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Zhang Zhengkai (born 2002), known professionally as jackzebra (stylized in lowercase), is a Chinese rapper, singer and record producer based in Chengdu, Sichuan. His discography spans genres such as cloud rap, plugg, and trap music. He is a member of the American music collective and netlabel Surf Gang.

Early life

Zhang was born in Xujing, Shanghai,[1] in 2002. Growing up, his favorite musicians included Imagine Dragons, Coldplay and M.I.A.[2] He began making songs in 2018, after setting up his own bedroom studio, initially freestyling in English. Zhang later caught the attention of Chinese cloud rap pioneer, Bloodz Boi,[3] who supported his musical direction, and encouraged him to focus on rapping in his native language, Chinese.[4][2] He recorded his first Chinese song in 2021.[5]

Career

Jackzebra is a part of the Chinese underground rap scene, alongside other contemporaries like Billionhappy, 1kpbs, and Chalky Wong. On April 26 2024 Jackzebra performed his first show in the United States at University of California Los Angeles for the Pi Upsilon chapter. This west coast debut Jackzebra gave established his role into the western underground music scene giving him more traction.[6] He released the mixtape王中王” (King of Kings) on October 29, 2024, which was rated a 7.8 by Pitchfork, and gained wider prominence online.[4][7] The Fader described jackzebra’s style as “[…] zealously Auto-Tuned slurring interlaced with atmospheric soundscapes that further distort lyrical meaning,” further stating that his work had gone viral on social media platforms like Reddit and Chinese microblogging site Weibo.[2][8][9][10] In late 2024, Zhang went viral online being labelled “Chinese Bladee“.[3][1]

On June 13, 2025, Jackzebra released the single “Givenchy,” produced by evilgiane, elipropperr, and fleadiamonds, followed by a performance of the track on the popular online radio show On The Radar.[11][12] He would also sign to internet rap collective and netlabel Surf Gang.[13][14]

Additionally, Dazed described Jackzebra as “perhaps the only artist ever to enjoy simultaneous virality on both sides of the Chinese firewall,” as well as “the voice of post-industrial China“.[1]

In December 2025, he released the mixtape Hunched Jack.[15] Pitchfork rated it a 7.4 out of 10 stating, “On his first release for Surf Gang, the Chengdu plugg rapper embraces his outsider persona atop the strongest, most cohesive production of his career”.[15]

A recent prominent figure in Jacks life is his fiancé HPSB, a Chinese based musician living in Chengdu with Jackzebra since 2023 from his interview with Lilbasedjit in 2025.[16] Her discography consists mostly of singles with occasional features from Jackzebra.

Discography

Albums

Title Album details
  • Released: May 29, 2022
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Apple
  • Released: September 18, 2023
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Released: September 13, 2024
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Mixtapes

Title Album details
Hotel Exclusive Mixtape
  • Released: December 8, 2019
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Good Wife Good Life Mixtape
  • Released: April 21, 2020
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
6 Winter L
  • Released: January 6, 2021
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
626 Two Year Anniversary Tape
  • Released: July 9, 2021
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
我和你的水晶之恋
  • Released: December 19, 2021
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Jack1888 Mixtape
  • Released: January 1, 2023
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
JackPrblmTape
  • Released: 6 April, 2023
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Young Powerful Run Mixtape
  • Released: March 13, 2024
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
王中王
  • Released: October 29, 2024
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Above & Beyond
  • Released: February 14, 2025
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Hunched Jack Mixtape
  • Released: October 3, 2025[17]
  • Label: Surf Gang
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

References

  1. ^ a b c Dazed (2025-04-02). “Jackzebra is the auto-tuned voice of post-industrial China”. Dazed. Archived from the original on 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  2. ^ a b c “GEN F: Jackzebra’s global ennui”. The FADER. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  3. ^ a b Dazed (2025-10-20). “Bloodz Boi: The humble godfather of Chinese underground rap”. Dazed. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  4. ^ a b Gui, James. “jackzebra: 王中王”. Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2025-08-27. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  5. ^ “jackzebra Is Not Endangered”. Paper. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  6. ^ “GEN F: Jackzebra’s global ennui”. The FADER. Retrieved 2026-03-29.
  7. ^ Gui, James (2023-04-13). “Experimental Sentimentalism in Chinese Cloud Rap”. Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on 2025-06-25. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  8. ^ Radio, N. T. S. “BLOODZ BOI W/ JACKZEBRA – CHINESE HIP HOP SPECIAL 23rd September 2024”. NTS Radio. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  9. ^ Dazed (2025-04-28). “Why silly music is in right now”. Dazed. Archived from the original on 2025-06-12. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  10. ^ Ribeiro, Julian (2025-06-23). “Rapper Jackzebra Went Apeshit With This Playlist”. Interview Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  11. ^ “The JackZebra “On The Radar” Freestyle”. On The Radar Radio. January 12, 2024. Archived from the original on July 20, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ “JACKZEBRA – GIVENCHY PROD BY EVILGIANE, ELIPROPPERR & FLEA DIAMONDS #SURFGANG”. YouTube. June 13, 2024. Archived from the original on July 20, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  13. ^ Monroe, Jazz (2025-06-13). “Jackzebra Signs to Surf Gang, Shares Video for New Song “Givenchy”. Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2025-08-18. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  14. ^ Eggertsen, Chris (2025-06-18). “Signed: Gustavo Mioto to WME, Gideon to Sumerian, Ty Herndon to Club44”. Billboard. Archived from the original on 2025-08-19. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
  15. ^ a b Helfand, Raphael. “jackzebra: Hunched Jack Mixtape”. Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  16. ^ LilBasedJit (2025-11-02). Jack Zebra – Interview with Nina Protocol. Retrieved 2026-03-29 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ Strauss, Matthew (2025-09-26). “Jackzebra Announces Hunched Jack Mixtape, Teams Up With James Ferraro and Glasear for New Song”. Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2025-10-02. Retrieved 2025-09-29.