On Zebras and Music · 5:30am Jan 8th, 2016
Bookplayer and I were bouncing around some ideas this evening. (Actually, we were talking about which groups in the US it's socially okay to be prejudiced against and which it isn't, but pretend we were being nice people, okay?) Anyway, one thing led to another and we hit on the idea that Zebras should have a deeply entrenched music culture to mirror the African-American contributions to American popular music.
And then we just started coming up with stupid ideas. That other people might, potentially want to use—or at least that was her excuse for trying to get me to share them with y'all.
Among our fabulous creations were:
A trio of aging Zebra rockers known as much for their wild manes as their innuendo-filled lyrics: ZZ Clop.
A down-home earth pony from out east who sings blue-collar ballads and has an all-zebra backing band: Spruce Bigstream and the Z Street Band.
A group of younger zebra rappers (and one pegasus) who all grew up in Detrot: Z12. Of course, the pegasus is the famous one because zebra musicians never get the respect they deserve. Members include Z-Dawg (whose first album, "Hanging' with my Dazzle", went platinum) and Z-Brah (who's secretly really geeky, but tries to hide it behind streetwise rhymes). Oh, and the pegasus—Topsy Turvy, who usually goes by his stage name Tianti.
An earlier trio of zebra rappers who pioneered the genre and had a big impact on increasing its popularity in Equestria: Run–D.M.Z. (Extra Fanon Bonus: Scootaloo, being a big rap fan, proposed that her friends should form a tribute band back around the time of "The Show Stoppers". Obviously, it would have been called Run–C.M.C.) (Double Extra Fanon Bonus: Run–D.M.Z. once toured with the ZWA on the "Buck the Royal Guard" tour. Princess Celestia was not amused.)
Back when Twilight's parents were just starting to date, there was another popular zebra trio (trios seem to be a big thing for zebras). This was a group of three brothers who were famous for their dance music: the Zee Gees. (Nightlight's fancy dance moves were one of the big reasons Twilight Velvet fell for him.)
Feel free to add your own below!
Don't forget about the lost member of the Apple Clan (Bonita Applebum) who got involved with that one tribe of zebras (called Quest).
Also, someone needs to write a fic where Flash Sentry becomes captain of the school chess team then forms a hip-hop group with five other friends to offer pointed social commentary about school policies (they would be called Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five).
>mfw not related to BB&C
Clearly, to be rebels, we should make them pseudo-polynesians :V
Or Jamaican.
Because JAMAICAN ME CRAZY, MON.
Don't forget the white unicorn who became famous for his signature black-stripe coat — producing spoken-word zebra songs in a way that many argued discarded their cultural influences, making it "acceptable" for Canterlothians to appreciate exotic music without any of that weird racial self-reflection. Ebonem.
3672035
Dude. That's who my pegasus was supposed to be. Don't you know D12 and the Detroit music scene? Dude, c'mon. I know the Writeoff just started, but that's not an excuse for you to be this much of a music casual.
Peace and love, my brother.
3672039
Oh,
No, I'm just a music casual is all. No excuse.
To the Writeoff, though!
3672012
In my headcanon, thanks to my wife, Zecora comes from a place called "Hayti."
3672012
Well, there's that one reggae musician everypony's heard of. Zeb Marley
I dunno, I dig the Eminem clone. c.c
I already had a story indirectly featuring Elkvis.
With all the Fallout fans around, I'm surprised the Ink Stripes haven't been mentioned. Though, honestly, this was the first person I thought of.
[youtube=QnbdXWvmysg]
I do have to admit I have trouble with the idea of Scootaloo being a rap fan, because in canon we see her playing both piano and drums, and liking "wicked rock ballads". Not to mention her singing style was tending towards enthusiasm, attitude, and disregard for being in tune.
In fanfiction, I've written her rocking out to "Ballroom Blitz", and wrote a dream sequence in which she was taking Ringo Starr's place singing "With a little help of my friends".
--arcum42
You think you're so clever… and you're right