ZZ The Pharaoh reconnects with the foundations of his sound on new project The Rain Tapes 26, dropping fittingly on his 32nd birthday. Entirely self produced under his goodmorningroberto producer alias, the project pulls together grime, UK garage, amapiano and trap, balancing the raw 140 energy of his beginnings with the versatility he has developed over the years.
Having first started rapping at 16 over grime instrumentals, ZZ uses The Rain Tapes to bridge different eras of his artistry without simply looking backwards. Instead, those early influences become the foundation for something broader and more adventurous, continuing a busy 2026 that has already included fourth album Pharaoh and archival EP The Resurrection of Z Lava Lamp 3.5.
The project also arrives following a strong couple of years on the live circuit, with ZZ opening for the likes of Jeru the Damaja, Lloyd Banks, Mobb Deep and Talib Kweli. Now 32, The Rain Tapes captures an independent artist still experimenting, self producing and evolving while keeping the roots of his sound firmly intact.