Z-Ro’s “Mo City Don Freestyle” is probably the most beloved anthem in Houston rap history. It’s one of the songs that, wherever it plays, forces you to rap along with Z-Ro. The opening line of “Slow loud and banging; all in my trunk” is all the initiation one needs to hear. But for all its acclaim and honored status among the greatest rap songs that Houston has produced, the song never had an official video. Now, 21 years later, that’s about to change.
Z-Ro announced that there will finally be an official music video for his beloved Houston anthem, posting a promo video on Instagram featuring himself getting a call from Houston rap mogul James Prince.
“You know, ‘Ro, it’s been over 21 years since ‘Mo City Don’ been out, man, and it’s been nothing but constantly evolving and penetrating around the world,” Rap-A-Lot Records founder J Prince tells Z-Ro. “It won’t die, and we ain’t never done a video fo’ this motherf–ker.”
“Let’s do it,” Z-Ro replies.
It’s kind of wild that a song as popular and iconic as Z-Ro’s anthem never had a music video. That being said, it’s better late than never, and a video, which has the chance to be the most Houston video of all time, is cause for celebration.
The response to the announcement has been, as expected, extremely positive. Z-Ro means something different to H-Town. The music video and the excitement for the rap great are, in some ways, giving him his flowers.
“This finna be legendary!!” one fan commented.
“It’s about to have a whole new life,” another fan chimed in.
“I got a band or 2 say he hit a MILLION views less than a week..!!!,” another Z-Ro fan said, predicting how many views the video will get.
Z-Ro – Let the Truth be Told (File)
“Mo City Don Freestyle” was released in 2005 as the first track on Z-Ro’s ninth studio album, Let The Truth Be Told. Everything from the beat that samples Eric B and Rakim’s iconic 1988 record “Paid in Full” to Z-Ro’s impeccable rhythm and flow makes the song the sing-along anthem it is. There’s no hook, just straight rhyme after rhyme, Houston reference after Houston reference, for four minutes straight.
The track stands out from the introspective, deep, and darker songs for which Z-Ro is known. The freestyle is just rapping and having fun while doing so, but I don’t think he ever thought it would be as iconic as it has become. Just talking massive amounts of s–t on a record ended up being his undisputed magnum opus.
“It was weird at first,” Z Ro told Chron’s Brandon Caldwell in 2015 about how popular the song became. “‘Cause at first, I’m a deep dude, or at least I’d like to think I am. I just did a freestyle, and I wasn’t talking about s–t! But fans love that beat and the music.”
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This article originally published at Houston’s most beloved city anthem is finally getting a music video.