Elzhi:Elmatic

Tags: Elmatic, Elzhi, Hip Hop, Ilmatic, J Dilla, Nas, Rap

8/10 dropps

In 1993 Nassir Jones released an album that arguably continues to be one of the most prolific and incredible hip-hop albums ever Illmatic. Taking on an album of such caliber and making it your own somehow sounds like a set up for failure, however Detroit native and former Slum Village member Elzhi has done it, and done it really well. With rumors for nearly two years of the project coming out, Elmatic finally dropped this past week and has many hip-hop heads going bananas.
First and foremost this album doesn’t really change the original layout and structure of its originator. 10 tracks, in the same order, with minor changes on the production, all taken care of by Detroit locals Will Sessions. The tempo stays around the same as before, the verses are the same length, and the lyrical content and talented flow is right there with Nas. The album begins with ‘Genesis’, an impressive starter letting listeners get a close idea of what type of album they are in for. After that is the insane and perfect ‘Detroit State Of Mind’. Lyrically the tongue and cheek flow of Elzhi is cutting and gut wrenching, but the live instrumental additions to the original Premier beat add the ex factor. Halftime sounds better than any other rendition or freestyle over this beat to date. For reminiscent Nas flow expect to be impressed with ‘The World Is Yours’ and ‘Memory Lane’, which both are so close to their original samples you forget you’re listening to a different rapper. The album wraps up with probably its best track, ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’. Within the first five seconds of that classic Michael Jackson sample ‘Human Nature’ and hard-hitting beat Elzhi absolutely murders the track with his lyrical skills.
After years of being the better rapper in Slum Village, record deal issues, the deaths of music comrades J Dilla & Baatin, Elmatic is a record that will bring complete respect and appreciation to Elzhi. After it was completed the entire album was sent over to Nas as a gift, and the rap legend was absolutely amazed by it, demanding he and Elzhi get together to work on new material. When asked about Elmatic, Elzhi stated this “ It’s a tribute to one of the illest albums, in my opinion, that’s ever touched hip-hop. It’s my love letter to Illmatic and it’s be just showing love and shocking the youth that may not have heard Illmatic to go out and check it. I also did this for my fans, cause they been waiting on this for too long.” All in all this is probably the best hip-hop ode in ages, and any Nas fan will be proud of what Elzhi did here. You can download the entire album for free over at Elzhi’s website.
-Jay Wolman

Wed May 11

One Response to Elzhi:Elmatic

klaus says:

Mon May 30 at 7:56 pm

Good Lord. This is an incredible article and I am now inspired to go out and make some music for myself. Thanks so much for posting. keep it up and keep me posted with any more cool shizzy like this!

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Elzhi:Elmatic

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