Slum Village Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Plagued by record label drama and a revolving door for members, the scrappy Slum Village somehow overcome and deliver an album that's straight to the point, filler-free, and hungry like a debut. Self-titled just like a career kick-off, the album references the past and dues paid but makes an argument that the Village were a collective before and a real group now, with T3 and Elzhi the true players. They have every right to record an album of believable "we're back" and "our struggle" tracks, but their Prequel to a Classic mixtape that appeared earlier in the year allowed them to exorcise some demons, move on, and make this proper album incredibly well rounded. The crunching "Set It," club-worthy "Ez Up," and spirited "Call Me," with its Isley Brothers samples, all represent the versatile, radio-friendly side of the group, while the more heady numbers prove former member Jay Dee wasn't entirely responsible for the more Tribe Called Quest moments in the band's past. Production whiz Jay Dee deserves all the respect he gets, but some more should be thrown the way of Black Milk and Young RJ, the producers behind the meatiest moments of Slum Village. Looping the oddest bit of King Crimson's "I Talk to the Wind," the team concocts the fantastic daisy-age track "Multiply," while the soul-searching stunner "Can I Be Me" offers a brittle, shuffling beat with which few MCs would blend. Recalling Ghostface at his most ambitious, "05" is their best lyrical moment, both a triumphant anthem for Slum Village phase two and a sentimental goodbye to troubled and departed member Baatin. Still, you don't need to be well versed in Slum Village's history to enjoy this well-built album, but it's so good you'll be coaxed into exploring it. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit)'
Release Date 6/1/2004
Tracks 13
Label Priority
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What The Critics Say
When J Dilla left Slum Village after Fantastic, Vol. 2, the group wasn't predicted to flourish, let alone survive, in the aftermath. After all, J was the star producer, T3 and Baatin just a pair of old friends yet to make their name outside the 313 area code. Nevertheless, their next record, Trinity (Past, Present and Future), saw the trio actually improving in the production realm, and bolstering their rap credentials by adding local phenom Elzhi. But after another lineup change -- Baatin was booted after increasingly erratic behavior later diagnosed as schizophrenia -- prospects for Slum Village again seemed dismal. This time, though, it has to come as a lesser surprise that Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit) shows the group at the same high level. Slum's anchor, T3, wisely handed over production reins to young guns BR Gunna, one of whom (RJ Rice) had proved his mettle with tracks from Trinity and 2002's Dirty District compilation. Rice and co. constructed a parade of digital R&B jams that skillfully navigate the divide between cutting-edge headphone productions and bumping club tracks. Despite posing in front of Detroit icons from Greektown to Mexicantown and everywhere in between, T3 and Elzhi set their sights beyond the region to collaborate with Chicago's most wanted Kanye West (on a track he produced) and Wu-Tang culprit Dirt McGirt. On McGirt's feature, "Dirty," BR Gunna's production has an atmospheric sheen and high-grade handclaps that surprisingly compliment McGirt's trademark mic-spraying. Even with a couple of glitzy features, Detroit Deli spends plenty of time paying respect to Slum Village's Motown roots; old friend Dwele stops by for two tracks, labelmate Phat Kat features on the opener, "Zoom," and Flint's own MC Breed drives down for "Do You." T3 and Elzhi get more personal on the record too, fortunately without descending into maudlin territory; "Old Girl/Shining Star" endearingly calls out single mothers, and the closer, "Reunion," features a J Dilla production and a few worried rhymes about Baatin's exit. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'Trinity (Past, Present and Future)'
Release Date 8/13/2002
Tracks 27
Label Barak
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With a young, new rapper (Elzhi) taking the place of a mostly departed producer and mentor (Jay Dee), it'd be easy to expect a letdown from the second full Slum Village LP. Despite a bloated track listing and a mostly overblown concept, though, Trinity (Past, Present and Future) is an excellent statement from one of the most mature groups in the rap underground. Yes, Jay Dee's three productions are among the best of the lot, though the others -- quite a few of them by Slum Village's own T3 and one each from the Roots' Scott Storch and Hi Tek -- both recall and push forward Jay Dee's blueprint for point-perfect groove. The single "Tainted" is one of the best on tap here, while the laid-back dancefloor anthem "Disco" finds Slum Village so ambitious they plan on getting played in barbershopes and beauty salons as well as the clubs. Twenty-three tracks, though, are just too much to try and wrap your head around, and the theatrical concept is a touch too far. (Each track relates either to the past, present, or the future; "Star" concerns the present, while "Hoes" and "Insane" apparently represent the future of the group.) ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After being released by their previous label, the debut from Slum Village (Jay Dee, T3, and Baatin) had been collecting dust for over a year. The trio of Detroit natives witnessed a renaissance for the album in underground hip-hop circles, as critical praise of the LP (Fantastic, Vol. 1) by the Roots and D'Angelo paved the way for it to become one of the most heavily bootlegged albums in recent years. Even though Fantastic has been given the seal of approval by those highly influential artists, the man most responsible for this LP's resurrection is group member Jay Dee. Due to his work with A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Macy Gray, and a solo Q-Tip, Jay's stock rose considerably, and he became one of this industry's most sought-after beat technicians. With Fantastic, Jay consistently demonstrates what all of the fuss is about, as his hypnotic instrumentals range from the straight soul of "Tell Me" featuring D'Angelo to the sublime keyboard grooves of "Fall in Love" and the quirky "Hold Tight," which features a pouty Q-Tip. Yet, even with all of Jay's wonderfully melodious production, Fantastic is more of an enigma then it is a triumph. While Jay exudes diversity behind the boards, he and the rest of his Slum Village mates are trivial MCs, slapping together a host of inept rhymes which are ripe with misogynistic overtones. ~ Matt Conaway, All Music Guide
