ROX-TV gets an exclusive interview with the Detroit Demon, our homie Zitro. We talk about his history, the GOTJ 21 performance, and much more.

Welcome to the ROX-TV lab, we are always glad to speak with you. Before we get started, for the benefit of the readers just getting turned onto your work, what city is Zitro repping tonight?

Whuddup DOE!! This is Zitro reppin Detroit till I die! There is a HUGE misconception from people in this scene stating that I am from Southwest Detroit, or even Ecorse. Now don’t get me wrong, my START, when it came to performing WAS in Ecorse. I was just living with my cousin at the time. The truth is, I was born in Southwest Detroit, but my family and I moved when I was two years old. I’ve lived the rest of my life on the West Side of Detroit off Plymouth Rd. That’s all I knew until I was about 10 when I found out I was born in Southwest. So, I’m P-Rock ALL DAY!!

Your name is buzzing around the Juggalo community and for good reason. You have been getting your grind in and people are taking notice. Before we jump into the weeds, I’d like to talk about your history. I dig asking artists about how they drifted into the music. Can you remember the first time you really noticed music on a personal level? How old were you when music became important to you?

I was always into rap and pop music as a kid. My uncle would always play Tupac, Ice Cube, Dr Dre, etc… And my mom, she would always play Mariah Carey, Spice Girls. She’d also play Freestyle Music, like Stevie B, Lil Suzy, Rockell…. Stuff like that. But even though I loved listening to that music, I never would have thought of MAKING my own music. I was 12, and while riding the bus to school, there was a kid who was a beginning rapper, and was always freestyling almost every day. One day, during mid-freestyle, he focused his punchlines on ME. The only thing I really remember from it is that he called me a crayon.

 I’m not sure what the context was that made him call me that, but it was definitely good. My friends on the bus kept pushing me to try and diss him back, but at that moment, I had never thought about rap AT ALL. After HOURS of peer pressure, during the bus ride home, my friends convinced me that I should diss him back. So, I took the rest of my day writing and memorizing a diss that I could tell this kid, and make it seem like a freestyle.

Took me a few days, but I got it done. Later that week, I got on the bus, and the kid was freestyling again. As soon as I heard a break in his rap, I jumped in and spit what I had memorized. When I was done…. There was silence. I looked around at everyone and they all had this shocked look on their faces. The silence only lasted about 3 seconds but seemed like FOREVER. Then everyone said “YEAHHHHH LOS!!!! GOOD JOB!!!! YOU GOT HIM!!!!” Immediately after, the kid pulled me aside and told me that I did amazing and that he wanted to do a song with me just for fun. I told him I didn’t really know how to rap and that I didn’t have money for studio time, but he told me he had a small setup at his house, and I was more than welcome to go there.

My friends heard him tell me that, and once again peer pressured me into writing more music. After that, I started studying my favorite artists at the time and learning how they write, and how to use wordplay. The rest is history. I just wanted to keep learning, keep trying new things in music. I wanted to learn from the best, but also not be anything like the best, if that makes sense. I wanted to create my own sound…. And I succeeded.

Once you started to go down the rabbit hole with music, what were some of the earliest songs that got you excited?

Honestly, and it’s somewhat PERFECT timing now, but I started learning to rap from Will Smith. His “Willenium” album was on repeat for SO LONG. I was just a kid so if I was gonna learn to rap, it was gonna be without swear words. So Will was perfect for it. Soon after, I listened to Dr Dre’s “The Chronic 2001” on repeat as well. And just for fun, I had Backstreet Boys “Millennium”. Oddly enough, that’s the one that got me wanting to do more upbeat music. At that time, I didn’t have the internet, so all my knowledge and skill was being self-taught. It was all learned by simply listening to the tracks.

How long did it take you to go from being a fan of the sounds, to wanting to make your own music? What did those earliest attempts look like?

It wasn’t long. I had only written one verse since that battle and I wanted to do more but for almost two years I was just studying the craft of making music. Back in 2003, a friend of mine named Kenny Howell, who now goes by Noizecrusher, came up to me in-between classes and handed me a CD with some software on it. He told me it was Fruity Loops 4(now FL Studio). He told me that the program was used to make beats, and if I really wanted to do music, making beats on my own was a good way to start. So I took the program home, installed it on my PC, and started learning how to use that program as best as I could. The beats that I was making back then were not great by any means lol, but it taught me how to count bars and proper structure for creating music.

Once you started creating your own stuff, how long did it take you to get serious and start recording?

When I actually wanted to start recording, I began hunting for recording studios. Every single place I looked at was super expensive, and no one in my family was supporting the idea of me making music and helping me pay for studio time. So I took things into my own hands. I had gotten a little job at Subway, saved up about $300 and went to Guitar Center and bought the most basic essential recording package they had. It was only a simple condenser microphone, interface, mic stand, and pop filter. When I started recording, there were really no tutorial videos online back then because YouTube was barely a thing. Everything I learned about FL Studio was self-taught. There were months upon months of trial and error when it came to mixing vocals. I was just playing around and turning a bunch of knobs just to see what they did. I went in blind and somehow figured it out.

What was that first recording experience like? What were you working on?

My first recording experience was simply practice. I had only recorded a hook at the time. I just wanted to focus on mixing that. I had no plans to work on an album or anything. For years it was just working on mixing. I started working on my first album in 2006.

What was the first show you ever did in front of a live audience? How did it go?

My first ever show was actually opening up for my homies, Troubled Mindz, in Southgate, Michigan at the Modern Exchange. A former friend knew who they were at the time and introduced me to them. They were promoting a show on Myspace in 2007 I believe, and were looking for openers, so my former friend had told them about me and decided to go out on a limb and put me on.

I first seen you perform at Simons After Dark in 2021 I believe. (Dankish event perhaps?) You had serious energy on stage and the fans were into the performance. I remember you vividly with bright colors and unique style. How did that event come together, and do you remember that particular set?

My look has been steadily evolving as the years go on. Going from regular street clothes that were sometimes airbrushed, a low-cut fade with a hat, to now wearing Rockstar-Like attire and a mohawk. I just always constantly try to change up my look every now and then. I don’t quite like staying the same. And to answer that last part, I don’t particularly remember that set. I’ve done lots of shows at Simon’s, with Dankish as well, and I give 110% energy every single time. So for me to remember that without a show title or date, it would be almost impossible. Lol but I’m glad that the memory stuck with you!

I caught you again at the Gathering of the Juggalos in August of 2021 as well. I can only imagine what it was like performing at such a big event. What can you tell the readers at ROX-TV about your performance and anything that sticks out from that diabolic set? What is it like to perform at such a prestigious Juggalo event?

That performance was without a doubt the best I have ever done in my entire career. The video of my performances on my YouTube channel. Watching from the beginning, you can see that there weren’t many people out in the crowd. I kind of expected that, since I was a mainstage artist that not many people have heard of, I already had the feeling that it was going to be a small crowd. As my set continued more and more people were coming to the main stage from all directions. By the end of my set, there was an ocean of people at mainstage. The crazy part is, I didn’t notice that so many people were up there until after I was done with my performance. While I was up there, I had tunnel vision and sort of blacked out the crowd as I was performing. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime and something that I’ve wanted to accomplish in my career since the day that I became a Juggalo.

Obviously, you got some major shouts out on ICP’s Yum Yum Bedlam album notes:

“Thanks to our boy Zitro…”

What’s it like to get love like that from the Detroit Underground Legends Insane Clown Posse? To be thanked in the notes is a huge honor, I assume it was thrilling to say the least.

 That definitely caught me off guard! I had no idea they were going to mention me in the book at all. After I left the Yum Yum Bedlam Album Release Party, which I performed at, my inbox on Facebook, Instagram, and my text messages got blown up because I was mentioned! I couldn’t believe it! I was truly honored.

 

Most recently I caught your performance on the “Angels fall the furthest” Tour, during a stop at Simons After Dark in Allen Park. It was another high-level, high-energy show. What was it like sharing a billing with the one and only Ouija Macc? How did that show come about?

The promoter at that show hit me up about it. Of course, I could not turn it down. Ouija was going to be performing at my home venue? Say less! I’m there! I promoted hard as hell for that show, the crowd proved that, especially for a Wednesday!

Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse was in the building that night and it always is an honor when he graces a show in the Detroit area. What is your relationship with the Clowns and can we expect more Zitro appearances at Juggalo shows in the near future?

