| Lil Zane | |||||
| Birth Name: | Zane Copeland, Jr. | ||||
| Origin: | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | ||||
| Genre: | Hip hop | ||||
| Years Active: | 1992–present | ||||
| Label: |
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Zane Copeland, Jr., better known as Lil' Zane or simply Zane, is an American rapper. He is perhaps best known for his single "Callin' Me" (featuring 112) from his debut studio album (2000).[1] [2]
At age 10, Zane was inspired by Another Bad Creation and Kris Kross. He got more serious about his eventual career and started rehearsing with his cousin E. Greene. He was first recognized by his fans when he was in a group called Kronic signed to RCA Records. They were signed from 1993 to 1996. They never put out any projects. He began entering local Atlanta talent shows upon the dissolution of the group. Then in 1999, he started touring with 112 while recording his debut album.
In 1999, his first ever single, "Money Stretch", was included in the Next Friday soundtrack. In 2000, Lil' Zane released his debut album which featured his smash single "Callin Me". The album debut at No. 165 on the Billboard 200 with 7,000 copies sold in the first week but then peaked in its second week at No. 25 with 40,000 copies sold. To date, the album sold 490,000 copies.[3] The album also hit at No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In 2001, he made appearance on the Hardball soundtrack on the track of the same name with Bow Wow, Lil Wayne and Sammie.[4] He later stated in an interview that he was working on an album titled It Ain't Over. He later decided to change the title to The Big Zane Theory.
In 2003, Lil Zane released his second album, The Big Zane Theory. With the album, he formally changed his stage name from Lil' Zane to simply Zane. Copeland explained "Zane is my real name, that's the name that's on my birth certificate and my mom likes that name" for changing his name in a BallerStatus.net interview. The album failed to match the success of Zane's previous album, as it charted at No. 191 on the Billboard 200's chart with 6,423 copies sold. It also charted at No. 39 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The only single that was released on the album was "Tonite I'm Yours" which peaked at No. 87 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album sold 40,000 copies in total soon afterwards Zane would leave Priority Records due to lack of financial compensation, artist support, and promotion to go on a five-year hiatus from music to focus on his acting career.[5]
On December 30, 2004, it was announced that Zane has formed a new record label by the name of "3 Mill Entertainment" together with MAM Group, Inc. He announced that he had started working on his third album, Under the Radar. The album was to feature artist like Real Young, Raz B, Jon B, Bone Crusher, Akon, Drum Up (LaMar and LaNelle Seymour), and Rich Boy. The album was going to get released in Spring 2005, but then was pushed back to fall and was never released. In late 2006, Zane started to work on another new album, Tha Return. The album was released on February 26, 2008. The album failed to match the success of Zane's previous albums, as it failed to make it to any Billboard charts. The only single that was released on the album was "Like This" which also failed to chart also. The single has gotten over 150,000 views on YouTube to date and is known as Zane's comeback single.[6] [7] [8] [9]
In 2010, he made special appearance at the ten-year anniversary of 106 & Park in Los Angeles with Ray J and Tony Marsley also known as AK. He announced he was releasing a mixtape entitled The Missing Link and a new single entitled "Put It In My Lap". March 1, 2010, Zane was featured on We Are The World: The Next Generation. The song has gotten over 2,000,000 views on YouTube alone.[10] On March 8, 2011, Zane released a promo single off his mixtape The Missing Link Volume 1 called "Must Be Nice".[11] On April 28, 2011, a rumor circulated that Zane signed to Cash Money Records. Later, the statement was proven false.[12] On June 7, 2011, Zane released a new single called "My Girl".[13] On February 2, 2012, Zane announced the title of his fourth album called My World: My Future along with a release of a single called "Sippin Hennessy" featuring Tupac Shakur. The song has gotten over 100,000 views on YouTube and 150,000 views on WorldStarHipHop alone.[14] [15] On May 14, 2013, Zane released a new song called "When I Get Home" featuring Young Joe which is featured on his mixtapes Champagne & Dirty Sprite and R.A.W (Raps About Women).[16] On September 18, 2013, Zane announced that the lead single off his upcoming album is called "Roof Gone".[17] As of January 1, 2016, it is known that Zane is now working with battle rapper Levi Fresco to help ghostwrite his upcoming single ("Don't Spill My Liquor") and album ("Life I Live").[18]
Zane acted in several movies and television shows, including Cuttin' da Mustard, The Parkers, One on One, A Day in the Life, Motives, The Fighting Temptations, Dr. Dolittle 2 and Finding Forrester.
