Slum Village: Fan-Tas-Tic, Volume 2 (2LP) [NE'ASTRA MUSIC GROUP]

Why you'll love it

This 2LP set adds two bonus tracks, "Thelonious" and a remix of "Fall In Love." The guest list runs to Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Common, D'Angelo, Pete Rock, Kurupt and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Two bonus tracks

About the album

Baatin, T3 and a young producer called Jay Dee grew up together in Detroit's Conant Gardens and went to Pershing High. By the time this album arrived on GoodVibe in 2000, Jay Dee was already a member of The Ummah production team and had worked with A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde and De La Soul, and Slum Village had opened for Tribe on their farewell tour.

"Conant Gardens" puts the old neighbourhood on the map, "Climax (Girl Sh*t)" and "Fall In Love" ride Jay Dee's loose, behind-the-beat drums, "Raise It Up" lifts the tempo, and "Players" and "Tell Me" round out a record where the beats breathe as much as the rhymes. Pete Rock and D'Angelo both lend a hand behind the boards.

Jay Dee left in 2001 for a solo career as J Dilla, and producers have been chasing that slightly-off swing ever since. A few of us have tried it on the shop drum machine. It's harder than it looks. T3 carries the Slum Village name on today, with producer Young RJ.

Also at Kops: more Slum Village on vinyl · browse Hip Hop / R&B

Tracklist

Listen

On Ne'Astra Music Group (cat# NMG5763R-LP), a reissue of the 2000 album.