Lead Poison
Elzhi
2016
The Intro to Detroit rapper Elzhi’s long-awaited album Lead Poison, “Medicine Man,” is an effective outline of the concept of the album and the album’s artwork. In the intro, Elzhi is struggling to write about his encounter with the Medicine Man.
However, his writer’s block is cured by the Medicine Man, who is a catalyst for the creation of the album and the transformation of Elzhi’s mental state. In an interview with Andreas Hale of 2DOPEBOYZ, Elzhi elaborates on the meaning of the song and the writing process behind it.
“I wanted Medicine Man to be the intro because it’s pretty much what the album is about,” said Elzhi. “It’s about finding your outlet, and my outlet is writing. The start of it was me trying to find the right words. Trying to get some things off my chest. Trying to get what was poisonous inside of me out of me… While I was writing it I wanted to walk this fine line—I didn’t want it to be too depressing. I wanted to be playful with things I was going through. There are a lot of songs on the cutting room floor that I feel are just too dark. So, I had to find that right balance, and I feel I found that balance with the album.”
Stand-Out Tracks
February
Two 16’s
Friendzone
Medicine Man
