Z-Ro is one of the most honest artists in Hip hop. He never hides his struggles, emotions or failures; in fact he does the opposite. Every album is an open book, complete with drama, tragedy and an artist wrestling with it all. Following up 2008’s acclaimed Crack, Heroin is no different; it’s an honest effort from one of Texas’ finest.
Heroin starts with its best production effort on “Never Let Go” where Z-Ro shines. Over a beat that is reminscent of work from former label-mate Scarface‘s The Fix, Z-Ro takes his confidence to another world. From there, the ABN emcee flips the script and goes with a commercial oriented feel. It is an initially disappointing, but in the scope of the project it makes sense. Throughout the album, Z-Ro experiences mood swings, both in the content and in the style. On “DenZel Washington” 
you get pure confidence, and a few tracks later “Blast Myself” shows the desperate side of solitude. Like depression, Z-Ro rides his highs and digs deep into his lows, and the art that comes of it is honest and telling. It doesn’t mean that the beginning of the album isn’t without flaws, but it does mean that those flaws seem deliberate. The at times tired content, on tracks like “Boss” puts “Do Bad On My Own” in perspective. Furthermore, even on cliché tracks, Z-Ro’s gift of harmonizing with the track is showcased.
Four tracks into Heroin, Z-Ro dives into a more personal narrative. “Thug Nigga” is deeper than the title suggests, while “Blast Myself” sees Z-Ro at his best. Lyrics like, “I ain’t trying to be a role model, but I am / what kind of role model get arrested for 300 grams? / I struggle with my addiction, I ain’t perfect / I realize it’s bringing me closer to my grave, so maybe it’s worth it” are haunting. The track is everything that Celebrity Rehab and other reality driven drug abuse shows attempt to capture. The building beat, with Z-Ro attacking it to perfection makes it one of the better tracks released this year. “Blast Myself” is followed by the very good “Do Bad on my Own.”
The production on this album varies between a ’90s Rap-A Lot vibe, and the modern day Houston sound. At times, the board-work seems to lack the instrumentation necessary in order to make it great. Even a very dope effort on “Blast Myself” had the potential to be classic with extra polish. With that said, evaluating Z-Ro’s production is like evaluating Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony beats. Their vocal harmonies are so distinctive that they change the entire texture of the music. Z-Ro’s vocal abilities and unique delivery and voice can allow for below average production to appear solid and in the case of “Blast Myself” good production to seem near great.
With the exception of good guest spots from Paul Wall and Chamillionaire, the remainder of features leave a lot to be desired. Lil Flip disappoints, as does Mike D. Also, cliché subject matter is sprinkled throughout the project. “Drive Me Wild” is out of place while “Gangsta Girl” is quite simply bad. “Move Ya Body” sees Z-Ro embracing a Reggae/Dancehall influence. The result is awkward and by all means a failure. Luckily for Z-Ro and this project, the good severely outweighs the bad.
Heroin is another solid addition to Z-Ro’s rather remarkable, definitely extensive catalogue. The listener is educated with more insight on the man’s struggles and blessed to listen to an artist who is superb at his craft. The album has its flaws but unlike many of his peers, Z-Ro brings forth an album that sounds complete. The ups and downs of the project make sense, and in the end, Z-Ro delivers another good album.
I want The Roots review!!!
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Cocaine is better. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could. Worth picking up if your a Z-ro fan.
YO GIVE ME A ROOTS REVIEW !!! THIS NIGGA IS BOOTIE !!! HHDX STOP IGNORING THEM!
YO GIVE ME A ROOTS REVIEW !!! THIS NIGGA IS BOOTIE !!! HHDX STOP IGNORING THEM! EMINEM’S GOT REVIEWED LIKE A FUCKIN WEEK BEFORE IT DROPPED. FUCK!
THIS NIGGA IS BOOTIE! GIVE ME A ROOTS REVIEW!!!!!!! BEST ALBUM THIS YEAR IMO!
Why doesn’t Rap-A-Lot treat this man better?
I guess once your contract is up, they throw something out there for you to cop…..like Devin’s Hi Life.
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Man this nigga is wack now this isn’t the same rapper frm 7-10 yrs ago wake up all this nigga raps about is “oh idont have any friends wahh wahh I roll one deep blah blah”that’s all he is
And Jeezy just raps about hustling, Gucci about utter bullshit, etc. All rappers have their content and style. All of ‘Ro’s songs aren’t depressing, but it is a common theme, so don’t listen if you don’t want to.
People love the music, and there’s no reason to stop supplying the same great stuff.
Changing for the sake of change isn’t very productive at all.
I like the new tracks on the album, although I don’t care for the sloppy arrangement and the whole R-A-L label issues.
NIGGA THAT WHO WE GOIN OUT HERR NI52A, FUCC U ONE DEEP, TILL I DIE…
wat up ro im a fan but i must admit ur best album was 3-4yrs ago!!! “DA TRUTH”
not the best z-ro album, but a bad z-ro album is like any other rappers good album.
