Zack of Rocha

Zack of Rocha (born the January 12th 1970) to Beach Length, in California is a rappor, musician, poet and activist, more known as being the singer of the group Rage Against the Machine, a group engaged politically considered as one of most influential in the recent history of the Rock, in particular for fusion between Rap and Rock.

Its childhood

The father of Zack, Roberto " Beto" of Rocha is a painter muralist contributor of the group of artists Chicano S, Los Four. In 1983, whereas he suffers from a nervous breakdown he adopts an extreme attitude in his religion, Beto is Séfarade. It destroys its paintings and obliges his son visits some during the weekends, to help it whereas it saw recluse, the lowered curtains and carries it closed.

After a certain time, incompetent to adapt to this lifestyle, it remains with his mother with Irvine, at the time one of the whitest cities of the California of the South.

He feels foreign, as much in the Chicago of his father that in the Californian insipid suburbs. With the college it is implied in the scene Punk and hardcore while playing of the guitar in a group of straight edge, Hardstance. Its interest for groups like Sex Pistols and Bad Religion leads it to discover other groups like Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Teen Idles.

It then meets Tim Commerford which will become later, the bass player of Rage Against the Machine.

Musical career

Beginnings

It forms Inside Out, which obtains a certain local success. They leave individual a No Negro spiritual Surrender before separating. The heritage of Chicago isolates it from the white rich teenagers around him. It is interested in the Hip Hop and in particular in Public Enemy, KRS One and Run-DMC. It starts to improvise while grating in local clubs, where it meets Tom Morello and Brad Wilk. Tim Commerford, a friend of Zack having joined them, they form Rage Against the Machine.

Rage Against the Machine

For a long time, Rage Against the Machine will be one of the major groups American most committed politically. Zack becomes a visible champion of the radical left, supporting Mexican the Zapatiste movement, fighting for the causes of Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal. It makes even a speech in front of the seat of UNO against the the United States and the treatments of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

For Zack the music and the message are if intimate dependant that he regarded as made a success of only one album of Rage having caused a jolt Politique.

The 2^e and 3^e albums of Rage reach the first place of the sales in the United States, but without causing the impact Politique that Zack hoped.

It becomes increasingly impatient and collaborates with artists like KRS One and Chuck D. In October 2000 Zack leaves Rage Against the Machine for reasons of “musical divergences”. Rage Against the Machine was reformed in 2007 at the time of the Californian festival Coachella.

Solos projects

In 2001, it records with the beater of The Roots Questlove and El-P the leader of Company Flow. In 2002 of Rocha holds a small role in Blazing Arrow of Blackalicious on the track “release”.

It leaves in collaboration with DJ Shadow “March off Death” to protest against the war in Iraq. He also works with a piece produced by the Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails which will not leave, being according to them not as good as they had hoped for it.

Since the separation of Rage, Zack remained with the variation of the attention of the public. Its more recent appearances are its contribution to the original soundtrack “Songs and Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11” and his participation in the album éponyme of Saul Williams in 2004.

Discography

Rage Against the Machine

Rage Against the Machine (1992)
Evil Worsens (1996)
Live & Rare (1998)
The Battle off Los Angeles , (1999)
Renegades (2000)
Live At the Large Olympic Auditorium (2003)

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