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We all know too well how intertwined alcohol and drugs are with the performing arts. “Or, you do know it but you don’t want people to judge you. “I want to spread my message because I know how isolating and scary and sad it can feel when you’re struggling with addiction and you don’t know it,” says Ruffin. Along the way, she’s trying to break down the stigma of addiction – especially in the arts. The release of this EP is a part of her continued path to recovery. It’s for everybody to listen to whether you like rap or pop music or rock music. I think that everyone is going to enjoy it and. There’s definitely a heartbreak song in there, there’s some turn up songs in there, there’s some punk vibes. “People can expect Zed Kenzo to be back,” says Ruffin. In the fifth track, “Rudy Huxtable,” she weaves in and out of an interpolation of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” In the sixth track, “Come Back,” cyclic synthesizers and 808s back up her ethereal vocals and hypnotic hooks. In the track “Fed Up,” Ruffin sings over ominous and asynchronous piano, creating an almost apocalyptic and perilous soundscape.

Her message is salient, and her sound is just as multifaceted as ever. This is what people need to hear,” she says. “I’ve listened to it over and over and this is it. Part of her sobriety journey has been immersing herself back into music to reach people going through similar challenges. Just kind of laughing it off like, ‘yeah LOL, I’m an alcoholic’ you know?” “I knew that there was some stuff going on, but I wasn’t admitting it fully. “I wrote that back in February or January,” says Ruffin. I’ve been broken hearted, had me fighting for the title of an alcoholic.” Zed Kenzo Photo by Sandra Rodriguez The first track of the EP, “Fed Up,” starts with the lyrics, “This is how it started, simple beats made by me. Several of the songs on the EP were written when she started reckoning with her addiction, and catalogs the feeling of recognizing there’s a problem – but not yet being ready to deal with it. In March this year, Ruffin moved to Boston to check into an alcohol rehabilitation program, which she recently finished. “I can create a song in like five minutes.” “If I’m feeling it, I just get it, I pull the song up and I just start going, without writing it down,” says Ruffin. Oftentimes, she’ll pull up a beat and immediately start recording over it.

When it comes to writing songs, Ruffin’s process is quick, spontaneous and off-the-cuff. “I’m always a little apprehensive because I have such a distinct sound, and I feel like a lot of people don’t capture it. “People are like ‘I’ve got some beats I think you would sound great on.

However, she only works with those whom she believes can really grasp her singular style. Ruffin’s one-of-a-kind vocals and innovative songwriting has attracted dozens of producers through the years. Ruffin collaborated with local engineers Eli Stamstad and Tim Wolf alongside Chicago based producer Lon “L Boogie” Renzell as well. She also worked with a New York based producer, Jared “Sit Still” Rapoza as well as self-producing several of the tracks. For this EP, Ruffin worked with local producers Jaron “Tsuchi” Tsuchiyama and Immortal Girlfriend. Throughout her career, Ruffin has collaborated with a variety of local and national producers and engineers who have been able to reinforce her anomalous sound. Her enigmatic sound and stage presence has built a strong following. She’s released several singles, and in 2019 released her first EP, Baby Swag. She performed at Justin Vernon’s Eau Claire Festival. She participated in Radio Milwaukee’s Backline Program, a 12-week accelerated program that provides coaching, mentoring, industry networking and $20,000 in grants for each of the artists, which accelerated her career. She performed at Summerfest and other festivals and opened for Flo Rida last summer. Ruffin has been a mainstay in the Milwaukee music scene for nearly a decade. This is what I feel about myself and about the people around me.” It’s just me, who I am, what I represent, what I’ve been through. Her first full-project release since 2019, she says the eight-track EP, which is titled after her name, “Zechariah,” is her most “me” project yet, digging into themes of addiction, heartbreak, recovery and more. Milwaukee musician Zechariah Ruffin, known as Zed Kenzo, is releasing an EP this Friday.