Danielle's out for the moment. So I'm hijacking this news spot to highlight the year's best hip-hop release, one that hasn't left my mp3 player since its release in May: Elmatic by Detroit MC, Elzhi. Although the concept of rapping over Illmatic beats has been tried before to mixed results (see Fashawn), Elzhi takes the concept to another level, with help from Will Sessions' live instrumentation. Elzhi has long been a clever wordsmith rapping over dope beats (see The Preface, in particular), but his rhymes here are more personal and grounded. His flow is effortless and you cannot help but marvel as he makes a classic album distinctly his own. Check it out:
"Detroit State of Mind"
Play video"Halftime"
Play video"It Ain't Hard to Tell"
Play videoBehind the scenes
Play videoYou can download the Elmatic mixtape, for free, here: XXL Mag. So there's no excuse not to listen.
Lastly, Elzhi is playing a few shows over the next month. You can experience Elmatic live if you're fortunate enough to reside in one of these cities:
08/19/11 - Indianapolis - Jazz Kitchen
08/20/11 - Chicago - Double Door
08/24/11 - New York City - SOBS
08/26/11 - Pittsburgh - Shadow Lounge
08/30/11 - Kalamazoo - The Globe