Flatbush Zombies Go Futuristic With ‘3001: A Laced Odyssey,’ Say the State of Hip-Hop Is Terrible and “F*!k Spike Lee” – Exclusive

A walk down a few blocks in midtown Manhattan in New York proves Flatbush Zombies are no longer underground darlings. The trio of Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice and Erick the Architect have successfully moved out of unknown territory and have planted themselves firmly in a position where fans stop them regularly on the street for photos. On this particular day in March it happened about six times -- high school students, a Chipotle worker on the clock and a delivery man among them. By the looks of it, the Zombies have made it.

But the Brooklyn natives are seemingly just getting started after dropping their debut album, 3001: A Laced Odyssey, this month. The opus has been years in the making since the three joined together for their 2012 mixtape, D.R.U.G.S., and BetterOffDEAD two years ago. "Thug Waffle" helped put their name on the map but tracks like "Bliss" and "MRAZ" showcased their growth and sinewy chemistry on record. Erick's mood-enhancing soundscapes on the production tip paired with Meechy's brash rhymes and Juice's clarion flow make 3001: A Laced Odyssey an invigorating listen.

The fans agree considering the group's first-week sales came in at 24,000 units sold, an impressive feat for a debut album by an independent group in today's hip-hop climate. In comparison, artists like 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne's ColleGrove, which was released a week prior to the Zombies' project, racked up sales of 35,340 in its first week. Meechy, Juice and Erick have cultivated a fanbase that has helped them come competitively close to legends in the game. Tracks like the rattling "This Is It," guitar-driven "Bounce" and "A Spike Lee Joint" off the new LP prove Flatbush Zombies are sticking to their roots while keeping the momentum going. Plus, some amazing comic book-inspired artwork created by David Nakayama always helps.

Before the "new-age OutKast with an extra n---- in the group" headed out on tour, they stopped by XXL to discuss everything that went into crafting their new project and the conversation was far from dead. Flatbush Zombies get pretty candid about a random run-in with Spike Lee that inspired a song, the current state of hip-hop and how Stanley Kubrick's futuristic vibe set the tone for this album. Get laced with the Zombies.

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