New MC (a.k.a. Big Zach) is a longtime staple of the underground hip-hop movement in Minnesota. As a teenager, Zach jumped on the scene early with his crew the Kanser Troop, playing coffee shop shows and opening for Twin Cities pioneers such as Urban Atmosphere, the Abstract Pack, the Micranots, Musab, and others.
In 1997 Kanser began to release cassette tapes of their music. By age 20, Zach was booking/hosting and co-running “Headspin Sundays,” the now-legendary all-ages Hip Hop weekly held at the late Bon Appetit Cafe. At age 24, Zach was blessed to be able to be a part of the band Traditional Methods, featuring Heiruspecs bassist player from Sean McPherson and singer/MC Sarah White. Traditional Methods’ politically-fueled and spiritually motivated music was able to add to the energy of Twin Cities’ Metro area. The release party for their one and only album, Falling Forward, drew nearly 800 people to First Avenue’s main room in June of 2004.
Just as the movie Eight Mile began to raise the profile of battle rap in early 2002, Zach began hosting the most legendary MC battles ever held in Minnesota: The Loring Pasta Bar tournaments every third Monday of the month. After stepping down as host, Zach won the one-year anniversary Battle at the Loring in February of 2003. Over the next three years Zach competed in battle tournaments in and out of state. Winning six different tournaments, including the Twin Cities Celebration of Hip Hop in 04 and 05.
After that, Zach held an open challenge at the Dinkytowner cafe to any Twin Cities emcee. The challenge stayed open for about 3 years sparking some memorable battles and Zach remained undefeated. ..... But then.... Zach started to get slow. All of the burnt brain cells have sizzled that part of his mental computer and now a days, most likely anyone could out freestyle Zach.
Kanser toured hard for about a decade, doing hundreds of shows and working independently. In 2007 Zach released a solo album called White Jesus produced by ANT (Atmosphere), Big Jess, 84 Caprise, Buck KAC, and Dillon Parker. Zach and the other rapper in Kanser, Unicus, became part of a live, hip-hop band called More Than Lights. In the Midwest, More Than Lights was able to float between festival life, underground hip-hop culture, and bar band gigs. More Than Lights sold out local venues such as the Triple Rock, the Fine Line and the Cabooze, while touring around the country playing very animated music festivals. After most of those shows Big Zach could be found walking around the camp grounds high as hell, talking to himself.
In March of 2011 Big Zach released another solo album produced by Big Jess called New Crayons. On Dec 1, 2011, Zach released a book called Headspin, Headshots and History; Growing Up In Twin Cities Hip Hop. Zach felt blessed to be able to share those stories and pay homage to some of the pioneers that built the local scene he has given him so much. There are 945 grammar mistakes in the first edition of the book, but that just proves Zach was keeping it real.
In May of 2013, Zach wrote and self published his first novel, When Bees Enslave Ants. He labeled it 'hip hop superhero psychedelic science fiction' but in deeper truth that book holds Zach's spiritual beliefs inside of it. It is written for those of us on a deep vibration of reality. In 2014/15 Zach has been creating music with an awesome string band, Useful Jenkins. And working on his second novel, Hula-hoops & Vampires.
