Zelijah maps creative journey with new EP, Press F To Drop Out

Award-winning rapper, songwriter and producer Zelijah has finally dropped his long-awaited EP, Press F To Drop Out, a collaboration with rising rapper Ellis G.

The 6-track release navigates a story of two college dropouts pursuing their passion in music and arts, while facing the challenges of juggling adult responsibilities and landing a lucrative career out of their chosen paths. Lyrically, it’s a self-assured work that thwarts expectations, which allows Zelijah and Ellis G to break out of their mold and embrace vulnerability.

On a musical standpoint, Press F To Drop Out is an innovative piece of work that explores music beyond the fringes and outside of the two artists’ comfort zone. “We made it happen by incorporating unusual sounds and instruments, as well as trying new genres we wouldn’t usually dive into,” Zelijah points out. “The ending result is a colorful EP that caters to every emotion.”

Rapper/producer Zelijah dives deep into teenage nostalgia on “17”

Zelijah takes a trip down memory lane on his new song “17,” out today via Sony Music Philippines.

Trading verses with fellow hip-hop artist Ellis G on bossa-infused, lo-fi beats and stripped-down guitars, the Filipino rapper/producer strikes a balance between honing a music palette that distills the algorithm-driven sounds of today and approaching the intersection of various music styles with a pop flair.

According to Zelijah, “17” was supposed to be a sad little tune about cherishing the best years of our lives in a bubble, tucked away from the hassles of adult responsibilities. “But the vibe it gave us when we were working on the song was just purely nostalgic so we thought of writing the lyrics about the 2012 and 2017 era where both of us were 17 years old,” the multi-talented artist admits in a statement. “Personally, this age bracket is where we worry less about the world and only think about ourselves and all the mundane things— free from our life problems.”