Top Ten Songs with Z-Ro by Ben Orsak

This song, featured on Guerrilla Maab's 1999 release Rise was famously chopped and screwed by Dj Screw. The song describes Z-Ro's transformation from a Lunchable eating, school bus rider to a Pappa Deaux slammin', triple-beam working, S.L.A.B. rider.

This 2004 release is one of the first songs from the Guerrilla Maab pair with a full length video. In this video, an incarcerated Z-Ro is being released from jail. Trae, whose S.L.A.B. is phenomenal, is kind enough to leave a perfectly planned picnic to scoop up his freshly released homey. Z-Ro's verse reveals he has been harassed by the devil and that some females in his life are just demons in disguise. The stress has cause him to depend on weed as well as make him question his faith. Deep.

This is the introductory track on Guerrilla Maab's 1999 release Rise. Z-ro's basic message in this song: Stop looking at, watching, and mean-mugging Z-Ro, before you are murdered.

Found on the 1998 album, Look at what you did to Me . This song has tons of heart, rhyme styles similar to Tupac and great exercise advice (500 push ups everyday to keep my knockout punches up to par) Z-Ro, once again, laments his hood frustrations.

Once this 2001 song from,King of the Ghetto opens with that easily reproduced, all-entrancing violin loop, and Loud "F*** yall" , whatever cheerful, happy-go-lucky feeling you may have had has now been replaced by the strong urge to backhand those around you who have no respect for your new found self, perhaps with a cup of drank. Z-ro lets you know he has changed (I used to be a cool cat, now a victim of the blues cat) and that you need to stay away.

"I bet you wanna know what's on my mind, when I be sliding by"- The 2005 song was sampled from Lenny Williams's "Cuz I Love you". Then, sample-happy Kayne West made his own version of the beat for Twista's "Celebrity Overnight".

The 2008 release of It Is What It is was much needed. The entire album is solidly produced. "Still Throwed" is the part two, if you will, of the UGK song "Get Throwed". Z-Ro reminds us of his long journey towards his Texas throne.

Bravo to the beat maker and sampler. This song was executed flawlessly. The rhythm Z-ro keeps in his two monstrous verses helps us excuse the featuring artists’ uninspiring segments. Also, all songs should have a slowed down ending like this one. Nationwide, listeners should have a sample of how music is listened to in Texas. In fact, here is the Rapid rick remix chopped and screwed.

From 2004's The Life of Joseph W. McVey. Sometimes when you really hate someone, the only way to express it is through catchy melody and euphoric instrumental. It’s draining to hate someone as much as Z-ro showcases. This song seems to temporarily release the hurt of a drained heart.

Found on Trae's 2006 album Restless. "No Help" is the only song I can note that conveys such an honest, saddening message: I’m a screw up and so are you, so let’s not entertain the notion you are able to help my problems. I’m convinced that everyone else who sings along with the chorus has deliberated whether such a ballsy isolation effort is reasonable, at least for the song's 5 minutes. Trust me, It’s never wise to take on the mindset of superiority and loneliness. However, it makes an impressive song.