In 2008, Elzhi’s The Preface was lauded as one of Detroit’s best hip-hop albums of the year. Seven years and one Kickstarter project later, the former Slum Village member plans to release his follow up project Lead Poison.
“February” is our first glimpse at what the artful emcee has been up to. A whimsical piano line greets the listener in the first bars, reminiscent of falling snow and seeing your breath materialize in the winter air. As the song progresses, the beat remains unchanged save for a quiet horn. Elzhi’s commanding flow takes center stage and doesn’t stop until the track ends.
The rapper doesn’t leave any room for cheesy hooks or lackluster bridges, as he wants your full attention. The song is not only about the transition from winter to spring, but the changes Elzhi has gone through in his life and how the seasons can remind us of that.
February may be Black History Month, but in Detroit it’s also the month of Jay Dee. Elzhi remembers how he felt in February 2006 when Dilla passed, taking all that inspiration and starting a new era in Detroit hip-hop. The result is a track that has the power to stop people in their tracks, the power to make them listen and feel something, just like Jay used to do.
Lead Poison is anticipated to be released in May. Listen to “February” below: