Elzhi & Oh No "Heavy Vibrato" (Album Stream)

Known for weaving together complex rhymes with style, Elzhi has been rapping circles around the competition for more than two decades. After years as a member of iconic group Slum Village, Elzhi’s impressive solo career has included projects produced by acclaimed artists like Black Milk, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Khrysis, and Will Sessions. Now, the Detroit emcee is linking with California beat maestro Oh No for the new collaborative album Heavy Vibrato. The project is a thrilling showcase for Elzhi's lyrical wizardry and cinematic storytelling, as Oh No breathes new life into a compelling tapestry of jazz samples, producing the entire collection. "The only thing you need to absorb this experience is an open mind," says Elzhi. With guest appearances by Blu and Guilty Simpson, Heavy Vibrato taps into an undeniable frequency. Stream their album Heavy Vibrato below...

Elzhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow "Zhigeist" (Album Stream)

With vivid flows radiating effortless complexity, Detroit rapper Elzhi is among the most masterful lyricists on the planet. The gifted emcee rose to fame as a member of legendary group Slum Village, but has since graduated from prodigy to sensei, with a thriving solo career bolstered by several acclaimed projects. Blending elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk, soul, rock, and beyond, Georgia Anne Muldrow is a supremely talented musician, producer, and vocalist who has worked with the likes of Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Madlib, Bilal, Robert Glasper, and more. Now, Elzhi and Georgia Anne Muldrow are joining forces for the collaborative album Zhigeist. Entirely produced by Georgia, the project is a carefully crafted mix of psychedelic instrumentation and whirlwind lyricism; an aesthetic triumph with an undeniable message. “Lyrically and musically, this album is a love letter to people of color,” says Elzhi. “What makes this project special is our determination to put medicine in the music.” Dig...

Elzhi "Seven Times Down Eight Times Up" (Album Stream)

Here's the press release for the new LP from Elzhi: "Elzhi, the “Syllable Sensei,” is back again with a highly anticipated release titled “Seven Times Down Eight Times Up,” This 12-track LP is a collage of memories and metaphors layered atop beats crafted by up-and-coming producer JR Swiftz. With collabs from Detroit artists, Monica Blaire and Fes Rock on two of the albums stand-out tracks, Elzhi’s new masterpiece showcases his ability to create meaningful concepts while Detroit’s own comedian and “Real Hip Hop Advocate” Foolish provides commentary throughout the album. As one of Elzhi’s most cohesive releases to date, his wordsmithing abilities paint images of royalty, excellence, and zombies wearing Gucci, all with an underlying message of resilience. “Seven times Down Eight Times Up” is the mantra for a year that has seen lots of “downs,” and reminds us that no matter what we're faced with, we will remain undefeated, and get back up after being knocked down by this machete-wielding maniac we call “life.” Elzhi is one of my favorite lyricists and Seven Times Down Eight Times Up is a solid project - sans some sequencing mistakes. Dig into it below...

Happy Born Day, Elzhi! (Playlist)

Happy Born Day to eLZhi, one of the greatest lyricists PERIOD! The bio on his website shares, "Before the world ever heard the name Elzhi, the young artist was sitting in the back of classrooms thinking of rhymes and spitting verses, while his friend Fes banged out beats on lunchroom tables and battled rival emcees on the blacktop after school. He sharpened every blade in his arsenal, developing his style to measure up against the competition in Maurice Maloneis Hip Hop Shop, the legendary proving ground for Detroit Artists that has produced some of the greatest emcees in the world. Elzhi spent years paying dues, writing songs, entering battles, and recording demos until he made his international debut on Come and Get It, a standout track from J Dilla’s album, Welcome 2 Detroit.  The critically acclaimed song drew massive attention to the mysterious artist, and made his EP, Out of Focus, highly sought after.  Following that, he released the critically acclaimed Elmatic as a tribute to Nas as well as to Elzhi’s hometown of Detroit." To celebrate his birthday today, I put together a quick playlist of tracks - mostly solo records with a few features mixed in. It is by no means a reflection of his full discography - in fact, it barely scratches the surface, but these do represent some of my favorite Elzhi cuts nonetheless. From his early "Out of Focus" EP to today, eLZhi remains one of our culture's most gifted lyricists, poets and MCs. Be sure to reach out HERE and wish him a Happy Born Day! The art above is by Aleks Skrok, you can order a poster HERE.

Elzhi "Witness My Growth" (The Michigan Journal, 1/05)

Have you heard Elzhi's Witness My Growth project? "From the tip-off of the intro, Elzhi doesn’t just want you to acknowledge him as one half of Slum Village, but rather the emcee laying vocals in the basement with Waajeed circa 2000, the cat representing Fenkell Avenue, and the friend who cried when fellow rapper Bugz died. The majority of the 24 songs on this two-CD mixtape are not current, more like a lost tapes collection put together to show the evolution of Elzhi. Production from J. Dilla, Houseshoes, Nick Speed, Alchemist, Kareem Riggins and BR Gunna provide the right balance of raw and familiar melodies for Elzhi’s rapid-fire flow. Fellow Slummate T3 joins him to slay enemies on the gritty “Haters”; he gives props to the folks he grew with over a remixed version of Woudini’s classic “Friends”; and Dwele lends his vocals to the choral “All I want.” Big Tone, Yaknus and Detroit diva Rhian Benson also make cameos. Witness My Growth isn’t a bunch of moldy thrown-together tracks; instead it shows the eagerness of a young Elzhi taking baby steps forward — an anthology of work designed to tell a story." - Metro Times, 2/2/05. Dig into Witness My Growth...

