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Zero

Who's gonna continue the legacy of RJD2, J. Rawls, Jakki the Motamouth, Blueprint and DJ Przm? It's a question that many OGs of the Bustown scene have pondered as the need for health insurance and eight hours of sleep starts to outweigh the desire to congregate at Bernie's every Sunday night.

Enter 23-year-old Karrio Ballard, aka Zero, who earned his stripes by battling and as a member of Him and Me alongside Columbus' Meta4ce. Zero solidified his solo presence at the end of 2005 by delivering the uncompromising EP The Problem Child, on which he displayed the same mid-'90s East Coast sensibility that has long made people say "From where?" when hearing our city's spitters.

The EP follows the stylistic lineage of technical NYC emceeing, falling on the on the same continuum that includes Percee P, Kool G Rap and modern mixtape heroes like Papoose and Grafh. The production, handled by Reedic, Amos Famous and Columbus vet Przm, matches perfectly, recalling Pete Rock, DJ Premier and RZA.

But style isn't enough in the Midwest and the indie rap market, where your character is your only marketing tool, and Zero prides himself on presenting an honesty in his lyrics. He touches on many traditional hip-hop topics while also calling for purity in the genre, and there's a very human element as his frustration with day-to-day life boils to the surface.

"I get angry. I get depressed. I feel sad. I'm happy. I get drunk. I like naked women, but I'll probably say 'bitches.' Everyone has their problems," he says. "Rap is so fucked up now because [emcees] are afraid to be who they are, 'cause they're afraid people won't accept that.... Shit is crazy."

—Wes Flexner

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January 26, 2006