ZuP

Dope verses, catchy melodies, unforgettable hooks. Zup's album is wall to wall full of great tracks. This is one underground artist that is clearly about to see the light of day. Anyone who wants to be on the cutting edge should grab this now before the rest of the world discovers how tight this album is. This album sound like Aesop Rock got in a fist fight in a dark alley with Kid Cudi, Sublime and the love child of Jay-Z and Denise Huxtable with whoever is listening coming out the winner. Definitely gonna be in my heavy rotation for a long time. - Timares

Dope verses, catchy melodies, unforgettable hooks. Zup's album is wall to wall full of great tracks. This is one underground artist that is clearly about to see the light of day. Anyone who wants to be on the cutting edge should grab this now before the rest of the world discovers how tight this album is. This album sound like Aesop Rock got in a fist fight in a dark alley with Kid Cudi, Sublime and the love child of Jay-Z and Denise Huxtable with whoever is listening coming out the winner. Definitely gonna be in my heavy rotation for a long time. - Timares

"Room To Grow" is the debut album of Cleveland producer, singer, and emcee Zup (previous alias' include Yung Zup and Wyte Out). Zup entered the underground rap scene in the early 2000's, crafting witty rhymes and punch lines with his friends, recorded from a bedroom closet. Eventually he discovered his real gift as a music producer, so he put the microphone down and began producing studio-quality music for other rappers and singers throughout Ohio. After a few guest spots singing hooks for these artists, he was convinced by friends and business associates to return to the studio as an artist to create his own album, showcasing his unique talents as a singer, rapper, and producer mixed into one. "Room To Grow" is 10 years in the making, and although Zup is currently independent, it would be hard to imagine him not getting recognition for this piece of art which is "Room To Grow".

The album begins with a voice mail introduction that leads us to the intro track "No Reason", a straight up, honest assessment of the current hip-hop culture and Zup's own acknowledgement of the difficult challenge he faces in getting this album recognized by the masses. Still, there is a certain confidence in his voice that suggests falling short of his goal wouldn't be the worst thing to happen. He still walks away with his wife, kids, and friends, and likely followed by dozens of wannabe rappers begging him for their next beat.

The next seven tracks are feel-good, fun, sing-along records that on the surface appear to be just that, but each is laced with its own subliminal message. They describe the difficulty of relationships and the complications that result when one drinks too much...or more like what happens when one drinks too much WHILE in a bad relationship! The songs are flat out catchy. If you aren't singing along to "Jenga" and dancing to "Stalkerazzi", you should probably make sure you still have a pulse.

The album then takes a drastic turn to a darker place with "Sounds Of Silence", a controversial song about a school shooting that Zup almost removed from the album after the Sandy Hook tragedy. It was later decided that a track like this needed to be heard no matter how painful it may be, so he kept it. The track will leave you speechless, but that's all I'll say about it for now. It is just too powerful for me to give anything away, and I'd rather it be heard than written about.

"Roses" follows "Sounds of Silence" and is hands-down the best track of the project. It is one of the most self-reflective, pillow-pounding songs you will ever hear. Zup goes hard...at himself, blaming himself for his shortcomings and reflecting on life moments that he is not proud of. He seems to question his life decisions throughout the record, but it ends with a bit of self-acceptance. If Drake, Kanye West, J.Cole, or Eminem were to write this exact same song and hook, it would be a Grammy winner. I have a feeling it won't be the last time we hear it. This song could very well be Zup's meal ticket.

The album closes with a two-track flashback to Zup's wedding day, the first of which is fittingly titled "Wedding Song". He takes you on a journey through the church he was married at, pointing out friends and family members who helped him along the way, and of course giving all the props in the world to his new wife, Tiffany. The track closes with his best man's wedding toast that was actually recorded live at the wedding, and the closing track "Cliché" was written by Zup for his wife and played for the first time at their reception.

There isn't much to complain about with this album. At under 48 minutes it is not too long, not too short, and really no two tracks sound alike. It is the perfect mix of rock, pop, and rap, easily transcending multiple genres and appealing to just about any fan of music in general. It should result in local success, but it's ability to perform nationally will depend on the promotional efforts made by Zup and his team. Here's hoping that "Room To Grow" will be more than just a local classic. (- JTB - "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)) - JTB

"Room To Grow" is the debut album of Cleveland producer, singer, and emcee Zup (previous alias' include Yung Zup and Wyte Out). Zup entered the underground rap scene in the early 2000's, crafting witty rhymes and punch lines with his friends, recorded from a bedroom closet. Eventually he discovered his real gift as a music producer, so he put the microphone down and began producing studio-quality music for other rappers and singers throughout Ohio. After a few guest spots singing hooks for these artists, he was convinced by friends and business associates to return to the studio as an artist to create his own album, showcasing his unique talents as a singer, rapper, and producer mixed into one. "Room To Grow" is 10 years in the making, and although Zup is currently independent, it would be hard to imagine him not getting recognition for this piece of art which is "Room To Grow".

The album begins with a voice mail introduction that leads us to the intro track "No Reason", a straight up, honest assessment of the current hip-hop culture and Zup's own acknowledgement of the difficult challenge he faces in getting this album recognized by the masses. Still, there is a certain confidence in his voice that suggests falling short of his goal wouldn't be the worst thing to happen. He still walks away with his wife, kids, and friends, and likely followed by dozens of wannabe rappers begging him for their next beat.

The next seven tracks are feel-good, fun, sing-along records that on the surface appear to be just that, but each is laced with its own subliminal message. They describe the difficulty of relationships and the complications that result when one drinks too much...or more like what happens when one drinks too much WHILE in a bad relationship! The songs are flat out catchy. If you aren't singing along to "Jenga" and dancing to "Stalkerazzi", you should probably make sure you still have a pulse.

The album then takes a drastic turn to a darker place with "Sounds Of Silence", a controversial song about a school shooting that Zup almost removed from the album after the Sandy Hook tragedy. It was later decided that a track like this needed to be heard no matter how painful it may be, so he kept it. The track will leave you speechless, but that's all I'll say about it for now. It is just too powerful for me to give anything away, and I'd rather it be heard than written about.

"Roses" follows "Sounds of Silence" and is hands-down the best track of the project. It is one of the most self-reflective, pillow-pounding songs you will ever hear. Zup goes hard...at himself, blaming himself for his shortcomings and reflecting on life moments that he is not proud of. He seems to question his life decisions throughout the record, but it ends with a bit of self-acceptance. If Drake, Kanye West, J.Cole, or Eminem were to write this exact same song and hook, it would be a Grammy winner. I have a feeling it won't be the last time we hear it. This song could very well be Zup's meal ticket.

The album closes with a two-track flashback to Zup's wedding day, the first of which is fittingly titled "Wedding Song". He takes you on a journey through the church he was married at, pointing out friends and family members who helped him along the way, and of course giving all the props in the world to his new wife, Tiffany. The track closes with his best man's wedding toast that was actually recorded live at the wedding, and the closing track "Cliché" was written by Zup for his wife and played for the first time at their reception.

There isn't much to complain about with this album. At under 48 minutes it is not too long, not too short, and really no two tracks sound alike. It is the perfect mix of rock, pop, and rap, easily transcending multiple genres and appealing to just about any fan of music in general. It should result in local success, but it's ability to perform nationally will depend on the promotional efforts made by Zup and his team. Here's hoping that "Room To Grow" will be more than just a local classic. (- JTB - "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)) - JTB