“If you don’t know your full- throttle history, the whole story of how you come to where you are, it’s kind of hard to put things together” - Nipsey Hussle
Being a product of the hood isn’t easy. There is always something that finds a way to stop you or an old sin coming back to haunt you but being a product of what made you doesn’t mean you can’t grow and make a move to better yourself. It’s hard being a product of the hood but if you can make your way out make sure you can.
Zar Legato, a “product” of Chicago’s West Side, provides a story of his life and a humbling story all in one. Most people are satisfied with staying in one neighborhood and observing the people in that one neighborhood but Zar Legato’s family didn’t allow that for him. His family allowed him to see the city in different neighborhoods by moving from the Austin community, North Lawndale, Fifth City, and currently The Holy City. Through moving from these multiple neighborhoods Zar picked up on the beauty of Chicago but also her heartless, dangerous, and snakes in the grass side also. Chicago is not a city to play with no matter the circumstance. Although being from Chicago carries importance in Zar Legtao’s music he still has artists that influenced him. Some of these artists are Lil Wayne, Tupac, Drake, Nipsey Hussle, and Kevin Gates.
Before Zar Legato there was Lazarr. Lazarr used to rap in middle high school and gained the nickname “Lil Wayne.” He gained this nickname because he had long hair and rapped Lil Wayne’s songs all the time. As Lazarr got older he lost his passion for rapping but instead he picked up a pen to become a poet. Knowing this now you can hear it in his music because of how well his words flow. Slowly Lazarr came back to rapping and became the artist we know today, Zar Legato. Being Zar Legato isn’t simple. Legato being added to Zar is deeper than people think. Legato is Italian for a musical composition being put together and smooth but for Zar it’s more than. Zar Legato is a man who takes the meaning of Legato as being able to stand 10 toes down regardless of what life presents to him.
With being a man that stands 10 toes, Zar Legatos muis can stand on its own. Since his comeback he has released two projects called The Black Romance and Thoughts to Myself both projects have made an impact on Zar Legato and his fans but The Black Romance allowed him to step out of his box. The Black Romance made him step out of his comfort zone because he had to go back to all those sleepless nights, the broken relationships, and more because his album is about love. The Black Romance embodies different forms of love like brothel, significant other, family, and loving himself. Everyone needs one of these projects to make them realize what they went through so that they can grow from it. Although The Black Romance brought him out his comfort zone he had more fun creating Thoughts to Myself. Out of these projects and his songs Zar Legato’s top songs are Switch” “Out West Ni**a” “Star Gazing” “Best Friend” and “Hour Glass”. These are all amazing songs to start with when listening to Zar Legato but our top song by him is “Lunatic.” It’s just something about when he says “OO” it’s like hearing Pop Smoke say “Ok Ok.”
This is usually the part of the article where I praise the artist on their artistry but I have to praise Zar Legato for being real. In my opening paragraph I spoke on being a “product” and that’s what he believes that himself and everyone is a product of what made them but he’s more than what made him. Even through all of his sins and doing bad he is more than because he has a gift that can change all of that. Through the reflections of his journey he leaves new artists with this piece of advice, “Make sure this is what you really want. You must give it your all, invest in every single aspect of you inside of it. Invest in both the production and promotion. I would also say not to be cheap as well because it’ll reflect on the quality of music. Last but not least be patient. You are going to hear more negative feedback before positive, you’re going to have more strangers support you than your people just keep working and let the craft speak for you. Trust the process, Trust the hussle.” It is important to be invested in what you love because it could possibly take you out of the environment that made you a “product.” Even though you are taken out of that environment but you shouldn’t forget it because those experiences make you who you are as an artist. With that being said to learn more about Zar Legato you can follow him on instagram @legatoboi and on twitter @LegatoBoi.
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