| Slum Village | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1996–Present |
| Labels | Barak/Capitol |
| Website | SlumVillage.com |
| Members | |
| T3 (1996-Present) Elzhi (2001-Present) Illa J (2007-Present) |
|
| Former members | |
| Jay Dee (1996-2001) (deceased) Baatin (1996-2009) (deceased) |
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Slum Village is a hip hop group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.
The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin (deceased, 31 July 2009) and T3, plus rapper and producer Jay Dee (deceased in February 2006). Jay Dee left in 2002 to pursue a solo career with MCA Records and was replaced by Elzhi, after which Baatin also left due to health complications.
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Baatin, T3, and Jay Dee grew up together in the Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit and attended Pershing High School. The group steadily became popular in Detroit's underground hip hop scene. Jay Dee also became a member of the production team known as The Ummah, which produced the two last A Tribe Called Quest studio albums, as well as hits for a number of R&B and hip hop musicians. Slum Village's first album, 1996's Fantastic, Vol. 1, was not officially released until 2005 but highly sought after in underground circles. In 1998, the group opened for another hip hop trio, the above-mentioned A Tribe Called Quest, on their farewell tour.
Originally signed to the now defunct A&M record label, the group were forced to postpone the release of their official debut album due to label politics, but in June 2000 they released Fantastic, Vol. 2 on GoodVibe Recordings. Also that year they released an album called Best Kept Secret, under the alias J-88, which featured remixes and leftover material from Fantastic, Vol. 1.
Titus Glover (March 8, 1974–July 31, 2009), also known as Baatin, was an American rapper who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan part of the rap group Slum Village.[1]
Baatin got his start on the mic in 1986. In the early ’90s, he befriended the now deceased rapper Proof (of D12), and would accompany him to hip-hop nights at Stanley’s Café and 1515 Broadway. In 1991, Baatin’s hip-hop group, Ssenepod (dopeness spelled backward), changed its name to Slum Village, which at the time, was made up of Jay Dee, Baatin and T3. It was then that Glover first christened himself Scandalous-T.
He remained as an active member of the group until the early 2000's. In the year 2002, shortly after the release of the group's third album, Baatin began to experience health problems, which interfered with the group's music and touring performances. In regard to his health problems, he said:
| “ | The confusion started verbally. I would be angry and lash out and go crazy. I was like: Do I got demons? I couldn’t control it. It was a learning experience. They said I have depression, schizophrenia with bipolar tendencies. It was bipolar when I was responding to 12 different impulses. I didn’t hurt nobody.[2] | ” |
He soon went to the hospital and a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Following this, he was no longer part of the group. He stated that he was "kicked out while in hospital", receiving a termination letter that was signed by both T3 and Elzhi, while in the hospital. He also held the group's label responsible. In several interviews he stated:
| “ | When we got off the tour with Floetry and India Arie, I was dealing with a lot of mental issues... Not enough rest... Jet lag. I underwent physical ailment. I came home and said I wasn't gonna do it no more. When I tried to seek some attention, they took it like I was leaving the group. I was in a coma for a day. When I came out my coma, all my stuff was out of my condo. I lost all my cars, lost everything. And I got a termination letter from the group. Me leaving the group was because of no support from the indie company, the same reason Jay Dee left. Clearly, part of that is the label's fault. Sometimes, electives that are put in charge over you can come up with ways to divide you. In my opinion, I was never respected. I never had a say.[3] | ” |
After leaving the group, he began recording as a solo artist. During this period, he went by the name "Baatin the Slumlord."[4] In 2008, the dispute was resolved and Baatin reunited with T3 and Elzhi, and worked on the group's sixth album "Villa Manifesto."
For the 2002 release of Trinity (Past, Present and Future) on Barak/Capitol Records, T3 brought in Elzhi to join the group as Jay Dee left to focus on his solo career. The album was a moderate success and contained the single "Tainted", produced by Karriem Riggins and featuring Dwele. Also in 2002, Dirty District, a compilation of songs by Detroit rappers largely produced by T3 and "RJ" Rice, was released.
The group then became a duo consisting of T3 and Elzhi, when Baatin became sick touring in France shortly before the release of their 2004 album, Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit) and departed to seek treatment. The album included the hit single, "Selfish", produced by Kanye West and featuring John Legend. The song samples a part of the intro to the hit song "Call Me" by Aretha Franklin. After parting ways with Capitol Records in 2005, they released Prequel to a Classic, a mixtape of mostly previously unreleased material, followed by a self-titled release in October of the same year.
Former member Jay Dee died on February 10, 2006 after being diagnosed with TTP and Lupus.[5]
T3 has said in a interview that slum village has reunited with Baatin and has added Illa J (J Dilla's Brother) to bring a Dilla effect. He is quoted "Slum Village is totally not that at all," T3 adds. "I’m incorporating Baatin, and I’m putting Illa J in — not to take Dilla’s place, but just to have that essence of Dilla on this new project. I’m pulling together all the producers that we’ve used before — Black Milk, Wajeed, Karriem Riggins, Pete Rock and all the people who have been down with SV from day one."[6]
Future projects by Slum Village include an album made with unused J Dilla beats,[7] and an album produced mostly by Black Milk.[8]
Baatin died on July 31, 2009 at the age of 35. His was found dead Saturday, in his home on 14000 Anglin Street in northeast Detroit.[9] Medical examiners have said that there were no visible signs of trauma or foul play.[10] The cause of death currently remains unknown.[11] His death deeply affected the Detroit hip-hop scene.[12]
Villa Manifesto will be released on their Barak Records on September 22, 2009, featuring the late Baatin as well as the brother of the late J Dilla, Illa J.[13]
After his leaving the group circa 2000, J Dilla had a successful solo career before his death in 2006.
Elzhi has released two mixtapes: Witness My Growth and Europass, and one album, The Preface, which was released on Fat Beats Records in August 2008. A demo tape with Dwele titled The Breakfast Club has also circulated.
Baatin's album Titus: Chapter 10, Verse 13 was to be released on the label Operation Unknown but has not yet seen official released.
T3 released a mixtape in 2006 titled Olio.
J Dilla's brother, Illa J, released an album titled Yancey Boys for Delicious Vinyl in 2008.
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