Elzhi
Encyclopedia
Jason Powers (better known as Elzhi – often printed as eLZhi) is a hip-hop artist from Detroit, Michigan. Many Underground fans know him as "Detroit's Best Kept Secret". As a former member of Slum Village
he now records as a solo artist. He is known particularly for his complicated rhyme schemes, involving polysyllabic ‘patterns’, internal rhymes and alliteration, as well as evocative imagery, simile and metaphor. On May 10, 2011, Elzhi released his highly anticipated mixtape eLmatic, produced by Will Sessions, as a tribute to to Nas
’ classic debut Illmatic
. The mixtape has received glowing reviews from critics and fans alike. In his youth he would make visits to the Hip-Hop shop in Detroit, where they had Open mic nights in where rapper Proof
was the host. He would find himself surrounded by Detroit's most talented MC's such as Obie Trice
, Phat Kat
, Guilty Simpson
, Royce da 59, One Be Lo
, J Dilla
, Baatin, D12
, and even Eminem
during his battling days.
In late 2000, Elzhi acquired his master tapes and provided his close friends with CD's of the Out of Focus EP in addition to 3 extra tracks. These few discs allowed the material to eventually leak onto the internet under the name "Unreleased Solo Project." CDs sold or distributed under this title are usually completely mislabelled with inaccurate track-listings and credits. The project was later re-released in 2011 on his official website with a bonus 27min track showcasing verses from past features.
and Magestik Legend. The trio of emcees recorded only a few songs together: "Gun Talk," "Oh Shit" and "Farewell." "Farewell," produced by Lacks, is a song where each emcee spits a verse about their relationships with women. Elzhi reprises a verse he had originally recorded for the DJ Houseshoes-produced "What I Am," a discarded song from the Out of Focus sessions that eventually was released when the EP leaked onto the internet. "Farewell," like the rest of the 9-2-5 material, remains incomplete and unreleased.
In 2000, Elzhi became a frequent collaborator with Waajeed
. During their countless recording sessions, the pair would create an untold number of songs. "Stunted Growth" is one of the few tracks to ever emerge from this era of recording.
As Elzhi and Waajeed became closer through their collaborations, so did El's affiliation with Slum Village. Constantly working on his music, Elzhi had the opportunity to record songs over some of Jay Dee's unused beats ("Days and Nights Analyzin'," "Concrete Eyes") and attracted the attention of Slum Village member T3, who took the young artist under his wing. T3 brought Elzhi to the attention of Jay Dee. This connection paved the way for Elzhi's national debut on Jay Dee's Welcome to Detroit album, for which he received his first ever pay check in the rap game. Elzhi's verse on the song "Come Get It" was acclaimed by Hiphopsite.com upon its release.
. During the sessions, T3 invited Elzhi to collaborate on a few tracks. One of the earliest of these was the "Aerodynamic Remix" by Daft Punk which was featured on the Kiss of the Dragon
soundtrack. Originally, Slum Village intended Elzhi's presence on the album to be nothing more than a featured guest. But, recognizing their chemistry, Baatin and T3 invited Elzhi to become a full-time member, a choice enthusiastically supported by J Dilla. In July 2010 Elzhi officially announced his departure from Slum Village. Elzhi's manager Hex Murda was quoted in XXL magazine saying, “For all intents and purposes concerning Elzhi, Slum Village is defunct."
formed the Libido Sounds label in order to release Witness My Growth, a double CD compilation of Elzhi's unreleased solo material from as early as 1997. The double disc includes exclusive J Dilla collaborations as well as highlights from the Out of Focus EP. Production credits on the mixtape include to J Dilla
, Waajeed
, Karriem Riggins
, Page Kennedy, B.R. Gunna, DJ Magnetic, Houseshoes and The Alchemist
.
His first solo project with national distribution, The Preface, was released on August 12, 2008.
's debut album called eLmatic where using the band Will Sessions they recreate the sounds of Illmatic
in similar fashion. The Mixtaped was greatly received by hip hop fans and considered one of the best projects released in 2011. He has released two videos for the mixtape, "Halftime" and "It Ain't Hard 2 Tell" which has hit 500,000 views despite not being backed by a major label. He has also mentioned that a video for "Memory Lane" is in the works, and will feature footage from the Hip Hop Shop in Detroit.
Slum Village
Slum Village was a hip hop group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin and T3, plus rapper and producer J Dilla . J Dilla left in 2002 to pursue a solo career with MCA Records...
he now records as a solo artist. He is known particularly for his complicated rhyme schemes, involving polysyllabic ‘patterns’, internal rhymes and alliteration, as well as evocative imagery, simile and metaphor. On May 10, 2011, Elzhi released his highly anticipated mixtape eLmatic, produced by Will Sessions, as a tribute to to Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
’ classic debut Illmatic
Illmatic
Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording...