In 2004, Zane signed a two-year agreement with MAM Group, Inc, Inc which granted him his own record label 3 Mill Entertainment (3ME) but then changed it to U.S. Entertainment in 2006. Then in 2010, he changed it again to Money Making Muzik (MMM) after buying B1 Music Group for a significant amount of money which is yet to be disclosed. In 2010, Zane signed many talents including spotlight Florida artist Soulja P and others.
Current artists
Former artists
On September 20, 2011, Lil Zane said on Street Disciplez Radio, G-Unit CEO 50 Cent would have made more money by signing him over former group member Young Buck. In addition to revealing his interest in working with 50 Cent, Zane also taunted Buck's music. "Yo, he's garbage, he's garbage," Zane told radio host EI8HT referring to Young Buck. "He's garbage though, I don't think he's a good rapper. He might be a good person but you know, he probably feels the same way about me. So the feeling's mutual, you know? But I don't think he's the best rapper. I think I would have made 50 Cent a little more money. I think 50 needs to sign me, man. I think it needs to be 50 & 60 Cent or something because I'm more like 60 Cent. You know what I'm saying?[19]
| Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||
| 25 | 4 | ||
| The Big Zane Theory |
| 191 | 34 |
| Under The Radar |
| align=center rowspan=1 colspan=2 | Shelved |
| Tha Return |
| — | — |
| Life I Live[20] |
| — | — |
| Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||
| Next Friday (soundtrack) | 19 | 5 | |
| Cognito Presents That's My Mic | — | — | |
| Mixtape details | |
| The Missing Link Volume 1 |
|
|---|---|
| R.A.W (Raps About Women) (as LZ Stunna) |
|
| Magic City Radio 2.5 Summer Anthems |
|
| Champagne & Dirty Sprite |
|
| Year | Song | U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B | U.S. Rap | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "Money Stretch"[21] | — | 122 | — | Next Friday OST |
| 2000 | "Callin' Me" (featuring 112)[22] | 21 | 8 | 1 | |
| "None Tonight" | — | 66 | 2 | ||
| 2003 | "Tonite I'm Yours" (featuring Tank)[23] | — | 87 | — | The Big Zane Theory |
| "To da River" (with T-Bone, and Montell Jordan)[24] | — | — | — | The Fighting Temptations soundtrack | |
| 2007 | "Like This"[25] [26] | — | — | — | Tha Return |
| 2010 | "Put It In My Lap" (featuring Tipse)[27] | — | — | — | non-album single |
| "So Expensive" (featuring GR Boyz) | — | — | — | The Missing Link Vol. 1 | |
| 2011 | "My Girl"[28] [29] | — | — | — | Cognito Presents That's My Mic |
| 2013 | "When I Get Home" (featuring Young Joe)[30] | — | — | — | Champagne & Dirty Sprite / R.A.W (Raps About Women) |
| 2015 | Pussy On Fleek (featuring Jacob Latimore, Wash, LiL Scrappy) | — | — | — | No Love Lost |
| 2022 | Say Less | Boxed In Soundtrack | |||
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Ways Of The World" | |
| "Top Down" | ||
| 2011 | "Must Be Nice" | The Missing Link Volume 1 |
| "Why You Mad" | ||
| "Stay On My Grind" | ||
| 2012 | "Sippin Hennessy" (featuring Tupac Shakur) | Champagne & Dirty Sprite |
| "Don't Trust Nobody" (featuring Shawty Lo) | ||
