Elzhi, Meeco, DJ Access - Back In The Days (Single)

Elzhi is inarguably one of the best ever to bless the mic, a criminally underrated MC out of Detroit. He's also a member of the legendary Slum Village, who hasn't lost a step which is only further proven with his latest blast from the past with "Back In The Days." This one just has that reminiscent feel to it, but it's right now, so it makes it even better, like they've led us straight into a time machine. The beat is kind of warped but such a head bopper & of course; the heavy lyricism is just bouncing along with it. I had never heard of Meeco, but his work on this production is so funky & apparently, I've been living under a rock cause he has records with some of the culture's most exemplary; some of that real Boom Bap revival & you can surely add this one to that list.

Elzhi, of course, does his usual, swiftly letting that pen glide across the paper as the lyrics fall out seamlessly. The storytelling is so good cause he's talking to a younger him like, look how far you made it from all that trauma & turmoil from your past. Time really does fly by before your eyes cause as he reflects on his come-up, before he knows it, he's back in the present, just keeping his nose to the grindstone. He's been doing this for a long time, still, the hungry kid he was back in the day in the Hip Hop Shop, just ripping shit up. Royce will tell you, dudes like Elzhi were feared & still are; imagine if he was on that "Friday Night Cypher," would've been interesting.

Elzhi has been around for the rise & fall of a lot of people, himself included; his follow up to the classic "Elmatic" titled "Lead Poison" expressed his battles with depression, one of my favorite albums period but after his 2020 release "Seven Times Down Eight Times Up," I knew he was going to be here to stay forever on that inclination, overcoming his hardships & just reflecting on his journey in life, he still has a ways to go & the fact that he's still putting out classic records like this, I don't care if it's brand spanking new, he sounds fresh as ever, so comfortable in his own skin & the result is an introspective masterpiece that hits you with the utmost gusto.