When I Say Slaughter, Y’all Say House…

slaughterhouse

From the very beginnings of rap we have loved the groups that have graced the microphone. Do you remember that scene in ‘Wild Style’ when the Cold Crush Brothers battled the Fantastic Five on the basketball court. The group is the essence of Hip-Hop. Several emcees all rhyming over the same beat trying to find ways to verbally outdo the person who held the microphone before them. As each rapper steps in the cipher the lyrics become more acute and the flows pick up their intensity. This is that REAL rap shit.

And this is why the SlaughterHouse collective wins time and time again. They are practicing the very foundation of rap music. I’m just amazed that these four emcees can unify themselves in a culture that is notoriously selfish and ego driven. You haven’t seen this many good spitters together on the same page since the mythical 4 Horsemen but they had too many difficulties in producing music. There was an early union between Jay-Z, Ja Rule and DMX that fizzled away because these three were too full of themselves and too crazy (in DMX’s case).

slaughterhouse

slaughterhouse

Joe Budden, who might be the most hated rapper in the game right now, told me that the origin of SlaughterHouse was simply the ability of he and Royce Da’ 5-9 to squash a simmering feud between the two of them. That is the first and hardest principle in forming the group. Can you imagine what it must be like to ask a rapper to put aside their ego? Rappers need their ego, especially in this day and age, when so many people have become art critiques instead of fans. The rapper’s ego protects them from the comment threads that tell them they suck. So to put down your armor is actually more hardbody than to keep it on. You are vulnerable to attack, but somehow you are now stronger than you were before.

SlaughterHouse bugs me the fuck out because not one of these emcees even shares the same homestate. This means that they will each have their own definitive state of mind. In the short time I have been around them I can sense they have this incredible respect for one another like a band of brothers. They will fight amongst one another, but will instantly flip on anyone who tries to come at one of their brothers. When emcees assume that ‘Ride Or Die’ mentality with their teammates no one holds back any energy or material. They spur each other to leave everything in the booth.

slaughterhouse

slaughterhouse

This is why I was scared at first for SlaughterHouse because each of these artists is an individually minded person who has survived in the music industry for at least ten years. All of these dudes came into the business in their late teens and have been thrashed about by label politricks, artist backbiting and the constant fuckery that is the music industrial complex. They are all survivors in one way or another, and the SlaughterHouse collective is their best last chance to tel all the haters and the nay-sayers to go kill themselves.

That theme was evident in the track ‘Move On’ where each of the emcees recounted their angst and the solution they had for dealing with those issues. ‘Move On’ was an epic song for me because I envisioned myself in that same position several years back writing for a magazine that wasn’t paying me shit. I wanted the exposure, and the publisher knew that much, so I traded my labor for that means to an end. We all make those similar decisions in our lives, but instead of living with regret or remorse we shoukd just move on. With that track SlaughterHouse doesn’t just make good music, they made real life music.

slaughterhouse

slaughterhouse

SlaughterHouse and Koch, er, E-1 Records invited me to listen to a preview of their upcoming album. Along with some of the people that you have come to see on the internets as the folks that bring info to you live and non-stop. Eskay was in the building so you know that shit is big. Nah’Right Dre came up from his mom’s basement too. Oh shit! I just realized that n8tion had the bridge to starship Enterprise all to himself. Niiiice. Global Grind’s BlogXilla came through and reminded me that we have politicked previously. I am gonna stop puffing because I can’t remember a damn thing. The dudes from ItsThe Real, Eric and Jeff, also showed up. I didn’t see Hoffa from OnSmash but I left the session at 3am and that is usually when Hof appears.

