Gorilla Zoe

Gorilla Zoe
Gorilla Zoe in a press photo, 2017
Gorilla Zoe in a press photo, 2017
Background information
Birth nameAlonzo Keith Mathis Jr.
Born1981 or 1982 (age 42–43)[1][2]
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, songwriter
Years active2005–present
Labels
Formerly of

Alonzo Keith Mathis Jr. (born 1981 or 1982), better known by his stage name Gorilla Zoe (/ˈzoʊ/), is an American rapper from East Point, Georgia. He joined the Bad Boy Records hip hop group Boyz n da Hood in 2006, following the departure of its lead member, Jeezy. His first album with the group, Back Up n da Chevy (2007) was met with lukewarm critical and commercial reception, leading to their subsequent disbandment. He then signed with Bad Boy, an imprint of Atlantic Records in a joint venture with Block Entertainment as a solo act to release his debut studio album, Welcome to the Zoo (2007).

Welcome to the Zoo, despite mixed critical reception, peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard 200 and was led by the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 single "Hood Nigga". His second album, Don't Feed Da Animals (2009) peaked within the top ten of the chart and served as his final release with Bad Boy, while his third, King Kong (2011), peaked at number 56.[3][4]

  1. ^ "Gorilla Zoe". Prime Source Productions. March 15, 2007. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015. Now 25, Zoe is spitting over beats from Jazze Pha, Sha Money XL, Drumma Boy, Dee Jay Dana and Chris Flame for his solo debut Welcome To the Zoo.
  2. ^ "Gorilla Zoe". MySpace. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2015. Now 25, Zoe is spitting over beats from Jazze Pha, Sha Money XL, Drumma Boy, Dee Jay Dana and Chris Flame for his solo debut Welcome to the Zoo.
  3. ^ "Gorilla Zoe". MTV.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "BACKBEAT: Atlantic, E1, Block Ent. Execs Sign 'Gorilla' Deal". Billboard.com.