Also, a dope feature article on Elzhi in the Michigan Journal, January 2005.

Elzhi & Khrysis "Jericho Jackson" (Album Stream)

9th Wonder lit the fuse when he took to his Instagram to announce word that a collaborative album was in the works from two of the dopest to do it in this game of hip-hop—Elzhi and Khrysis. It caught everyone by surprise. With the pairing solidified, the two become one as Jericho Jackson became the name of their collaboration, their movement, as well as the name of the album. Fueled by 11-tracks and one lone guest appearance in Amber Navran, Jericho Jackson comes on the heels of Khrysis’ Grammy-nominated work with 9th and Rapsody for Laila’s Wisdom and is the follow-up to Elzhi’s 2016 solo project Lead Poison. So, without any further ado, please press play on this adventuristic sonic ride, and share your thoughts... - via OkayPlayer. Take my $! Listen below...

Happy Born Day, eLZhi! + Scattered Pictures

A Happy Born Day shout-out to the good homie, eLZhi; one of the greatest lyricists and storytellers in all of Hip-Hop! In a career that dates back to the 90s, the Detroit spitter recorded tracks with DJ Houseshoes in '98 that would become the 'Out Of Focus' EP. (It was re-issued on CD in 2011, you should own it.) 'Scattered Pictures' is one of my favorite tracks, as well as 'S.A.R.A.H.,' and the storytelling on 'Boomerang Slang' is impeccable! It was long-rumored that Houseshoes had given the DATs to J Dilla to remix before his passing, and ultimately, it was Dilla who asked eLZhi to step in and become part of Slum Village and gave him his international debut on 'Welcome To Detroit' in 2001. As part of Slum Village, eL's verse on 'Keep Holdin On' always stood out to me as one of their most slept-on joints: "And deep inside my bones I'm believing that my poems that I'm reading is the songs to my freedom." From his 'Witness My Growth' double-disc mixtape, the 'Euro Pass' Tour CD, 'The Preface' and 'The Leftovers (Unmixedtape),' these releases along with his work with Slum further cemented his place among the very best of the industry. In 2011, eLZhi released 'Elmatic;' a critically-acclaimed homage to Nas & his hometown in Detroit that was flawless from start to finish. After some controversy involving his 2013 KickStarter campaign, he returned last year with 'Lead Poison,' which answered many questions surrounding his mindstate and some of the inner battles he was facing during its recording. The quality of the final product was enough to silence any detractors. A little perspective to close this out: "Words are powerful things. If very real emotions are behind the words, I think they can manifest things. So, if there's something I won't rap about or don't address, it's only because I don't underestimate the power of those words." (MetroTimes). 

Will Sessions ft. Elzhi 'Knowledge of 12th'

The second release from Will Sessions’ newly launched record label is the first collaboration between Will Sessions and Elzhi since the critically acclaimed mixtape, 'Elmatic.' The track is called 'Knowledge of 12th' and is the A-Side to a 7" available at Fat Beats, with an instrumental edit on the B-Side. The new track will also be featured on Will Session's upcoming album, 'Deluxe,' set for release on April 21st. Take a walk with them down 12th (home of the Detroit Riot) for today's selection streaming below. Elzhi is one of the greatest eMCees of our generation, am I right?!

Elzhi "ELmatic" + "One Love Remix" (2011)

ELmatic (2011) is easily one of the best releases of the last decade! No question, Elzhi captured the essence of Illmatic, over-delivered lyrically, and Will Sessions recreated the production masterfully. I'd been anticipating Elmatic's release for two years ahead of its release. I believe the original idea was spawned by Houseshoes, but it didn't include reworking the production. Am I right on that? Fashawn put out Ode to Illmatic in 2010, and maybe Elzhi went back to the drawing board and a greater concept was birthed, because there were a few snippets over original Illmatic instrumentals released by Elzhi in 2009. I'm just speculating, but either way, what was created was better than anything I could have imagined. Today isn't its anniversary or anything, there's just never a bad time to put on ELmatic, and celebrate a masterpiece that celebrates the masterpiece...

So ... after listening to the album back to back to back in 2011, I sent a text to my artist, Eternia, and said to check out the project - specifically "One Love," as there was room at the end of that track for a verse. It was a subtle hint, but she was receptive, and days later, her "One Love Remix" was born. I think her verse at the end expertly complements the storyline and vibe of the track. We later met up with Elzhi at SOBs (NYC) - he showed love and it was dope to catch up with him and Jae Barber. Hear Eternia's remix to "One Love" below and cop El's project + instrumentals HERE. "Coulda been food for a tree, or a baby moms, a crack fiend, instead I am free! / Able to be / Not just a story, humble testimony from me / Now feel the glory that's comin' from up above... One Love."

