Back in May, fans where excited when Detroit’s best-kept secret announced a brand new album and world tour to support that record. With Baatin’s passing, Slum Village’s break up and make up without him, a couple of killer guest verses and a critically acclaimed Illmatic tribute, the stage is definitely set for Elzhi to become much more than Detroit’s secret.
Elzhi’s tour kicked off in Canada and after rocking Ottawa and Hamilton the nights before, Toronto was in for a special treat. With Elzhi headlining a free show that featured local talents such as noisemaker Rich Kidd, Raekwon’s signee JD Era, and the six-man collective known as the Freedom Writers, the crowd was filled with a mixture of El’ fans, fans of the local talent and anybody who just so happened to be enjoying a walk by the lake. Who doesn’t like a free show?
El’ came out blazing his newly released single, Blue Window, off his forth coming record coming later this year. For the rest of his set, Elzhi went through a slew of solo material from his previously released projects The Preface (“D.E.A.M.O.N.S.”, “Motown 25”, etc…) and Elmatic (“Represent”, “Memory Lane”, “The World Is Yours”, and more). Once El’ began playing some of the Slum Village work he was apart of, the crowd went into a frenzy. He even got the crowd yelling the late Slum Village producer, Dilla’s name. To make it even more ill, El’ spit some of his verses from the collaborative tracks he raked in over the years. “Contra” and “Deadly Medley” came to cheers and pleased ears.
The only downside, which is a minor one at most, was Elzhi’s lack of personal DJ. Don’t assume Elzhi was playing off a CD, but he had Toronto’s DJ Nana spinning for him and the lack of preparation or connection was evident. Elzhi would go back to Nana after a few songs to decided what to play next thus a brief lapse in the constant stream of music the fans were being hit with.
Just as Elzhi’s set was winding down, El’ asked the crowd what the last track he should perform was, a booming voice from the crowd yelled “Detroit State of Mind” and Elzhi graciously complied displaying the top caliber lyricism Elzhi is know for and what Nas displayed on the original. With plans to hit the U.S., Switzerland, the U.K., Czech Republic, and Poland on the rest of the tour, Elzhi fans, Detroit Hip Hop fans and just about any fan of the genre are in for a real treat when Elzhi reaches their city.
View more photos below and check the full set at my Flickr account.