And I’m here wondering and patiently waiting for The Roots review… Damn that album is amazing or at least to me, The Roots are so consistent quality-wise. They’re so good, How I Got Over is one of my favorite albums this year so far! I’m so going to buy it, deserves the cop. 😀
I’ve only listened to a couple of tracks of this Z-Ro album and it wasn’t that bad at all to be honest.
not ros best but its still throwed as hell
Hatin ass biased ass east coast reviewer.this album is fiya not like that wack ass shit Kanye or Gay Z putting out.U ask for real hip hop, here it is
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songs were out of place becuz rap a lot put the shit together sum old and sum new….. most of the songs are on that cocaine album……the reveiwer need to get his info game up
@Bam123939 that’s what I’m saying!!!!! Where is “How I Got Over” review at? ya’ll put bullshit up but forget about The Roots?????????????????????/
fuck this crack head
Damn Z-Ro, ripped off Scarface “The Fix” album cover lol. I might give this a second hand listen if one of my homies cop it.
Rap-A-Lot threw this album together and it still is better than Drakes album!! I Bought it without a listen and will continue to support your favorite rappers favorite rapper!! Angel Dust the real NEW Z-Ro album coming soon!!
Here a lot of people speaking how he this and that as opposed to other more mainstream southern rappers. So, I go to listen and I don’t hear it. He sings and does the whole melody thing just as much or more than 50 Cent or Ja Rule, nothing wrong with that but I didn’t get anything raw out of this.
I gotta check this album out. I see all these lames hating on Ro. At least he’s rappin about some real shit unlike these wack ass pop gimmicks these days.
Some alright stuff as always from ro, but many of these tracks were on the 2cd cocaine mixtape. And other stuff sounds reused also. Hence – feels more like a compilation than album.
Jizzms Everywhere
THIS NIGGA IS BOOTIE GIVE ME A ROOTS REVIEW!!!!!
dope one of the best from houston
I’d give it a 3 but I’m marking it as a five becuase of all these trolls giving it a one.
Its always you 32 slim jean wearing fags wit something to say. It ok do what you do an oh yeah like the song says mybe you should blast yourself homo’s. Ro one of the best to come out of H-TOWN with one of the best flows, an oh yeah pull up your pants your showing everyone your thong.
of all the lines in the song, that one grabbed yr attention ,its not a raw line infact mad simple woah i think big oso is wet behind the ears
Gettin hated on by sum1 I discribed to a t, bonghitsofbluntroaches wats a matter cant afford a whole sack broke homo. bet ur that homie that no one passes the blunt to so u pickem up from the ground when they done wit it.
I’d give it a 3 but I’m marking it as a five becuase of all these trolls giving it a one [2]
nice beats and flow
RAP A LOT THREW THIS ALBUM TOGETHER THIS IS NOT A OFFICAL Z-RO ALBUM>>>>RAP ALOT THREW THIS ALBUM TOGETHER THIS IS NOT A OFFICAL Z-RO ALBUM
i said RAP A LOT THREW THIS ALBUM TOGETHER THIS IS NOT A OFFICAL Z-RO ALBUM>>>>RAP ALOT THREW THIS ALBUM TOGETHER THIS IS NOT A OFFICAL Z-RO ALBUM
THIS IS SOME B.S ..RAP A LOT THREW THIS ALBUM TOGETHER THIS IS NOT A OFFICAL Z-RO ALBUM>>>>RAP ALOT THREW THIS ALBUM TOGETHER THIS IS NOT A OFFICAL Z-RO ALBUM..
Why cant anybody see that this nigga ro is raw as fuck mayne? He seperates himself from other rappers cuz he speaks tha truth and thats what reel hip hop is all about….
this guy is never gonna sell records lol
he makes the chart just about everytime, dunny.
Your mom’s never gonna give up the cock & crack.
Record sales doesn’t determine talent at all. I betcha Z-Ro can outrap Lil Wayne and Drake wack clone soundin asses.
Kill yourself or I’ll do it for you. Z-ro is one of the hardest and realest rappers known to man. You probably looked at the title and his name and stereotypically assumed some dumb shit. Once again , kill yourself.
RO da best in h-town well him and face
Lil Flip isn’t on this album.
Have to say it again for all you non-believers.
09 – We Don’t Speed (feat. Lil Flip)
Funny but Lil Flip is on my CD. I guess I got a special one.
This is Houston right here. Ya’ll will never understand the respect Ro gets here. Awesome CD, Relvis Presley never dissappoints, real lyrics & TRUE lyrics.
One of the greatest to ever do it! For yall that don’t know Z-Ro is a living fucking legend!
ok still waiten to cop it from the stores around here on the east to bump that shit hard because blast my self and driving me wild are bumpin anyway each ro album catches many ears i show people his music on the east or they pick up on it like who is that speakin that real shit i tellem straight up thats zro!. to me he is on random differnt levels then most artist he flips it with the tracks you get a drinking song and a riden song some true g songs and some relax deep minded wisdom knowlege harmonizen kinda songs. so what if he raps about being one deep fuk friends etc etc. i mean keep it real its 2010 who isnt more self independent saying fuk anyone els. Z-RO is the closes thing to pac you can get in my opinion
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RO U GOTTA GET OFF DA LOT HOMIE LIL J BLEEDIN U DRY!!!!