. The mixtape has received glowing reviews from critics and fans alike. In his youth he would make visits to the Hip-Hop shop in Detroit, where they had Open mic nights in where rapper Proof
Proof (rapper)
DeShaun Dupree Holton better known as Proof his stage name, was an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. During his career, he was a member of the groups Goon Squad, 5 Elementz, Promatic, and most notably D12...
was the host. He would find himself surrounded by Detroit's most talented MC's such as Obie Trice
Obie Trice
Obie Trice III is an American rapper and songwriter. He began rapping at the age of 11, and is most known for his time spent signed to Shady Records. Obie Trice has formed his own record label, Black Market Entertainment.-Biography:...
, Phat Kat
Phat Kat
Phat Kat , is a rapper from the east side of Detroit, Michigan. His career began in the mid 90's as part of 1st Down, which consisted of Phat Kat on vocals and Jay Dee on production...
, Guilty Simpson
Guilty Simpson
Byron Simpson, better known by his stage name Guilty Simpson is a rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He was previously known as Guilt. Over time, he saw that there were more emcees using the alias. In order to set himself apart from the others, he added his last name to become Guilty Simpson. He is...
, Royce da 59, One Be Lo
One Be Lo
Nahshid Sulaiman better known by his stage name One Be Lo is an alternative hip hop artist from Pontiac, Michigan. He is well respected for being one half of the former rap duo Binary Star, and has released a number of well-received solo albums...
, J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
, Baatin, D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
, and even Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
during his battling days.
Out of Focus
In 1998, Elzhi recorded a number of songs with Detroit hip-hop artist DJ House-shoes with DJ Rios. These recording sessions yielded the material that would become the Out of Focus EP. The project was abandoned due to his life getting in the way and no real viable outlet for music as opposed to California and New York. During the mixing process DJ Houseshoes passed the DATs onto Dilla who intended on remixing the whole album before his passing.In late 2000, Elzhi acquired his master tapes and provided his close friends with CD's of the Out of Focus EP in addition to 3 extra tracks. These few discs allowed the material to eventually leak onto the internet under the name "Unreleased Solo Project." CDs sold or distributed under this title are usually completely mislabelled with inaccurate track-listings and credits. The project was later re-released in 2011 on his official website with a bonus 27min track showcasing verses from past features.
925, Waajeed, and Jay Dee
In 1999, Elzhi became affiliated with the 9-2-5 Colony, a group formed by Nick SpeedNick Speed
Nick Speed is a Hip hop producer who has produced tracks for 50 Cent, Tupac Shakur, Lloyd Banks, M.O.P., Talib Kweli, Phat Kat and Musiq Soulchild.He is signed to Money Management Group which is a subsidiary of G-Unit Records.-Early years:...
and Magestik Legend. The trio of emcees recorded only a few songs together: "Gun Talk," "Oh Shit" and "Farewell." "Farewell," produced by Lacks, is a song where each emcee spits a verse about their relationships with women. Elzhi reprises a verse he had originally recorded for the DJ Houseshoes-produced "What I Am," a discarded song from the Out of Focus sessions that eventually was released when the EP leaked onto the internet. "Farewell," like the rest of the 9-2-5 material, remains incomplete and unreleased.
In 2000, Elzhi became a frequent collaborator with Waajeed
Waajeed
Waajeed is a Detroit-born music producer, and one half of the hip hop and R&B group Platinum Pied Pipers. He formed the Bling47 record label in 2002,which has released his work and projects by J Dilla and the vocalist Tiombe Lockhart...
. During their countless recording sessions, the pair would create an untold number of songs. "Stunted Growth" is one of the few tracks to ever emerge from this era of recording.
As Elzhi and Waajeed became closer through their collaborations, so did El's affiliation with Slum Village. Constantly working on his music, Elzhi had the opportunity to record songs over some of Jay Dee's unused beats ("Days and Nights Analyzin'," "Concrete Eyes") and attracted the attention of Slum Village member T3, who took the young artist under his wing. T3 brought Elzhi to the attention of Jay Dee. This connection paved the way for Elzhi's national debut on Jay Dee's Welcome to Detroit album, for which he received his first ever pay check in the rap game. Elzhi's verse on the song "Come Get It" was acclaimed by Hiphopsite.com upon its release.
Slum Village
In 2001, with Jay Dee no longer an official member, Slum Village began recording their follow up to Fantastic, Vol. 2Fantastic, Vol. 2
Fantastic, Vol. 2 is the second album from Detroit's Slum Village, released in 2000. During the time of its release the group was still composed of its earliest members T3, Baatin and Jay Dee....
