Elzhi spent years paying dues, writing songs, entering battles, and recording demos until he finally made his international debut on "Come and Get It", a standout track from J Dilla's album, Welcome 2 Detroit. The acclaimed song drew massive attention to the mysterious artist, and made his unfinished EP, Out of Focus, a highly sought after recording.
In 2001, Slum Village asked Elzhi to be a part of the group to elevate their reputation, and allowing him to reach new levels of lyricism. He recorded multiple albums with his former group, sold hundreds of thousands of records, and toured the world performing his hit singles "Tainted", (featuring Dwele)” and "Selfish", (featuring Kanye West and John Legend)” in cities as distant as Tokyo and Amsterdam.
In 2004, Elzhi released Witness My Growth, a 2-disc mixtape featuring many of his lost or unfinished solo songs, which has come to be considered an underground classic by hip hop fans all over the world. Embarking on his first European solo tour in 2008, Elzhi released Europass as a merch-table exclusive. Upon his return to the United States, he promptly released the The Preface, his solo debut on Fat Beats Records. The album helped to solidify his reputation as one of the most respected and inventive lyricists in the world, earning acclaim from legendary artists and fans alike. In 2009, responding to the demands of his passionate fan base, Elzhi released The Leftovers Unmixedtape, mixtape, a collection of rare tracks and unreleased exclusives featuring the hit single "Deep".
In 2010, due to complications with his former label and no longer content with being “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper,” Elzhi signed with Jae Barber and The JAE.B Group, an Artist Relations and Management firm, drafting them to help launch his career to the next level. Moving past the relationship with his former group, Elzhi has reinvented himself as a solo artist and reignited his buzz.
In 2011 Elzhi released Elmatic, an homage to Nas' classic debut, Illmatic. A labor of love for Elzhi, the project finds the Detroit emcee creating new songs out of Nas’s original titles while rapping over the Will Sessions Band’s interpretation of the original beats.
After the overwhelming success of Elmatic, Elzhi is in the beginning stages of writing his new album using beats provided by an exciting roster of producers, and is embarking on a tour to reintroduce himself to the world. More than 12 years after he finished recording the legendary collection of songs, he has finally released the Out of Focus EP exclusively through www.elzhi.com.
Fire
Elzhi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elzhi, Black Milk, let's go, yeah
[Verse 1: Black Milk]
You can't mention the top five without mentioning I
Black and Elzhi, fire like the temperature rise
Limitless I'm, not even the sky's the limit to I
When we spit with adrenaline times ten
It's, no stopping, every line's mind boggling
Stopping your top artist, topping 'em
When we spit sick, naw critics love to get compliments, go
[Verse 2: Fatt Father]
A little 'gen and sodium
Pandemonium, sparks the fat man at the podium
Starts the flame on, I came to stay long
(Somebody call SVU!) I rape songs
Fatt Father collaring fake bums, like Steak-umms
With great guns, that'll have you covered in A1
Al Green told me I was hotter than cooked grits
And my words seem more like somethin I cook with
[Hook: Black Milk]
Cause it's that fire, I see the smoke rising higher
Hi-higher, hands to the sky, up
Spit fire, nope can't deny us
They getting liver, cause it's that fire
I see the smoke rising higher
Get 'em, get 'em up, get 'em higher
Get a cup, let me see, see you light up
They getting liver, cause it's that fire
[Verse 3: Danny Brown]
I fire up the blunt and it tastes like gumbo
Hit the trees hard like George in the Jungle
I'm a play humble 'fore I let the K rumble
Know you got a bitch fatty and a snitchin ass uncle
Brown play niggas like Funco-
Land tan seats in the old school sedan
So nigga talk sweet and the forty fifth blam
Hit a nigga in his back, make 'em do a handstand
[Verse 4: Fat Ray]
Look, it's Fat Ray, fireman, I'm turnin the hose on
You fire up a L, we burning the whole zone
So you can go to hell with fire and brimstone
Fire with the heckler
Niggas is even jockin my hand gestures
Yes, cause I'm fresher than the Nantucket Nectar
Ain't a man fresher, we apply pressure
You a lie, crooked in the street, when I fire like a Vietnam veteran
[Hook]
[Verse 5: Guilty Simpson]
You can't extinguish my genius, release just
Enough to touch y'all without a just cause
And still build a loyal following
Front row at my next show hollering, witnessing overpowering
Lyrics, you feel it deep down, way beneath the street's ground
In sewer tops, we do enough, you do a lot
With zero reward, I'm the chairman of the board
Warlord, sending verb victims to the morgue
[Verse 6: Elzhi]
'til charge an ill joggin, with skill that can kill squadrons
We'll reveal this all in your grill, like the drill sergeant
Too mean, two spleens, this is daily routine
If you seen, holding new green, in my blue jeans
Knuckle every clown, always chuckle, barely frown
Pistol here beneath the bubble, like Huckleberry Hound
When I came in, bent down to strike the game and
They say that I'm fire, you just got fired for soundin like your flaming
[Hook]
[Outro: Black Milk]
If you a fan, go and fan a nigga off, yeah
Wave your hands, yeah, fan a nigga off, uh
Go ahead, just fan a nigga off, yeah
If you a fan, go and fan a nigga off, go!
The song "Fire" is a collaborative effort by Elzhi, Black Milk, Fatt Father, Danny Brown, Guilty Simpson, and Fat Ray. Each artist takes turns spitting fierce bars, showcasing their lyrical prowess and unique styles. The opening verse by Black Milk sets the tone for the entire song, boasting about his and Elzhi's skills and the fire they spit. Fatt Father follows with a verse about his dominance as an MC, while Danny Brown raps about his love for smoking and his readiness to fight. Fat Ray adds his own flavor with a verse about being fresher than anyone else and applying pressure. Guilty Simpson's verse talks about his genius as an MC and his ability to create loyal fans, while Elzhi closes the song with a verse about his superior skills and how he's better than anyone else.
The hook repeats the phrase "it's that fire", which ties the entire song together and emphasizes the ferocity of each rapper's performance. The use of the word "fire" also reflects the heat and intensity of their rhymes.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't mention the top five without mentioning I
I am one of the top five rappers and cannot be ignored or dismissed
Black and Elzhi, fire like the temperature rise
Black Milk and I are a hot duo with blazing skills
Limitless I'm, not even the sky's the limit to I
I have unlimited potential and there are no boundaries to my ability
When we spit with adrenaline times ten
Our rap delivery is filled with energy and force
From the beginnin until the rhyme end
Our rap skills are consistent and unstoppable from start to finish
It's, no stopping, every line's mind boggling
We have no breaks in our flow and every line is complex and impressive
Stopping your top artist, topping 'em
We are better than your favorite rapper and can easily surpass them
Cause it's that fire, I see the smoke rising higher
Our rap skills are so hot that the energy is palpable and smoke is rising
Spit fire, nope can't deny us
Our rapping is so impressive that no one can deny our talent
I fire up the blunt and it tastes like gumbo
When I smoke weed, it's so good it tastes like a delicious dish
Hit the trees hard like George in the Jungle
I smoke marijuana with intensity and power
Look, it's Fat Ray, fireman, I'm turnin the hose on
I am like a fireman, putting out other weak rappers with my powerful flow
You can't extinguish my genius, release just
My skills are so great that they cannot be contained or hidden
Knuckle every clown, always chuckle, barely frown
I am always ready to fight and do not take any disrespect
When I came in, bent down to strike the game and
I entered the rap game with an intense focus and determination
If you a fan, go and fan a nigga off, go!
If you appreciate our skills, show your support and admiration
Contributed by Connor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.