It’s nothing too crazy. We are just cool. Real recognizes real. But you can definitely expect more Zitro appearances at future Juggalo shows. Even if I don’t perform, I still try and be in attendance just to show support for the underground. Just like I did at Hallowicked and the New Year’s show.

Is there any news you’d like to tease out to the readers tonight about Zitro?

I’m wrapping up my new album called Nain Rouge. It’s definitely going to be something different but still keeping that off the wall vibe that everyone is used to. There’s no real tracks I can leak at the moment , but it will definitely be worth the wait. Should be coming out in the summer. No exact date yet. The next show that I have coming up is the Blaze and King Klick show in Ann Arbor, MI at the Blind Pig. There are lots of people already questioning why I’m doing that show(or even Camp Xul2). I will say it here as well, because I’ve said this on posts years ago, the only side that I stand on is my own side. This is all about music, not about who did what. I’m just hitting the stage and getting my name out there. I’m building my own fanbase. I don’t want people to like me because ICP said so, or anything like that. I want them to like me for my music. Who cares who I perform with. Keep that animosity with them, and stay bumpin’ that Z shit!

Where can the new fans find your material for consumption or to buy? Merch?

You can find my music on all streaming platforms, if you don’t feel like typing anything in, here is my Linktree for links to EVERYTHING including my merch store! If there is something on the merch store that you do not see, inbox me directly and we will work something out.

https://linktr.ee/therealzitro

What are you working on currently? Any collabs/projects?

No collabs at the moment, just focused on the album itself. I’ve been talking with lots of people to do collabs with, big names included, but those will all happen after I finish this album.

What is one piece of information you’d like to pass on to anyone thinking about getting into the music business? What to do? What not to do?

Expect a lot of sacrifice, rejection, and getting to the point of giving up. I still go through a lot of that to this day. You have to get into the mindset of never giving up, because you never truly know how close you are. I have been doing music for 20 plus years, and I’m just now building this name the right way!

Faygo or Vernors?

Faygo for a regular everyday drink, and Vernors for when I’m sick! LOL

Ringmaster or Riddle Box?

I would definitely have to go with the Riddle Box! Chicken Huntin'(Slaughter House Mix), Lil Somthin’ Somthin’, Ol’ Evil Eye… C’mon bro! Lol

What’s your favorite Venue in Detroit? Why?

I’m going to give two answers here… My favorite venue in Detroit would have to be the Fox Theater! I have never performed on that stage, but that would definitely be a major goal for me! But the favorite venue that I have performed at in Detroit, would have to be Harpos! A lot of people talk down on that venue, but I have so many good memories there, and I’ve done SO many big shows on that stage! I can’t say that it’s not my favorite.

Last but not least, the shout outs. Who is Zitro shouting out tonight?

First and foremost I would like to shout out my beautiful fiancé, Brandy or dealing with me for the past 12 years through all the craziness that this music industry brings. My children, because I wouldn’t be going as hard as I am now if it wasn’t for them. I became a father in 2010, and that is when my music stopped being about me, and started being about them. Next I wanna give a shout out to my manager Big Sherm! This man has gone above and beyond to do so many things for me that many people have always promised but never came to fruition. I honestly don’t know if there’s anything he can’t do! LOL!! Finally, I want to shout out some of my boys that I do music with that have been 100% real with me and have never tried to stab me in the back in any type of way… They are Bake Lo, Histio, Raymond Knight, Abe Link’d N, and Geno Live. As for all of my other boys, there’s a pretty long list, but you know who you are! I couldn’t do half of the stuff that I’m doing now without everyone’s cooperation as a whole.

Well that’s about all the time we have for this interview which is the first of the “concert season” that is upon us here at ROX-TV. We’ve been deep in the lab, working on top not-so-secret projects, new productions, and what have you. The grind never ends and we never stop working, so don’t be alarmed by a lull in the action. There is a lot of shit coming your way from the ROX-TV Universe so stay tuned. As always, thanks to the returning readers and the faithful who have stayed true. We will catch you on the flipside. Thanks to our homie Zitro for stopping by and chopping it up with us, it’s always a pleasure to be rolling with that cat.

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

shepard2909@hotmail.com