The tracks they played for us were all good and their intensity picked up with the replays. Everything you thought they would be doing on the mic like Crooked spitting his crack verses, Joell Ortiz bringing his energy, Royce providing the structural stability to songs and Budden throwing lyrical shots at your favorite rapper is all in there. SlaughterHouse only previewed seven(7) tracks to us and then we got a cameo from the legendary super-producer Showbiz who brought some HEAT! I’m gonna say this shit right here so it goes on the record. The best music from Dr. Dre comes from when he is digging in the crates.

slaughterhouse

slaughterhouse

One of the criticisms that has dogged SlaughterHouse would be their ability to craft songs. I still don’t understand where this comes from though. Maybe it is the perception from fans that these emcees are only freestyle caliber rappers. That is far from the truth though. On the tracks that SlaughterHouse previewed they all showed that they have some incredible range as far as content and concepts. Wait until you hear this track called ‘Cuckoo’. There was also this emo rap joint that I want to say was called ‘Rain Tears’ or some shit like that. When SlaughterHouse pours out their heart like they did with ‘Move On’ you can’t help but be riveted to the music. These emcees are all fans of Hip-Hop before anything else. Don’t get it twisted by wheat you may have heard. If there was a RAP SAT these dudes would be in the top 5 percentile.

If you weren’t fuxing with the SlaughterHouse collective after the joints they have already released then you aren’t a fan of Hip-Hop. You might listen to rap, but you aren’t a fan of Hip-Hop music. Rap groups are the essence of Hip-Hop culture. Just like writer and breaker crews. The fact that SlaughterHouse finds themselves unified from points all over the counter is some Black superhero shit.

19 Responses to “When I Say Slaughter, Y’all Say House…”

  1. goathair says:

    If you have that tape from like 2 months back anywhere, I’d be delighted to hear it. Got shut down before I could snag it.

  2. Oliver Wrist says:

    damn, your photography is remedial. HAHA.

    Slaughterhouse is on tho slice, fa’real.

    Ollie the kingpin, nickelplatedbama squad.

  3. Lukas Kaiser says:

    Royce is a pretty good battle rapper. Crooked I has made some cool things. But Joell and Joe Buddens? C’mon, Dallas. Do you really think these dudes can stand up to any classic hip-hop group? Move On is a cool ass beat, but I prefer listening to the Kanye version the Kickdrums put out rather than the real Slaughterhouse version.

  4. dubble13 says:

    Joell is nice, but on his albums, he can’t pick a decent beat to save his life….either that, or he is too cheap to get a better beat. His lyrics are fire though…Let’s hope this record is better…

  5. kayos says:

    Joe Budden is arguably the best rapper doing it now. who can OUT RAP him??

  6. Mark Dub says:

    Yo….I’m on some fanboy-type shit with this Slaughterhouse album. These four cats are truly 4 of the best doing it right now, and for them to be able to push their egos or personal agendas to the side to be able to successfully record an entire album is a major effing situation. Man…keep me posted on when their joint comes out; I am BUYING it.

  7. J-Mass says:

    “So to put down your armor is actually more hardbody than to keep it on.” Dallas stays aligned with the universal consciousness…

  8. PerForce1 says:

    hope this comes together, has real potential. honestly my only real concern is production, I know these guys can all rap they asses off, but I also know all of them have had inconsistent beat selection in the past…

  9. VEe says:

    D,
    “. . . would be their ability to craft songs”
    That is usually a criticism referring to an artist or group’s inability to make a well structured song that’s digestable for the masses and an easy sell. I say, f*ck that. What would happen if an artist like Ghostface periodically tried to craft a song or chase radio. Do I really want to hear “Tush” featuring Missy again? I love when artist keep there material unfiltered.

    Simply put, I think when the whole “ability to craft songs” argument is strictly about creating a hit song. I’ve heard 50 cent utter that sentiment often. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to being yourself and creating art. I’m not saying that if you’re trying to craft a song then you’re not creating art, I’m just saying there was a point when hip hop didn’t chase radio, radio chased the pulse of the streets. Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Pt. II” was a street-hood-hip hop record that was not geared towards radio. A song like that wouldn’t get no love nowadays because of all the freaking preconcieved notions as to what makes a song would eventually cause PD and record label handlers to dismiss a record like that.

