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They say hardship is a wellspring of creativity, and for Zito Ballo, this rings true more than for most. Born in Liberia is western Africa, which is not only an extremely poor third world nation, it is also a country that has suffered not one, but two civil wars since his birth. At age 14, Zito was taken to Ghana as a refugee, fleeing the war and violence, where he stayed for six years in a refugee camp. In 2006 he was granted a visa, along with his foster family, to travel to Australia to start a new life. Zito has not let this harsh background deter him from pursuing his passion for music. On the contrary, he has used it for strength and inspiration. He began rapping aged 16, and participated in schoolyard battles, and is now forging a meaningful career in his adopted home of Melbourne. In 2009, Zito attained a Diploma in Music Production/Sound Engineering at Melbourne’s School of Audio Engineering, and shortly thereafter set up his own home recording studio, naming it ‘Shatter