Ok people, gather 'round. Settle in, we've got a lot to cover. Everyone seated? Good. Let's get started.

Here's what we know: Zilla Rocca has pioneered a gravelly sub-genre of hip hop which he's termed “Noir-Hop.” We know that he is both an emcee as well as a producer. We know that he's influenced by the likes of Raymond Chandler, Tom Waits, David Lynch, Aesop Rock and Raekwon.

We also know that he's shared the stage with Black Sheep, Nocando, The Knux, Mount Kimbie, K.Flay, One.Be.Lo, Shlohmo, Open Mike Eagle, Reef The Lost Cauze, Buff 1, and that's not even the full list.

We know Zilla and his music has been featured in HipHopDX, URB.com, LA Weekly, Philly Weekly, Myspace Featured Music and that he has performed in just about every venue in Philadelphia, besides being sighted coast to coast from Los Angeles to New York to Miami. He's no stranger to the highway,folks. This man has been slipping through our net since 2006.

Our new intel says he's expanding his operation. Zilla Rocca and The Shadowboxers. That's what he's calling it. The Shadowboxers are a revolving collective. As far as we can tell, the collaborators are tailored to fit a certain aesthetic. They're planning something. He's pulled together a cast of players
that include Blurry Drones (producer of The Slow Twilight), Has-Lo, Floodwatch, Roc Marciano, Curly Castro and Geechi Suede (of Camp Lo) to concoct a product altogether different from Zilla's solo output. This stuff is forged in the violent South Philly crime scene. I've heard it being called “No Vacation For Murder”

Some sort of narrative. “No matter what your personal choices are towards revenge or mercy, the city doesn't care.”

I guess this guy thinks he's Aristotle. The phrase “Grit your teeth and think of Philadelphia” keeps coming up too. Mean anything to you all? Anyway, that's what we've got. Get out there and do your jobs.

Find this Zilla Rocca. Bring me his head!