The member of the legendary 13 Block collective — a group which, according to Stavo, won’t be releasing “BLO III” — made waves in 2024 with the release of his album “Malcom”. The project sold nearly 10,000 copies in its first week, on its steady path toward Gold certification. A solid trajectory that mirrors the solo success of each member of the crew — all carving their own path while fans still hope for a future reunion.
By giving his “On The Radar” freestyle its own visual, Zed also celebrated something rare:the American platform, based in New York, seldom features French rappers. In the collective imagination, many still lean toward “Colors”, the other emblematic performance format.
But staying true to his instincts, Zed chose to step where no French MC had gone before.
In an interview with Versus magazine, Zed — who, like Stavo and Oldpee, remains committed to a very “pure” vision of rap — shared his artistic philosophy:
“Being original means always staying authentic, true to yourself, and respectful of your principles. Musically, it’s the same thing.
Where I come from, for example, an OG — original gangster — is someone who’s stayed the same from start to finish, just like the French rapper Booba, who’s never changed since the start of his career.”
Zed makes an impact with his “On The Radar Freestyle”
The production — whose author isn’t credited on Genius or streaming platforms — was crafted exclusively for “On The Radar”.
With its gritty, US-inspired sound, the beat hits hard while Zed slices through it with surgical precision, stacking punchlines like a pro:
“Je sors des taudis, mais Dieu m’a pas maudit, je l’ai payé cash, moi, l’Audi.”
(“I came from the slums, but God didn’t curse me — I paid cash for that Audi.”)
Directed by Spider, the visual follows Zed through the streets of New York all the way to his performance on the American channel.
Mixing travel footage, studio prep, and on-set energy, the final cut stands as an immersive making-of —
a pivotal experience for an artist already deeply shaped by the US aesthetic, and another defining chapter in the 13 Block legacy.
