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The Wait For eLZhi’s ‘Lead Poison’ Album Is ALMOST Over!

blame it on Shake February 5, 2016
elzhi-lead-poison-cover

For fans, the wait for eLZhi‘s new album has been a painful one. It’s been exactly 2 years, 2 months, and 30 days since the Detroit emcee launched his Kickstarter campaign—which brought in a cool $37,382, thanks to 708 backers—yet, he’s only released two singles since. We received “February” a year ago, and it wasn’t until last week that we got the second: “coSIGN” featuring Skonie.

We’re all human, though. And here on Earth… shit can get real—real fast. Battling depression and continuously coming to blows with his inner demons, eLZhi’s last few years haven’t been the brightest.

“I’ve been trying to duck this cloud for four years straight,” eLZhi says. “I know I sound crazy, but honestly, I damn near lost my mind. I mean just look at me, on some other sh*t. It’s like I try to shake it, but it always seems to follow me. I mean it catches up when I walk and it chases me when I run; it even hovers over my shoulder when I’m writing. To be honest, I’m surprised I finished the album this fast, but now that the albums about to drop and its finally done, hopefully the cloud will drift off, evaporate and disappear. Or, I’ll finally be able to look up and spot a silver lining.”

Named after the medical condition, his new album, Lead Poison, may seem like it’s driven by a dark and desolate theme, but the actual concept is about the underdog, depression and, most importantly, recovery. It’s an album about struggle, and how one can leap over the hurdles and emerge victorious if they put their mind to it.

For eLZhi, it was the pen that saved him.

“I went home and started writing, just writing, and I noticed the poison from within me turned to medicine once the words from that pencil the lead was in hit the page.”

So, after what seems like a lifetime, we’re finally getting Lead Poison on March 11th!

Peep the tracklist below—which boasts production from Oh No, Nick Speed, 14KT, Bombay, and others—and be sure to pre-order the album on iTunes. Or, if you’re a Kickstarter backer, sit back and relax. You’ve been waiting two years already. What’s another month?

01 “Medicine Man” (prod. Nick Speed)
02 “Introverted” (prod. Bombay)
03 “Weedipedia” (prod. Bombay)
04 “February” (prod. 14KT)
05 “Egocentric” (prod. Quelle Chris)
06 “Two 16’s” (prod. Karriem Riggins)
07 “Hello!!!!” (prod. Soledad Brother)
08 “Friendzone” (prod. Oh No)
09 “The Healing Process” (prod. Joself)
10 “Cloud” (prod. Bombay)
11 “Alienated” f. Smitty (prod. Joself)
12 “She Sucks f. Chris Dave & The Drumhedz (prod. Agor)
13 “coSIGN” f. Skonie (prod. 14KT)
14 “Misright” (prod. Bombay)
15 “The Turning Point” (prod. 14KT)*
16 “Keep Dreaming” (prod. Bombay)

* Track 15 features a poem by Thabisile Griffin.