Music blends cultures, histories

Rap Artists Zhao-Ski and Big A

Local hip hop artist Zhao-Ski describes Detroit as a symbol of resolute optimism in spite of all the disasters it’s endured.
It’s a city, he said, that encompassed hope of a brighter future for African Americans who endured Jim Crow oppression in the south, and it’s a city where ethnic groups have been brought together, inevitably crossing paths.

Zhao-Ski, who is Black, has worked with Lebanese American rapper Big A since the two met at a hip-hop show.

The two artists have a mutual respect and a sense of brotherhood even though they come from two different countries, Zhao-Ski said.

“Our people eat different foods and have different habits but Arab and Black folks share strong family values and a fundamental sense of community,” Zhao-Ski said.

He describes their musical relationship as “simply amazing.”

The video for their collaboration on the song “Same Struggle,” can be viewed on YouTube.

Their music focuses on social commentary, discouraging apathy and counterproductive attitudes that lead to crime while encouraging creative expression and the empowerment of communities.

The blighted neighborhoods that dot Detroit and the rampant crime and unemployment – standing in complete contrast with the city’s historic status as an epicenter of U.S. economy and culture – are what inspire Zhao-Ski.

His goal is to give hope and optimism to the minds of the city’s youth, he said.

Zhao-Ski’s range of work includes his solo album “Beyond the Obvious” and collaborations on more than 15 local and international albums.