On the second verse the lad again touches on not having adequate time for his proud mom; “Mama called me just the other day just to tell me she proud/
Lord knows I don’t see her very much/
Lord knows that I love her very much/
And she’s the reason why I stay flexing working on you niggas/
Gave me all the talent that is now murking on you n?gg?”
Deducing from the quoted lyrics it is evident that his mother now understands why he’s always absent, he’s out there making her proud and making wealth for the family. Dope record.
I love this EP, it’s very relatable and vibrant. Love the whole story told here and how it was done, from production to collaborative efforts, everything came together well. The auto-tune was also neatly applied making the project sound amazing.
Click the link below to check it out:
