Zion I was an American hip hop project founded by MC and producer Baba Zumbi (real name Stephen Gaines) in Oakland, California. K-Genius and Amp Live were also project members. Career Originally formed as a group, Zion I released the debut studio album, Mind over Matter, in 2000. It was nominated for "Independent Album of the Year" by The Source. Deep Water Slang V2.0 was released in 2003. In 2005, Zion I released True & Livin'. It featured guest appearances from Gift of Gab, Talib Kweli, and Aesop Rock. Heroes in the City of Dope, the first collaborative album with The Grouch, was released in 2006. In 2009, Zion I released The Takeover. In 2010, Zion I released Atomic Clock. Heroes in the Healing of the Nation, the second collaborative studio album with The Grouch, was released in 2011. In 2012, Zion I released Shadowboxing, which was included on SF Weeklys "10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012" list. In 2015, Amp Live left the group, and Zion I became Baba Zumbi's one-man project. In 2016, Zion I released The Labyrinth, their first studio album not to include Amp Live. On August 13, 2021, Zumbi died at the age of 49 of unknown causes after being hospitalized with COVID-19. On August 20, 2021, the Gaines family announced that they hired attorneys to investigate what they believed was a suspicious death at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. Members Baba Zumbi – rapper (1996–2021) K-Genius – DJ (2000–2002) Amp Live – producer, DJ (1996–2015) Discography Studio albums Mind over Matter (2000) Deep Water Slang V2.0 (2003) True & Livin' (2005) Break a Dawn (2006) Heroes in the City of Dope (2006) The Takeover (2009) Atomic Clock (2010) Heroes in the Healing of the Nation (2011) Shadowboxing (2012) The Labyrinth (2016) Stay Woke (2016) (with Mikos Da Gawd) The Tonite Show with Zion I (2018) Ritual Mystik (2018) Compilation albums Curb Servin': The Mixtape Sessions (2003) Politicks: Collabs & B-Sides (2004) Family Business (2004) The Alpha:1996-2006 (2006) Science of Breath (2006) Street Legends (2007) The Search & The Seizure (2008) Bringers of the Dawn (2009) Zion I Sampler (2010) Live at KEXP Vol. 5 (2009) Hella Fresh Fest (2013) The Rapture: Live from Oaklandia (2015) Street Legends Volume 2 (2017) EPs Enter the Woods (1997) New Dimensions (1998) Starship (1998) Chapter 4 (1999) The Vapors (2013) The Masters of Ceremony (2014) Libations