“Scumbag” is a Great Comeback for Young Zee (EP Review)

Young Zee is a 51 year old MC from Newark, New Jersey who came up in the early 90s as a founding member of the Outsidaz. He then branched out solo in ‘96 with the full-length debut Musical Meltdown, which was followed up 16 years later with the Mr. Green-produced 1 Crazy Weekend. Fast forward a decade later, Zee’s returning once more by dropping a debut EP under the newly formed Hand to Hand Records based out in Australia.

“D.N.A. (Dat N***a Ass)” is an unsettling boom bap opener where Zee’s just ripping on everyone’s favorite rapper whereas “Monkey Bars” with Vinnie Paz almost has a bit of a Middle Eastern flare to the instrumental bragging about how sick their rhymes are. The title track responds to those asking why he doesn’t speak on himself or his relationships over a mystic beat just before “Slave Son” is a deranged piano ballad talking about his grandpa.

The song “S.T.F.U. (Shut the Fuck Up)” with Pacewon finds the 2 heinously reminding everyone to keep their mouths shut when they’re talking, but then the penultimate track “Go Fund Me” works in an alluring vocal sample to get back in his battle rap bag even though R’s verse is probably the weakest on the project. ”Tonight” with Rah Digga however ends the EP on a cinematic note saying they don’t wanna shoot no one.

For anyone who missed the Outsidaz de facto leader as much as I did, then do yourself a favor & PLEASE give Scumbag a listen because I think it’s a great comeback effort. Flu’s production from front to back is incredibly dark & Zee’s casually destroying mics like he never went away for a decade.

Score: 8/10