Comedian, rapper and cultural terrorist Zack Fox’s musical output has been surprisingly prolific for a man in such high demand from the broadcasting overlords. Lockdown gave a lot of artists time to explore vanity projects, and this has led to some top-notch esoteric content. First Zack gave us the tongue-in-busted-cheek fight anthem “Square Up”, one of a series of hilarious collaborations with producer Kenny Beats, not to mention a scene-stealing cameo in a recent Paris Texas video, now he has given us a rare glimpse into his jiggy side with new track “fafo”. Even the acronym, meaning “fuck around and find out”, has a real cheeky West Coast glint, like a rolling sunset caught in the reflection of some Solid Gold Grillz.
The beat, produced by BNYX, has an L.A. bounce but takes heavy influence from early Memphis rap, as does more music than we could ever know about, artists included. An addictive organ line takes us on a walk while the 808s and rolling sub-bass make the whole journey effortless. Zack Fox treads his usual line between satire, intensity and love for the art, which are harder to distinguish due to the fact the man can actually rap. Something in his comedic skill set includes the ability to drop some punchlines that a lot of “serious” rappers on the current scene couldn’t hit in their prime.
“Got Anita Baker boomin' out the 87 Buick
Steppin' in some Pumas but this molly got me booted
Hangin wit' my money talking to it like its human
N**** play me like a square I spin the block like its a Rubik's
She frightened by my diamonds how I'm shining Stanley Kubrick
Drip like Alex Mack I spent them racks and turned to fluid”
If quotables were the intended outcome here, Zack met his targets and got to go home early. When the solemn refrain “Nerdy n**** but I'm thuggin' it's the Zone 6 McLovin” is dropped, still in the first verse mind you, he is so clearly in his element that you wonder at the seemingly perpetual sacks of talent some people seem to produce and ship out wholesale. The second verse sees Zack take a sterner tone towards his opps, threatening them with misfortune while keeping the quips flowing.
“Face off with the gang now yo face is on some clothing
Hollows had that n**** vogueing
Draco turn him to a model hitting poses”
While many fans out there would love to think Zack Fox has been grinding behind the scenes on a surprise album to be dropped out of nowhere like Lemonade, but the reality is that he has probably spent most of his studio time taking shrooms, reading Murray Bookchin and recording extended stream-of-consciousness epics. If an album is finally released, a collectors’ edition featuring the most spaced-out cuts from these sessions would be imperative. If Zack can channel more of that “fafo” energy into a few more tracks, it will be a lyrical drive-by on the world, peppered with one-liners and a dash of thug introspection. Grab “fafo” here and watch out for Zack Fox, he will be attacking from every medium.
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