User:RedlineDesigns1/sandbox

Summary
The Zodiac is an American-born rap underground artist from the suburbs of New Jersey. He is known over the internet as a lyricist focusing on the complicated rhyme skills and layered multi-syllable metaphors in each song. He's released a bevy of songs and albums online and collaborated with many producers and emcees. He continues to record and perform as a hobby releasing a full length CD every two to three years.

Hip Hop
At first, in 1984 when The Zodiac first heard "Sucker MC's" from Run-DMC, introduced to him by his brother, Neil, he didn't understand the music and wasn't into it at all. He was used to the smooth R&B his father would play on his record player each Saturday. A little later, The Zodiac saw the much more aggressive video to Run-DMC's "Rock Box" and what little interest he had in Hip-Hop was suddenly reversed. Suddenly, Run-DMC was his favorite group, "Sucker MCs" was played second to "Rock Box" and his love for Hip-Hop had begun.

From that time on, The Zodiac listened to Mr. Magic on New York's WBLS station each week and tuned into video programs such as Video Music Box, New York Hot Tracks, and Friday Night Videos. The Hip-Hop influence was in full swing and in 1987, The Zodiac wrote his first rhyme on his computer called "I Need Hate" modeled directly after LL Cool J's "I Need Love". A collection of lyrics in various parody's followed including "Dark Iron in the Minute of Panic" (Public Enemy's "Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos") and "Pull The Bullet" (Ice-T's "Squeeze The Trigger"). The Zodiac didn't have a rap name at the time and nobody at that time knew of his interest in writing lyrics.

The Zodiac's early influence from horror movies was heavily influenced in his early work and in some of his current songs. But in today's world, through maturity, his writing style has eased a bit from death and killing so violently to more mentally-intense and intelligent works. His focus is more on creating a scenario in one's head and leaving them to decipher his code or come to their own conclusion.

Name Origin
The Zodiac was influenced by The Zodiac Killer when he was in 8th grade. After viewing a video of serial killers that included the elusive San Francisco killer of the 1960's, a young Brent Whiting became intrigued since he had never heard of that particular murderer before. While in high school, Brent did extensive research on The Zodiac Killer finding information on how he not only murdered his victims but boasted to police and authorities through letter-writing and embedded codes.

In 1991 when The Zodiac entered college, he adopted the name Six-13 which represented his birthday, June 13. In college, he met fellow artists Ché Broadway, Merlin, and Manchild and had adopted the name The Zodiac: Six-13. Soon after, it was converted to Zodiac The Psycho Psynister which is the full name and title of "The Zodiac". For simplicity, The Zodiac was the fully used and common name. This name embodied Brent's rhyme technique as well as fused his namesake into the fold. Brent feels his lyrics are coded and left for others to decipher but by the time they do, he's onto the next song. The victims are the listeners or any emcee who stands in the way of his lyrical onslaught.

The Zodiac is adamant to not being referred or called "The Zodiac Killer". Although he adopted the name from the killer, The Zodiac doesn't praise his actions nor the insanity behind his murders. The Zodiac also doesn't call women "bitches" or say "nigga" or "nigger" in his rhymes. Unless used for a story in it's context, The Zodiac refrains from negative connotations of a people and it also shows a uniqueness in his delivery of content.

Influences
Music influences range from Michael Jackson's music ethic and willingness to take chances in style and change to Johnny Cash's ability tell a story with emotion with simplicity and humor. Bill Wither's has the same influence as Cash in the sense that he is able to pick a moment in time and write an entire song about it ("Sweet Wanomi", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Lovely Day"). In hip-hop, The Zodiac was influenced greatly by Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Ice-T, NWA,

Social Media
The Zodiac has embraced Social Media to spread his music, theories, ideologies, and overall attitude. Utilizing Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other services, The Zodiac has gained many new fans around the world and is constantly gaining.


 * The Zodiac on Facebook
 * The Zodiac on Twitter
 * The Zodiac on MySpace
 * The Zodiac on YouTube

Live Performances
The Zodiac has performed in many places over the years.


 * Rider University - Lawrenceville, NJ
 * Peppermint Lounge - New York City
 * Sidewalk Cafe - New York City
 * Butterfly Lounge - Brooklyn, NY
 * Five Pointz - Chinatown, NYC
 * North Shore Bar & Grill - Tucson, AZ

Discography
Solo Discs
 * Psyns Against Zod (1995)
 * Psynister: Chapter Six, Verse 13 (1995)
 * Trilogy (1996)
 * The 5ifth (1997)
 * Sixense (2000)
 * Sides of a Gemini (2002)
 * Zeta Omicron Delta (2004)
 * JUNEXIIITH (2006)
 * Survival Scrolls (2008)
 * ZODIOLOGIST (2011)
 * Zoddity (2015)

Other Discs
 * The Zodiac Mix CD (2003)
 * Black InQ -  12 Disciples Divided By 3  (2001)
 * Zetacide Vol 1 (2010)
 * Zetacide Vol 2 (2010)
 * Zetacide Vol 3 (2011)
 * Zetacide Vol 4 (2011)

Notable Songs

 * "Leave Me Alone" (from Sides of a Gemini and ZODIOLOGIST)
 * "Increase And Release (from Zeta Omicron Delta and ZODIOLOGIST)
 * "R.I.P." (from Zetacide Vol. 1)

Associations

 * Manchild (Black InQ)
 * Verbal Chemist (Black InQ)
 * Merlin (Black InQ)
 * Ché Broadway
 * Barf Brookz
 * Chinua Hawk
 * Shauno
 * Epic Savier
 * soce the elemental wizard