 to dig a little deeper and caught up with eLZhi to talk about every single song on the album and the significance.
With the album having 16 tracks, we’ve broken up the installment into three acts because we know how short some of your attention spans may be. So, for Act I, we’ll tackle the first five songs on the album.
I wanted “Medicine Man” to be the intro, because it’s pretty much what the album is about. 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.
For a minute, I didn’t want to reveal what was really going on at the moment, because there was so much. There was so much going on—a lot happening with me and people around me—and I didn’t really want them to know what I was going through. So, for a long time, I was just writing music. Writing songs. But it wasn’t depicting what I was going through. “Medicine Man” was the first song I wrote that truly described my mental state at the time.
Once I started writing what I was going through, it was pouring out of me—because it was true. That goes for anything. No matter how I’m feeling—whether I’m feeling good or I’m feeling flashy—it’s gonna be effortless.
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.
My grandma was in and out of the hospital. When I first started this, one of my dreams was to buy her a crib. So when I say “seeing me win” it’s it’s not just a successful career, its a successful life.  Which in turn, if I got my shit together, then the people that are around me, I’m going to make sure that they got everything they got going on together as well. That’s pretty much what that is.
Did you feel you owe your fans an explanation for the Kickstarter delay? Or was it just about getting everything off your chest?
Both; I definitely feel like I owe my fans an explanation. Like I said, I put all the blame on me as far as not informing them—where I was at in my life. If I’m not saying anything and imaginations can run away with people and they can think one thing and it’s not really like that, so I felt like I pretty much had to let them know that this is what was going on. I didn’t want to talk about it but while I’m in this process of healing, let me explain to you what’s going on; let my truth out. I did a poor job updating the kickstarter supporters, but it wasn’t that I didn’t want to do it. I was ashamed of where I was at at the moment. But after I started writing the music, it was like ‘damn, the music itself is an update.’ All the missing updates they didn’t get, this particular album answers everything. It was hard to express it even after the album was completed, but I felt like I had to let them know. It was only right.
Do you feel you’ve been misjudged in this whole situation?
Yeah, but that just is what it is though. If they don’t know the situation to the fullest or in detail or they can’t relate; whatever reason, that’s just going to happen. I ain’t really tripping off that, I want to make things right for people who are willing to listen to the truth and willing to accept it. That was fine by me- if my people accepted it and they realize, “Ok, now i see it. I get it.” Now, that’s good enough for me.
How did this February compare to those of the past?
Definitely better. This February I was able to pull off anything for my liking. This February, we got an album out. You know, this February I felt like the people who might’ve thought one way wants to be informed on what’s going on, they saw where I was coming from. This February was definitely one of the best Februarys I’ve had in a loong time—it’s a beautiful thing, man. It’s just how the album is—I talked about the past Februarys, and the feeling that I had was poisonous and I listen back on it, do a video for it and now that’s like medicine.
How do you deal with the passing of Dilla these days?
I celebrate; put on a gang of Dilla joints and have conversations with my close friends about how incredible he was and how he changed music forever. We salute the man. The legend. Dilla.
“EGOcentric” is my ego getting in the way and controlling my movements. It’s me trying to get control of my ego. Your ego builds you up and tears you down.  But the new L, I’m trying to get the old back.” I’m trying to be a better person, a lot more positive. So that was me struggling, being in a battle with my ego.
Linen fabric mixed with burlap-what a great idea. Love the mix of this pair and how simple to do....the buttons on the chair are fabulous-this effect could also be done on pillows as well! So the next time you see a lonely grandmother's ottoman in an antique store just think slipcover?I started posting Monday Muffins when I realized I was accumulating a pile of muffin recipes and I ought to get them posted with some sort of regularity. So on my old-fashioned paper calendar pages <gasp> I plotted out all the recipes I had in the can. So to speak.
Some of these were easy to schedule. Pink Beet and Horseradish muffins? They go in February before Valentine's day. Butternut Squash and Ham muffins? They will go in the fall. Creamy Banana and Dark Chocolate Chip muffins? They can go up any time (and will appear in a month, if you're worried the link isn't yet live).
I'd originally scheduled a batch of Nutella and Zucchini muffins to appear here today. They are the Matt Damon of muffins on the Jimmy Kimmel of this blog--they keep getting bumped! It's a great recipe, but I've decided that most other people don't have bags of shredded zucchini in their freezer in late winter, and teasing you with the enchiladas was enough, so I've permanently moved Nutella and Zucchini muffins to the summertime. You can see them here!
Why did I bump those muffins? Because I could. not. wait. to share this recipe with you. It's delicious! I picked up a vat of dates at Costco during sled hockey practice, and after we enjoyed a bunch straight outta out of the container I started thinking about cooking with them. For my first attempt, I chopped up the dates, ate a few, chopped a bit more... and decided that they were so sweet I didn't need to use sugar. I added extra buttermilk, but it still wasn't quite right. I knew for the next batch I would process the dates in the small cup of my smaller and cheaper version of this Food Processor, but I was hoping to do another muffin without refined white or brown sugar. Then I hit on it--molasses! Sweet, but not too sweet. Adds a bit of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium to go with the whole oats and whole wheat. And the color pairs marvelously with the dates.
Because I thought of this at suppertime, I was able to soak the oats, dates, and buttermilk overnight. I like soaking oats overnight, but even an hour helps break down the whole oats into great-for-baking consistency.
If you have fresh dates--eat some. When you get sick of them, or if you have a package of dried out dates in the back of the pantry--make these muffins!
In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk. Add dates if they're dry, or you really really want to toss them in the bowl now. Stir to combine. Set aside at least an hour or up to overnight (see NOTE below). When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a regular 12 muffin tin with oil spray. Add the oil, molasses, and egg to the bowl and stir well. Dump the dry ingredients on top and stir until just combined. Scoop** into prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until top springs back when you touch it gently. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then flip onto a rack and cool completely.
Enjoy! Matt Damon Nutella and Zucchini muffins, we're sorry we ran out of time!
NOTE: If you like, prep the oats and buttermilk step a few days ahead of time and store in the fridge.
This post is linked up with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop at The Chicken Chick and What's Cookin' Wednesday at Buns In My Oven