    I don’t know why I typed that long rant but I really hope a group like Slaughterhouse just listen to their hearts & minds and do what they feel. After all, although a young teenager named Prince Rogers Nelson would not get signed in the year 2000 or 2009, what would happen if he worried about simply crafting a song. Michael Jackson constantly worried about crafting a song, chasing a hit, chasing hit producers of the moment . . . look at the difference in his career compared to Prince. (Note, Prince turned down the opportunity to craft a song for Michael Jackson.)

  10. VEe says:

    Oh yeah, f*ck what you heard . . . HIP HOP has never produced a 4-man crew of the same rhyme caliber as Slaughterhouse. However, I will say that I really enjoyed the 3-man super group, the Westside Connection . . . Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC

    Imagine if Masta Ace, Craig G, Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap recorded 1 full CD.

    My Short & Quick List of Best Posse Cuts
    ——
    1. The Symphony (the original posse Cut, prolly the best )
    2. Buddy (De La Soul, Jungle Bro. Tribe)
    3. Saturday – extended version (Native Tongues)
    4. Scenario – (the beat and the Hook was enough)
    5. Flavor In Your Ear (Rmx . . . LL continues to upstage new jacks)
    6. Reservoir Dogs (I like it cause these dudes are just rappin and killing it)
    7. Watch For the Hook (Dungeon Family – so slept on)

  11. ENIG MUE says:

    I’m glad your writing is far superior to your photo skills

  12. Polotron says:

    Slaughterhouse and done.

    and to PerForce1’s production point above, the tracks I’ve heard thus far are up to snuff. But this is relative though…what’s a good track? Billboard’s answer might be different than that of, well….me. One man’s rumpshaker trash is anothers club banger. You can’t please everbody…so far, I’m glad they’re pleasing me. To be sure, none of them sound “local” or “basement” or any of the other tags associated w/ “underground” music. So “under-ground” they shouldn’t remain. IMO

    If they’re really trying to get that $ though, they should change their name to The Sleezys and borrow T-Pain’s voice thingy…THE SHEEP LOVE THAT SHIT….

  13. Dart_Adams says:

    I can’t wait to hear this Slaughterhouse LP. These cats keep telling me it’s cancer patient sick.

    One.

  14. Guy Fawkes says:

    Whose the cat behind the boards?
    Looks like a personal trainer, not a producer.

  15. the_dallas says:

    The kids at XXL are killing me for my typos and y’all hate my photography.

    Polo is right that I can’t please everybody.

    SlaughterHouse should have a few tracks from Showbiz on their joint. Listening to the joints he previewed I was like “Whoa!?!”
    (I would bet a dime to a dollar that Showbiz was Dre ghost producer)

    We need to be excited for this project. I just got the numbers for Meth & Red from last week. They haven’t passed 96,000 but Eminem is at 960,000. I can’t call it.

  16. 40 says:

    @ Dallas – I never thought about that. Wasn’t Showbiz also highlighting as one of Diddy’s Hitmen also at one time?

    BTW – DP catch me on the commlink about burning the midnight oil.

  17. Polotron says:

    If Dre did those tracks on Em’s album, he’s getting lazy. Marshall is getting it in however. To the tune of 10x Red and Meth? Doubtful….

    DITC!
    Hope about a list of hypothetical producers for

  18. Polotron says:

    My list: in no particular order

    DITC (DD and Show)
    Preemo
    Pete Rock
    Juju and Les
    Alchemist
    Heron

  19. Lion XL says:

    Where in the hell is Juju and LES?????

    Off da Books is one of my favorite PUN tracks……

    BTW….Dre is too busy sellin soda to lay down a track….or finish a long overdue, way over hyped album….I Hope Slaughterhouse( JO) smashes the soundscans and wakes his ass up!!! Damn near all of his artists done left, and still hasn’t gotten it together!

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