He’s dope… but truth be told he a bitin ass nigga for this shit… from the album cover to the concept! Z-Ro… there is only 1 Facemob brah…. step your game up!
This is a fake azz review!!! LIL FLIP is not on the cd!!! Some of the tracks are early 2000’s and this cd has several recycled beats. New ZRO is always good but RAPALOT just threw this one together. Go get that Z RO-COCAINE cd and several others b4 that. The reviewer called this a “follow up” to his 2008 CRACK cd. Truly this review is not valid at all.
It is a fake review. He doesn’t have the tracklist right (unless he had some kind of weird promo with jumbled tracks) and Cocaine came after Crack too. This reviewer is really confused peeps.
09 – We Don’t Speed (feat. Lil Flip)
Funny but Lil Flip is on my CD. I guess I got a special one.
Lets wait and hear what RO says about the cd.
fire
I believe Z-Ro tried to leave Rap-A-Lot before. Heard rumors that J. Prince was gonna have a price on Ro’s head if he did. Don’t know if there is any truth to that and I dont know if Z-Ro could have ever had mass appeal but J. Prince has made damn sure he won’t ever get his chance. Fuck J. Prince
J. Prince is a sheisty ass nigga. That’s why Scarface left Rap A Lot and doin his own thing now. If that’s true, then that’s some wack ass shit.
I hope this is a mixtape. Next to Relvis Presley this is one of Z-Ro’s worst efforts to me. I think this is a cry for help. Similar to Trae’s last project on Rap-a-lot. This is definitely thrown together.
z-ro is my hero
dope as hell
it could have been better i went and bought it and it was worth it but i think rapalot threw it together to ether way its still hard ass hell fuck all yall haters ro still the best fuck li wayne drake and the rest and for you dumb ass niggas who dont know ro was singing hard hooks in the mid 90s before drake or that fag ass wane
zero is a cold nigga and thats the fucking truth.
This is my first time listening to Ro solo and I think he goes harder on other peoples tracks than he did on his own album I was expecting a lot more from him…
what a pile of shit
yall cats are bitch made you fucking kids dont know real hip hop if it slap you in the face right along with who ever do these reviews like i said it could have been better but he go harder than half of these so call rappers today
Z-RO
3.5 Z- Ro is dope . this album is ok some bangers
dis wak nigga trynna sound like bone thugs n shit
MANN FUCC U NIGGA, RO BKEEN DOIN THIS SHIIT, FUCC U AND WHAT U TALKIN BkOUT…
MANN FUCC U NIGGA, RO BKEEN DOIN THIS SHIIT, FUCC U AND WHAT U TALKIN BkOUT…
fwhack you are stupid, Z-Ro has sounded like that since he has came out in the late 90’s. Do your homework, he sounds nothing like Bone Thugs, read the entire article and then listen to his music before you speak.
FUCKk ALL Of YALL Z_RO iS The shit yall R JUST hATIN
MANN, THiis SHiit GO HARD,
Z-RO GOES HARD. THIS ALBUM WAS THROWN TOGETHER, ON ONE OF THE TRACKS HE SAYS HE IS 27 BUT HE WAS BORN IN 1977, FUCK RAP A LOT THEY FUCKIN UP. STILL A HARD ASS ALBUM REGARDLESS
This is album title is perfect , becuz it is Herion on wax , you can get addicted to it . like most of the beats
real talk im only 15 ya feel me im still ah lil nigga most lil niggas my age dont know hip hop test me on my h town hip hop knowledge ill recc any nigga but to thank an pay good respect to the main man tht made all this happen is houston best nigga dead or alive is Dj Screw if it wasnt for him no one…shit houston wouldnt be on tha map z-ro blew up tha charts wit his very first flow on ah screw tape dont know the name but it was on an screw tape so real talk all them bitch ass fucc kids tht think young money an weezy an all them frauds runnin shit….fuccin TRASH is all bout tht screwed up click an street millatary an fucc swisha house real talk fuccin poesin ass niggas but is wateva DJ SCREW the illesst nigga THERE EVER WAS AN WILL BE NO ONE AN I MEAN NO ONE WILL EVER TOP HIM LIKE RO SAID ‘he wasnt jus ah type of music he was ah man jus like tha rest of us real niggas’ so fucc yall dicc succin ass hatas…..DUCE TRICC
GAY
If mike dean is able to do his entire project.He would have a classic.
Awesome album
YOU GAY NIGGA S IM REAL IGET ROUND BROWNS NIGGAS YALL PUNKS ARE GAY
i like round brown they fuck me hard
OH YEAH………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
BIG BOOTY BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!!