Props to Elzhi for the official co-sign on the Remix, that still means a lot.

Slum Village "Trinity" (Vibe Magazine, 1/03)

"Many hip hop fans are still mourning the dissolution of A Tribe Called Quest. But Detroit's Slum Village brought the formula of relaxed funk and playful lyricism back to the airwaves in 2002 with its second album. Trinity (Past, Present and Future). "Tainted," the first single from that disc, is a melodic love joint about keepin' it real in both romance and art. With Baatin, 28, T3, 28, and newcomer Elzhi, 24, spitting lines like "Would you fix me green tea if I'm feelin' ill?" over a smoothed-out, keys 'n' bass groove. "Tainted" is the antidote to the steady dose of hook-friendly club tracks and who-can-outshine-whom diatribes so prevalent on urban radio." Watch "Tainted" below...

"Slum Village came together in the Conant Gardens section of the Motor City. Its indie-label debut album, Fantastic Vol.2, sold 150,000 copies and garnered underground props, mostly thanks to producer Jay Dee's syncopated bass lines, funky organ loops, and nasty percussion. Jay Dee has taken on a lesser role with Trinity, producing only a handful of tracks, while boardsmen Hi-Tek, Scott Storch, and Karriem Riggins (who produced "Tainted") incorporate soulful hooks and swirling keyboards. Lyrically dynamic, Baatin's nasal meditations and T3's witty wordplay about the females of the species blend perfectly with Elzhi's easy flow. Whether they get romantic, reflective, or ridiculous, the trio of MCs always stays locked into the track. Let's hope they don't dissolve into the same ether as the boys from the Boulevard of Linden." - Vibe Magazine, January 2003.

Elzhi "Lead Poison" (Album Stream)

"In the Spring of 2016, Elzhi will release his highly anticipated album, Lead Poison. Serving as a follow up to the instant classic, Elmatic, Lead Poison is poised to become Elzhi’s most desired album to date. With the help of Kickstarter backers, the album transitioned from an idea into reality. Highlighting a bevy of producers from 14KT to Karriem Riggins, the album serves as a recovery album that helps Elzhi confront the cloud. The album looks within himself and seeks peace of mind while fighting through the struggles in his life." Stream Elzhi's deeply personal Lead Poison below...

Elzhi "Out Of Focus" (EP Stream, 1998)

In 1998, Elzhi recorded a number of songs with Detroit hip-hop artist DJ Houseshoes with DJ Rios. These recording sessions yielded material that would become the Out of Focus EP, but the project was abandoned due to personal obligations and a lack of distribution options in Detroit. During the mixing process, DJ Houseshoes passed the DATs onto Dilla (R.I.P.), who allegedly intended on remixing the whole album before his passing. In late 2000, Elzhi acquired Dilla's master tapes and provided his close friends with CD's of the Out of Focus EP, plus 3 extra tracks. With a few CD's out in the open, the EP eventually leaked onto the Internet under the name "Unreleased Solo Project", but many CD's sold or distributed under this title are mislabeled with inaccurate track-listings and credits. The project was re-released in 2011 on his official website with a 27-minute bonus track showcasing verses from past features. Dilla asked Elzhi to take his place in the group Slum Village because he believed in Elzhi's gift and Dilla was battling Lupus. Please listen to this phenomenal EP below...

J Dilla "Welcome 2 Detroit" (CMJ, May-June, 2001)

"Whether you know it or not, Jay Dee's been rocking you for years. Probably best known as a member of the Ummah production team (who worked with A Tribe Called Quest) and the underground crew Slum Village, he's produced tracks for heavyweights like Busta, Common, Erykah and De La. Welcome 2 Detroit, dedicated to the Jay Dee stomping ground more famous for its brushed-metal techno than wood-grained hip-hop, echoes the subtle, soulful vibe of all the above. It's as understated as Slum Village's Fantastic Vol.2, trading in its rosy glow for a blunter, darker feel. The real action creeps in the background, with beats skulking like alley cats around the perimeter of a streetlight. On "Y'all Ain't Ready," a fidgety typewriter balances the breakbeat, as an instant staccato pings faintly in the distance. And who'd have thought that the Clapper theme (that's right, as seen on TV) could be turned into a grindingly funky jam? Jay Dee's also got a knack for finding MCs to balance the tenor of his tracks - on "Beej-N-Dem Pt.2," Beej's nasal style plays perfectly off the hallowed bass and compressed soul sample. And his cover of Donald Byrd's "Think Twice" exemplifies the producer's respect for his soul roots. Welcome to Jay Dee's Detroit: Get comfy, you may want to stay a while." - CMJ, 2001. (Updated, 2016). Listen to Dilla's Welcome 2 Detroit below...

The review for Jay Dee's Welcome 2 Detroit in CMJ is below...