Chris DeLine

True perseverance resides on a sliding scale somewhere between working through life’s daily chores and its most tragic and unusual twists. Everyday everyone who survives can say “I have persevered!” but in the case of Seattle MC Elemental Zazen such a statement takes on a tremendously unfortunate extreme. In 2006, after already losing a family member, he was sent back to square one himself as his house burnt to the ground, taking along with it practically everything he owned. Still in his mid-20s, Zazen (born Jason Trefts) was diagnosed with a brain tumor the following year which found him being rushed into surgery. If we’re talking perseverance, I think we’re talking Elemental Zazen. Following his 2009 sophomore release The Glass Should Be Full (which can be downloaded for free via Potholes in My Blog) comes his latest album, Nothing To Lose But Change, boasting a deep cast of talented artists ranging from Jake One to Fashawn to Jean Grae. One other familiar face who jumps in on the album is Canibus, who complements Zazen’s relentless personal drive with his own focused snap on the J. Ferra-produced “Hollow Heart.”

[This post was first published by Culture Bully.]