| "I Learned From You" (featuring Whitney Houston) | non-album single | |
| 2013 | "Oh Heavenly Father" | Champagne & Dirty Sprite |
| "Call It What You Want" | non-album single | |
| 2014 | "Roof Gone" | My World My Future |
| 2015 | "Seen Alot" | No Love Lost |
| Year | Song | align=center valign=top colspan=3 | Chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B</small> | US Rap | |||
| 1999 | "Anywhere" (with 112)[31] | 15 | 5 | — | Room 112 |
| "Worldwide Renegade (Da Howg featuring Lil' Zane) | — | — | — | non-album single | |
| 2001 | "Hardball" (as Lil Rascals with Bow Wow, Lil Wayne, Sammie)[32] | — | 68 | — | Hardball soundtrack |
| 2010 | "Body Rock" (Bass Rock featuring Lil' Zane) | — | — | — | non-album single |
| "We Are The World: The Next Generation" (with H. Wood City, Brian McKnight Jr., Taylor Parks, Bobby Tinsley, Tori Kelly, Montana Tucker, Mishon, Tyna Q, Sy Sylvers, Solre, Raz B, Kristy Flores, Marcel Dion, Bobbie Riley, Deja Riley, Naturi Naughton, Porscha Coleman, Ariana Pierce, Alyxx Dione, Lil Mama, Prima J, Lil' Fizz, J-Boog, Chani, Karen Flores) | — | — | — | ||
| 2011 | "De Gna (Go)" (Official Avo featuring Lil' Zane & Novva) | — | — | — | |
| "Elevator" (Hustleman featuring Lil' Zane & J Soul) | — | — | — | ||
| "Body Rock 2" (CityStarz featuring Lil' Zane) | — | — | — | ||
| "Go Hard" (J Bigga featuring Lil' Zane)[33] | — | — | — | ||
| 2012 | "Take You There" (K-Tone featuring Lil' Zane & Ray Lavender) | — | — | — | The Real Tone Pt. 2 |
| 2013 | "Motivation" (Soulja P featuring Lil' Zane) | — | — | — | The Boot Camp |
| "When I Was 15" (Mac Trip Tha Don featuring Lil' Zane) | — | — | — | MOB Money's Everything | |
| 2014 | "Pocket Watchin" (D Pholo featuring Lil' Zane, Shawty) | — | — | — | non-album single |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Finding Forrester | Damon | credited as Zane Copeland Jr. | |
| 2001 | Dr. Dolittle 2 | Eric | ||
| 2003 | The Fighting Temptations | Derek | credited as Zane Copeland Jr. | |
| 2004 | Motives | M'Kai | credited as Zane Copeland Jr. | |
| 2006 | The Sun Will Rise | Malachi | ||
| 2007 | After Autumn | Derrick Parks | ||
| 2008 | Skeletons in the Desert | Marcus Jackson | ||
| 2008 | Cuttin Da Mustard | Patrick | ||
| 2009 | A Day in the Life | Red | ||
| 2014 | The 4th Quarter | Austin Graves | TV movie | |
| 2017 | Love by Chance | Travis | ||
| 2017 | When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story (TV Movie) | DJ Pierre | TV movie | |
| 2017 | Good Streets | Ryan | ||
| 2019 | The Bottom | Trap | Web Series (2 episodes) | |
| 2022 | Gutter | Lil' Angry | ||
| 2022 | Boxed In | Von | Peacock original |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000, 2002 | The Parkers | Himself | 2 episodes | |
| 2001 | One on One | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2007 | All of Us | n/a | 1 episode | |
| 2007 | Cold Case | Jester | 1 episode | |
| 2008 | Moonlight | Clint | 1 episode | |
| 2016 | Atlanta | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2021–2023 | BMF | Sockie | Recurring role | |
| 2024–present | Himself | Recurring role: Season 12 |