Deep jams with Philly native Zakee on the new “Tippin”

Zakee Kuduro spent most of his life in Philly, having grown up in West Philly and gotten his start in music DJing and producing in town. The past few years, he’s been something of a globetrotter, bouncing between Rio, New York, home and outer space. No, wait, we’re pretty sure he hasn’t been to space. But he’s consistently released genre-defying, boundary-pushing music rich in easygoing philosophies and a solid party vibe – including the underrated 2011 LP Assimilations. His latest, “Tippin’,” showed up yesterday on Okayplayer.com, who called it “the emotional maturation of the trap.” The song comes from his sophomore LP Rise of the Rebels, and the man himself had this to say:

Rise of the Rebels: Assimilations shows a side of me that only a select few get to see. This music represents my life growing up in West Philly while traveling around the world. My perspectives are a bit different but still grounded in the hood where I came from. It represents all those underdog moments of my life while paying homage.

Listen to “Tippin” below. For something even more thought provoking, check out Healing Walks, a powerful documentary short Zakee released this summer about tar sands mining, the Keystone XL pipeline and the effect these things have on the environment – particularly the indigenous peoples of Alberta, Canada.