Much like a mirror, music bounces our reflections right backatus.Ultimately, we see ourselves as muchas we see the artist.Siphoning precise raps through a battlefield of distorted guitars and glitchy hues, Zero9:36 beckonsreflection. The Philadelphia post-genre sonic insurgent, singer, creative, and rapper rhymes with the forceand fire of a prizefighter as he landshard-hittinghooks meant to explode on impact. Adapting to anysetting, he’s amassed40million-plus streams and collaborated with everyone fromTravis Barker andgrandsonto Hollywood Undeadand Theory of a Deadman.However, Zero 9:36 proudly occupies a lane of his own on the 2021 EP,...IF YOU DON’T SAVE YOURSELF[ATCO Records]which has amassed over 41 million streams.“When I’m writing, I’ll speak to a personal situation, but I’ll ultimately leave the lyrics open forinterpretation,” he explains. “The feeling is the most important thing.”Music always brought those feelings out of the artist bornMatthew Cullen. Growing up in thesuburbs ofPhiladelphia, PA, he lived with his mom and stepfather, yet enjoyed a series of formative experiences withhis late father. Dad turned him on to Slipknot and his“biggest influence”frontmanCorey Taylor.Popsalsotook himto a total of four Hollywood Undead concerts. For as much asMatthewdug rock, Lil Wayne’sTha Carter IIand Meek Mill’sFlamers 2ultimately inspired him to make music. After his first recordingexperience in a professional studio at 10-years-old, he pursuedhip-hop atfull speed.Just as he began togather steam locally, he tragically lost his father.“My dad died when I was 16,” he sighs. “He was the reason I listened to rock. He got to hear my rapmaterialthough.He was a big inspirationoverall.”On a creative tear, he wrote and recorded over 100hip-hopsongs under the original name of Zero.Heeven threw down in a sneaker store cypher withanintro bynone other thanMeek Mill. After grindingunder-the-radar for years and augmenting his signature style with cybernetic beats and guitartransmissions from frequent collaborator No Love For The Middle Child, he caught the attention of ATCORecords in 2019. Signed personally by C.E.O. and industry legend Pete Ganbarg as the relaunched label’sflagship act, hemetamorphosizedagain, adopting the 9:36 in reference to the time of his birth. Poweredby highlights such as “Leave The Light On” and “WWYDF,” theYou Will Not Be SavedEP introduced himas it generated25million-plus streams.On itsheels, he joined forces with grandson on “Again (Text Voter XX to 40649)” in addition to droppingthe acousticBarebones Vol. 1EP, evincing his versatility.Simultaneously, heand No Love For The MiddleChild assembled the next projectby way of ZOOM sessions with producers such as Keith Varon [FEVER333,Martin Garrix],Erik Ron [Panic! At The Disco, Godsmack], Drew Fulk [Lil Peep, Lil Wayne, Beartooth],andmorein the midst of the Global Pandemic. Zero 9:36paved the way for the 2021 EP with “The End”andits companion remix “The End/Undead” [feat. Hollywood Undead] andthe anthemic“Adrenaline,”thelatterofwhichhit#1on Mediabase’sActive Rockairplay chartearlier this year and stands asthe#1 mostplayed current or recurrentat the format in 2021