Rising
from the rugged streets and rich musical tapestry of Detroit,
Slum Village is poised to carry on the old-school, funk, and soul-filled
hip-hop torch of genre pioneers A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul,
and the Pharcyde. Growing up in the Conant Garden neighborhood
of Detroit and forming during high-school days at Detroit's Pershing
High School, MCs Baatin, Jay Dee, and T3 quickly garnered praise
and recognition in the local underground scene. In the mid-'90s,
Jay Dee became part of the hip-hop elite as a member of the Ummah,
the production team responsible for multiple hits by Q-Tip, A
Tribe Called Quest, D'Angelo, the Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Common,
as well as remixes for Janet Jackson and Brand New Heavies. In
1998, Slum Village gained further recognition as an opening act
for A Tribe Called Quest's farewell tour. Two years later, after
some record-industry politics, the group released Fantastic, Vol.
2, an album featuring appearances from D'Angelo, Q-Tip and DJ
Jazzy Jeff. For fans with an ear to the underground and a few
questions concerning the whereabouts of Fantastic, Vol. 1, the
trio assumed an alias (J-88) to release Best Kept Secret. Two
more years went by before the group was heard from, but "Tainted"
broke their silence in the summer of 2002 to become a growing
hit on MTV2. The album that followed, Trinity (Past, Present and
Future), boasted fewer guest appearances and a well-rounded combination
of the first album's rough-and-tumble productions with the second
album's soulful vibe. The record also featured Jay Dee in a reduced
role, with new member Elzhi picking up the slack. Later that year,
Slum Village released Dirty District, a compilation of Detroit
MCs produced by T3 and compatriot RJ Rice. By the time recording
began for their fourth proper album, Baatin was gone from the
lineup, a victim of schizophrenia that briefly incapacitated him
(he later mounted a solo career). T3 and Elzhi picked up the slack
by inviting high-profile guests including Dirt McGirt and Kanye
West, and Capitol released the results, Detroit Deli (A Taste
of Detroit), in June 2004.
Source
WUSL-Power99 - Fuente WUSL-Power99
