Zion Antoni is a Freelance Journalist and Grassroots independent Recording artist/Record producer from the Bronx NY. He is the Founder/Chair of The Urban Cry LLC, a limited liability company with two main branches: Freelance Journalism, and an independent record company. The Urban Cry has administered to hundreds in American inner cities and has also extended reaches overseas internationally. The Urban cry in its independent ascent labored extensively in the grassroots, streets and record pools through freelance publishing, radio, activism, and books. Zion advocates consciousness, and brings to reality to light.
Following years of independent study and work, In his ascent he started a Progressive production label in 2003 in Philadelphia. By 2007 the label group grew in City notoriety Community activism and record sales. By 2008 he broke International with singles and toured, working in his own management and different record labels. With years of study, as a freelance journalist by 2009 he released the web viral no prisons series along with many articles and started a multi-city podcast of music and social commentary with a six year run, ending 2015. He also founded foundation’s as the Maryland-Dc based sekou Think Tank, Addressing Urban issues in 2012. As an independent artist under socio-cultural, and spiritual content he released successful projects, functioning in a catalog of sound, and genres including avant garde-rap, Soul, jungle, Progressive and Lounge.
Q&A with Zion
1. What is a typical day/week like for you?
Work! Other than daily work I work In Other Business so it’s In-N-Out periods of rest Innovation and creativity. Hitting the lab is still Freedom though LOL
2. What is your best memory of starting your career?
I can say being abt seventeen..sitting downtown in the library organizing my 1stlabel. I had a small team..but I knew it took vision and work. I knew it took a team to get things done. Plus my love for the music and culture was a part of it strong..that was exciting to me.
3. What advice would you give to someone wanting to create and market a brand from scratch?
You’re going to need three things. Work vision and patience! If somebody tells you anything is overnight it’s a bold lie. The development of sense of self message and Market of your brand is enough. Then the patience to actually see it grow is another. Take nothing for granted and very little is given to you. What you do have is inside the need is the patience to manifest it. Factual.
4. How can others reach out to you for business related information?
At my email mainly..via Facebook or even at me on Twitter. I’m very diplomatic and I we’ll see what is the best for any prospective venture.
5. What’s your favorite feature of music/podcasts/media?
To be honest..the release of my last ep was work..and work that bled out thru the following years. Fortunate. One header single and a flip..all good.. but I grew since then as we do..in podcasting that was 6 years of dedication. Honestly I’m glad I made a difference through the content Etc when time was up I moved on. I basically let content evolve on its own.
6. How many future downloads/purchases are estimated for your work this year?
Honestly I would say a 50 to 75 percent as a block number out if the content that’s out there. Factual fam..lemme tell you the function of industry changed. But the real..you got quality..you got market? You’ll always have a run. Family it takes work 300.
7. What is next for your business?
Definitely more progressive content. You gotta evolve as artists and it comes though the stream.
8. RANK your top 5 entrepreneurs/business owners?
Ah! Good question fam. 5. Nipsey hustle. Of coarse the ascended master ..og our guy. Rip. Cats must understand all that took work. Support or no support..threat or comfort. Nipsey build the foundation for himself and others. Praise or hated he had vision and he made it work. 4. Chamilionare. He flipped his career post nineties off no limit roster. Instead of extending himself to stay relevant he chose Foundation. Respect. 3. 50 cent. Curt. My dude. Evolved from the pangs of the trap…to industry..to investments. The point I commend is curt chose to be himself in whatever he wanted to do. That’s what made many respect him. 2. My partner Amir Thompson of Teary eyez brand. His own based out of Philadelphia. My brother I watched him grind and his content stands for something. And he’s humble. 1. Myself. Not out of arrogance. But if your manifesting, you respect others grind..but your attention is the work of you own hands.
9. What’s your next marketing moves for your career?
TBA brother..
Zion Antoni Publications 📻🎤:
No Prisons Series (and other publications/websites)
Urban Plight show (RADIO) 2009-2015
Zion Antoni Music:
Check out the “Urban Cry LLC”
https://vimeo.com/301151508
https://m.facebook.com/urbancry1978/?ref=bookmarks
Www.twitter.com/blacklion781
