Z-Ro
South Park-born Houston rapper Joseph McVey, the Mo City Don, known for raw, melodic street records on Rap-A-Lot and his work with the Screwed Up Click and ABN.
South Park and Mo City
Joseph Wayne McVey was born on January 19, 1977, in Houston's South Park neighborhood. After his mother died when he was six, he eventually settled in the Ridgemont area of southwest Houston near Missouri City, which gave rise to his nickname, the Mo City Don. He became affiliated with DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click.
Independent beginnings
Z-Ro released his debut album “Look What You Did to Me” through the Houston label Fisherboy in 1998. He recorded with the group Guerilla Maab on “Rise” (1999) and “Resurrected” (2002), and with Trae tha Truth he formed the duo ABN, releasing “Assholes by Nature” in 2003 and “It Is What It Is” in 2008.
Rap-A-Lot years
After signing with Rap-A-Lot, he issued “The Life of Joseph W. McVey” (2004), which drew strong reviews, followed by “Let the Truth Be Told,” released on April 12, 2005, through Rap-A-Lot, Asylum and Atlantic. That album opened with “Mo City Don,” featured guests including Devin the Dude, Paul Wall, Juvenile and Lil' Flip, and reached No. 69 on the Billboard 200. Next came “I'm Still Livin'” (2006), which reached No. 75. “Crack” (2008) became his highest-charting album at No. 48, and a series of drug-titled releases continued with “Cocaine” (2009), “Heroin” (2010), “Meth” (2011) and “Angel Dust” (2012). In 2007 the New York Times called him one of the most underrated rappers in America.
Later releases
Working with One Deep and the distributor Empire, Z-Ro released “Drankin' & Drivin'” (2016), which reached No. 99, and “No Love Boulevard” (2017), which reached No. 135, keeping up a prolific independent output rooted in the Screwed Up Click tradition.
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