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.
Pete Rock Shout
Elzhi Lyrics
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It's the Chocolate Boy Wonder Pete Rock, showing Elzhi some love
Elzhi's one of the illest Detroit emcees
Holler at your bizzle man, Chocolate Boy Wonder Pete Rock
Elzhi, you the best, you heard? Peace
The lyrics to "Pete Rock Shout" by Elzhi is a tribute to one of his heroes- Pete Rock. In the beginning of the song, Elzhi introduces the track and mentions that the "Chocolate Boy Wonder Pete Rock" is showing him some love. Elzhi then goes on to describe Pete Rock as one of the most legendary and influential hip hop producers of all time. Elzhi acknowledges the role that Pete Rock played in shaping his own style and how he was inspired by his music. The chorus of the song is a sample of Pete Rock's "Give it to Y'all", where he is shouting out "yo, yo, yo check this out man!".
Elzhi uses this song as a platform to express his admiration for Pete Rock and acknowledges the profound impact that he has had on the hip hop community. Through his lyrics, Elzhi highlights the influence that Pete Rock has had on his own music and how he has helped to shape the sound of the genre. This is a common theme in hip hop where artists pay homage to those who have come before them and inspired their own work.
Overall, "Pete Rock Shout" is a celebration of the legacy and impact of Pete Rock and his contribution to the genre of hip hop. It is a tribute to an artist who has left an undeniable mark on the music industry and has helped to shape the sound of hip hop music as we know it today.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, check this out man
Listen carefully to what I'm about to say
It's the Chocolate Boy Wonder Pete Rock, showing Elzhi some love
Pete Rock, a legendary producer, is giving Elzhi, a talented rapper from Detroit, some recognition and support
Elzhi's one of the illest Detroit emcees
Elzhi is one of the most skilled and talented rappers from Detroit
Holler at your bizzle man, Chocolate Boy Wonder Pete Rock
Give a shout out to Pete Rock, who is known as the Chocolate Boy Wonder
Elzhi, you the best, you heard? Peace
Elzhi, you are the best rapper, do you understand? Peace out.
Contributed by Callie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.