Illmatic is my favorite Nas album. Who could ever try to remake a classic album made by the top 3 emcees ever?? Elzhi made a crazy, bold move! But did not fail by any means. He brought me back to the early 90s. My young adulthood. His lyrics are sharp and the best is fresh. He paid serious homage in a respectful way. And he’s from a group that gave hip hop some great music. Thanks Elzhi !!
"Now wait, let me get back to my past, let me define mine. Mother gave birth to this divine mind. Born with an Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm, Head, like a Quran line." Clearly one of the best lines period by any rapper since 2010.
this dude is just so good. flow is so sick. its refreshing to hear artist's just be real now a days. none of that mainstream rap does anything for me. this is good music. killin it.
He is one of the greatest lyricist I have heard in the past 20 years, that not alot of people know about, even people who are fans of Nas. I have been listenin to Hip Hop for almost 25 years, and Elzhi is seriously one amazing emcee. When I listen to his lyrics, I can't predict what he will say next because of his creative syllables, rhyme choices, patterns etc. This forever proves that as a freakin EMCEE/RAPPER, incredible rhyming ability doesn't equate to mass success in this day and age.
The arm, leg, leg, arm, head acronym has been around forever. Jay-Z used it, Wu-Tang used it, Gravediggaz used it, Jedi Mind Tricks used, etc. And Elzhi is good but he's not that good. I mean he's been around rapping since the late 90s and is 38 years old. Compare that to Nas who was 20 when Illmatic was released and whilst I like Elzhi's rhyme schemes he's not quite as good as Nas or any other legends because what all the legends did best was they used dense rhyme schemes but also had wordplay and lyricism at the same time. An example would be the Nas line 'Nas I analyse, drop a jew-el, Inhale from the L, school a fool well you feel it like Braille' Not only has that got a dope rhyme pattern but it also ends with the simile of you feeling it like Braille. Any professional rapper can do good rhyme schemes and patterns but not many can mix that with similes, metaphors, meaningful quotes, wordplay and much more.
IrvingAveBully Hey I think Elzhi is a decent emcee but this guy is claiming he's better than Nas. And the best of the last 20 years. I can't agree with that
@@KaizerMan He is better than Nas, lol. He has way better rhyming ability and thats facts, check out Egocentric from Lead Poison, it's on another level with wordplay. It's from 2016 while this is from 2011, he got a lot better.
I'm more than educated, my friend. My mother and father are from the Bronx. Not just that but i've done my research. Hip-hop (as it is known today) started in the SOUTH BRONX hate it or love it. We all know that hip hop's roots are in other areas like soul, reggae, rock-n-roll, etc...But hip hop/rap started in the bronx. By a group of people. At the heart of it is Kool Herc, Dj Red Alert, Bambaataa, Cowboy, and many others.
Elzhi is one of the most underrated of all time. He should have his shit all over the radio, fucking pathetic he's not as well known as he deserves to be.
jake martin The beat is meant to sound like the original but it actually has a unique sound. if you listen to Nas's "it aint hard to tell", you'll hear the difference. I personally like this one better.
Elzhi's main reason to do this was mad respect for nas and he wanted to get people to know about Illmatic and you really cant effort this, even legends like premo gave credit to him & will sessions but you're maybe just too negative on new hip-hop and probably dont know El is a grand in hip-hop as a member of slum village
yo yo. feelin blessed finding great hiphop music like this. Does any1 know a couple of more artist like this who make pure music.. let me know. thanxx in advance
The beat has a little of It Ain't Hard To Tell mixed in with the song Nas Will Prevail (the precursor to It aint hard to tell off of Nas 1991 Demo Tape).
Matthew Henderson Thanks for the info. I know that most beats especially back then were sampled, which a lot of artists don't do that nowadays. I do like how Elzhi and his producers took the time to try to reflect what Nas and the mega producers then sample the same beats that created Illmatic.
I'm ashamed I didn't check him out sooner. I've been hearing about him for a long time now and kinda knew what Elmatic was, but I just didn't check him out 'til now. Shame on me.
people in future generations are always better thats just evolution but they play different games, to act like lebron is playing the same bball game jordan did is a joke do your history , just like the evolution of howe to gretzky to crosby
Nas gave props a few times. “As far as feedback from [Nas’s] camp, my manager spoke with Nas’s manager and he’s heard through [him] that they’re over there loving it, ” said Elzhi. “That’s a blessing because when I set out to do the album…I wanted to pay homage and pay tribute to the classic album that Nas did. As far the fans, it’s been incredible. It surpassed my expectations, and it’s still growing.” -HipHop DX
[Intro] Yeah, it's Elmatic, check [Verse 1] Yo let me start you from the Genesis far from where the finish is No role models just empty bottles of Guinnesses Roaches in the ash tray toss and gettin' fast cash the Ski mask way for those who never passed class Born inside of poverty Probably they stack bread and crackheads never looked alive to me Robberies and liquor stores tricks and whores Reality was sick as yours so I blow trees stronger than sycamores Now wait, let me get back to my past As I rewind mine, before I got on the 1-9-9-9 Mother gave birth to this divine mind Born with this arm, leg, leg, arm head like a Quran line No paternity but as I'm turnin' three I learnt to be Strong, pops moved along and he never returned to me Thought I'd feel anger for an eternity I bottled my feelings inside with Pride is never swallowed followed By killers they rise ride off of endo Bustin' off cartridges through your window Different from the one from my Nintendo That line shoulda been my intro, here's when I started rappin' Lookin' up to younger thugs with they heart at trappin' Starter cappin' fly wheels Thick chicks in high heels tellin' me my skills is sick I was only eight slowly fate took its turn I'm where hookers earn, money and drugs sell, it ain't hard to tell [Verse 2] Check, I went to Peck Elementary, Lesenger, Cody To graduate I had to take a semester with homies Too busy writin' none of my time went into my assignments Jot a line as my rhyme schemes maneuver like the Heimlich Use to ditch class for bitch ass Picture me a lot shorter my vocal pitch sound like it switch fast Young and rebellious, hangin' with failures who L twist, the eldest See me saggin' that's what my belts is That's round the same time my mother is ill Collecting mental scars waitin' for the others to heal No one saw the vision everyone's beyond blind Can't think about finding the meaning of life when tryin to define mine I won't pretend its cool, was wet behind the ears So I had to jump in this pool graduate and finish school Niggas was mad that I owned a diplomathey was just sleepin They shoulda slept til they domes in a coma I'm that bad shorty who been through the land of Berry Gordy With a buddha man that grew a grand but gained 40 That ain't rich in all my hell I wasn't born with a silver spoon Just a wooden one upon my kitchen wall Now I rock shows from Cali Groves down to Wichita Feelin' like a grew ten feet a couple inches tall Just thinkin' back what was to doubt about my view sunny Now it seems too funny cause even new money gets counted out Nobody believed, only ones was J Barb or JAE.B Group Money investments everyday be cool You thought I fell, it ain't hard to tell
Just for this album, I love Elzhi. Not only did he produce a dope mixtape sampling the greatest Hip-Hop album of all time, he did it justice AND released it FOR FREE.
This is an ill song, Elzhi is an ill emcee, and is about as raw as it gets. However ... hate me for it ... He style bites Nas hard as fuck. Than again, who hasn't been influenced by Nas, but there are certain degrees of style biting. I'd like to see Elzhi find his own voice.
well done, the homage is nicely respectable. possibly the best rendition of someone showing love. i like how he took out the opening, the revised beat is nice touch, its a good punch up. almost like how ja rule did "pain",