. During the sessions, T3 invited Elzhi to collaborate on a few tracks. One of the earliest of these was the "Aerodynamic Remix" by Daft Punk which was featured on the Kiss of the Dragon
Kiss of the Dragon
Kiss of the Dragon is a 2001 martial arts action film, directed by Chris Nahon, co-written and produced by Luc Besson, and starring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, and Tchéky Karyo....
soundtrack. Originally, Slum Village intended Elzhi's presence on the album to be nothing more than a featured guest. But, recognizing their chemistry, Baatin and T3 invited Elzhi to become a full-time member, a choice enthusiastically supported by J Dilla. In July 2010 Elzhi officially announced his departure from Slum Village. Elzhi's manager Hex Murda was quoted in XXL magazine saying, “For all intents and purposes concerning Elzhi, Slum Village is defunct."
Libido Sounds and the Future
In 2004, Elzhi and Nick SpeedNick Speed
Nick Speed is a Hip hop producer who has produced tracks for 50 Cent, Tupac Shakur, Lloyd Banks, M.O.P., Talib Kweli, Phat Kat and Musiq Soulchild.He is signed to Money Management Group which is a subsidiary of G-Unit Records.-Early years:...
formed the Libido Sounds label in order to release Witness My Growth, a double CD compilation of Elzhi's unreleased solo material from as early as 1997. The double disc includes exclusive J Dilla collaborations as well as highlights from the Out of Focus EP. Production credits on the mixtape include to J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
, Waajeed
Waajeed
Waajeed is a Detroit-born music producer, and one half of the hip hop and R&B group Platinum Pied Pipers. He formed the Bling47 record label in 2002,which has released his work and projects by J Dilla and the vocalist Tiombe Lockhart...
, Karriem Riggins
Karriem Riggins
Karriem Riggins is a jazz drummer, hip hop producer, dj, and sometime rapper. He is a former member of the Ray Brown Trio and Mulgrew Miller trio and currently appears in the Diana Krall quartet....
, Page Kennedy, B.R. Gunna, DJ Magnetic, Houseshoes and The Alchemist
The Alchemist (producer)
Alan Daniel Maman , better known as The Alchemist, is an American hip hop producer, DJ and rapper. He hails from Beverly Hills, California...
.
His first solo project with national distribution, The Preface, was released on August 12, 2008.
eLmatic
He recently released a homage retail mixtape on May 10, 2011 in honor of NasNas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
's debut album called eLmatic where using the band Will Sessions they recreate the sounds of Illmatic
Illmatic
Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording...
in similar fashion. The Mixtaped was greatly received by hip hop fans and considered one of the best projects released in 2011. He has released two videos for the mixtape, "Halftime" and "It Ain't Hard 2 Tell" which has hit 500,000 views despite not being backed by a major label. He has also mentioned that a video for "Memory Lane" is in the works, and will feature footage from the Hip Hop Shop in Detroit.
as a member of Slum Village
- 2002: Trinity: Past, Present And FutureTrinity (Past, Present and Future)Trinity is the third studio album by Slum Village, released on August 24, 2002.- Overview :Trinity marked the group's first shift away from its original lineup, due to J Dilla's departure following Fantastic, Vol. 2, to pursue a solo career...
- 2004: Detroit Deli: A Taste Of DetroitDetroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit)Detroit Deli is Slum Village's fourth album, released on June 29, 2004. It was released shortly after Baatin left the group, leaving only T3 and Elzhi.- Overview :...
- 2005: Slum VillageSlum Village (album)Slum Village is Slum Village's fifth album, released on October 25, 2005. The release includes a bonus DVD which includes footage on the making of the album as well as an interview with T3 and Elzhi on the group's history. The DVD also features Slum Village's first two music videos "Climax " and...
- 2009: Villa Manifesto EP
- 2010: Villa ManifestoVilla ManifestoVilla Manifesto is the sixth studio album by Detroit hip hop group Slum Village. It was released on July 27, 2010, via E1 Records. It has been stated that it is their final studio album.-Background:...
Extended Plays (EPs)
- 1998: Out Of FocusOut of Focus (EP)Out of Focus is the first solo project of Hip-Hop rapper Elzhi, which has never been officially released. This EP features many of Elzhi's collaborators from the legendary Detroit Hip Hop crew, The Breakfast Club....
- 2000: The Breakfast Club (with DweleDweleAndwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
, Lacks, Big Tone & 87)
Mixtapes
- 2004: Witness My Growth: The Mixtape 97-04
- 2005: Prequel To A Classic (with Slum Village)
- 2008: EuroPass: An Exclusive Tour CD (Tour CD)
- 2009: The Leftovers (Unmixedtape)
- 2011: Elmatic
External links
- Elzhi.com – Official Elzhi Website
- eLZhi interview at Leisure Lab
- Elzhi Interview at geocities
- Elzhi Interview at We've Got The Jazz
- http://thewellversed.com/2011/07/29/interview-elzhi-detroits-finest/
- http://theurbandaily.com/music/jbarrow/is-slum-village%E2%80%99s-elzhi-still-detroit%E2%80%99s-best-kept-secret/