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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Zack de la Rocha’s departure from Rage Against the Machine in 2000 changed the shape of his public musical career, but the evidence does not establish a wholesale transformation of his private life. He said he was leaving because the band’s decision-making had failed and, in his view, undermined its shared artistic and political ideal. Afterward, he worked on solo sessions and collaborations; his most substantial documented release was a five-track EP with One Day as a Lion in 2008.
Why did Zack de la Rocha leave Rage Against the Machine?
In October 2000, de la Rocha announced that he was leaving the band. He said its decision-making process had “completely failed” to meet the aspirations of all four members and, from his perspective, had undermined their artistic and political ideal. He also expressed pride in the band’s work as activists and musicians and gratitude to the people who had shared that experience. This is his clearest public explanation of the decision. Louder reproduced his statement in a 2026 retrospective.
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Tom Morello later described longstanding tensions and said de la Rocha had planned to take 18 months to two years away, without writing another Rage song or playing another show until 2003. Morello did not claim to know the definitive reason for the departure. His account adds context, but it does not establish one single cause beyond de la Rocha’s own stated concerns. Morello’s account.
What did he do after leaving Rage?
De la Rocha worked on solo material with producers and musicians including DJ Shadow, Dan the Automator, ?uestlove and Trent Reznor. The sources reviewed do not document a released solo full-length album from those sessions. He also appeared sporadically on other artists’ projects, including work associated with Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, Saul Williams, Los Tigres del Norte, Deltron 3030 and Run the Jewels. These collaborations were separate appearances, not a continuous solo-album run. Rolling Stone Australia surveys his work beyond Rage.
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One Day as a Lion: his major post-Rage release
In 2008, de la Rocha formed One Day as a Lion with drummer Jon Theodore. The label describes it as a recorded interaction between the two musicians. Their self-titled EP, released July 22, 2008, contains five tracks:
- “Wild International”
- “Ocean View”
- “Last Letter”
- “If You Fear Dying”
- “One Day as a Lion”
The project was a formal release by a duo, rather than a solo album. ANTI- Records lists the One Day as a Lion EP and a 180-gram LP edition on its artist page. Exclaim!’s 2008 announcement also gives the release date and track list.
Rank #2
- vinyl album/LP (12" size)
- released 2018 in Europe by Epic Records (19075851201)
- Genre: Alternative / Indie
How his public career changed—and what the record cannot show
Compared with Rage Against the Machine’s prominent band career, de la Rocha’s post-departure released output was sparse: solo sessions did not produce a documented solo full-length in the sources reviewed, collaborations appeared intermittently, and One Day as a Lion provided a substantial release in EP form. That describes what is publicly documented, not everything he may have worked on. It does not establish that he stopped making music, nor does it explain his private life.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The later Achilles injury was a separate event
De la Rocha’s departure in 2000 should not be confused with the later interruption to Rage touring. In a statement about cancelling the remaining 2023 North American tour dates, he said he had a severe tear in his left Achilles tendon, with only 8% of the tendon left intact, affecting both his ability to perform and basic functionality. His statement was published on Rage Against the Machine’s official site. The injury concerns the 2023 tour, not his reason for leaving the band more than two decades earlier.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- vinyl album/LP (12" size)
- released 2018 in Europe by Epic (19075844081)
- Genre: Alternative / Indie
Rank #4
Rank #3
- vinyl album/LP (12" size)
- released 2018 in Europe by Epic Records (19075851191)
- Genre: Alternative / Indie
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