Rapper-producer Jay Dee left after the group's first national album, 2000's Fantastic, Vol. 2 (Barak) and rhymer Elzhi was added to the mix for 2002's Trinity (Past, Present And Future) (Barak/Capitol). Now, with the release of Slum Village's new album, the stunningly impressive Detroit Deli (Barak/Capitol), the group consists of just T3 and Elzhi. Throughout the changes, Slum Village's musical mission has remained constant: to deliver soul-stirring sonics that represent Detroit to the fullest. That vision is fully realized on Detroit Deli. Throughout the sensational 15-cut collection, T3 and Elzhi give listeners an intimate look at life in The D, from where they shop, hang with friends and eat to the type of cars they drive (check "Zoom") and what clothes they wear.
Slum Village represents the Midwest's funk heritage on the inspirational "Do You," which was produced by Jay Dee, and teams with Chicago's Kanye West on lead single "Selfish," a sly, piano-driven song where T3, Elzhi and West rap about their desire to have a monopoly with women. They then team with Ol' Dirty Bastard on the riotous "Dirty" about having to battle for a woman and deliver a Player's Hand Guide of sorts on the sensuous "Count The Ways," Both produced by B.R. Gunna.
Even though Slum Village excels at making this type of lighthearted music, they show on Detroit Deli that they also hit hard with more serious subject matter. On the moving, guitar-driven "Keep Holding On," they rap about people not losing faith in their lives, while on the stirring "Old Girl/Shining Star," T3 and Elzhi send a open letter of hope and support to single mothers working hard to survive.
"The inspiration came from my boy's niece who has a gang of kids and is out here struggling," Elzhi says. "She's stringing her kids around on the bus, just to get by. By me just looking at that, I'm like, 'I need to write a song because I know she's not the only one going through it.' Slum Village has never touched on ladies like that and everybody is calling girls hoes and Bs, dissing these ladies, so we wanted to touch the ladies in a different way."
The group also takes a different route on "Reunion." Jay Dee joins T3 and Elzhi on the insightful cut, which offers three different takes on the group's status. "It's like you're going through three state of minds at one time kind of in reverse," T3 says. "What we're trying to say is that we wish we were together, we might be together and then we're not together at all. We're trying to give you all the aspects of how people are coming at us, the type of stuff we're dealing with and kind of give you a glimpse of the stuff we're dealing with in the group."
Indeed, songs such as "Keep Holding On," "Old Girl/Shining Star" and "The Reunion" signal Slum Village's evolution; they mark the first time the group has let listeners in on their personal feelings. "I don't think people really know us and we never really touched on our emotions like that," T3 says. "We wanted to bring some realness, besides just the soul music. Elzhi, as a guy that saw Slum Village on the outside, he brought it to my attention that we never touched on serious topics and that we should try to touch on them more. I was with that and I have a lot to say, so why not?"
Detroit Deli also stands as Slum Village's most musically rich album to date. B.R. Gunna producers Black Milk and Young RJ, both 20 years old, handled the majority of the beats, while Kanye West produced "Selfish," Jay Dee handled "Do You" and T3 along with young RJ produced "Closer" and "Count The Ways." The beats are as divergent as the album's subject matter, ranging from soulful to futuristic, but they always remain powerful and innovative.
The same can be said for Slum Village's storied career. After releasing Fan-tas-tic Vol. 1 independently, Slum Village became one of hip-hop's hottest groups. While working on Fantastic vol. 2, they were joined in the studio by such luminaries as D'Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Kurupt, Pete Rock, and A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip, among others. The resulting album became an underground classic and Slum Village was seen as the second coming of the Native Tongues (A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul) by member Q-Tip, as well as fans and journalists alike.
Jay Dee left the group after Fantastic, vol. 2 in order to work on his solo career, but Slum Village pressed on, releasing in 2002 the Dirty District mixtape and later that year its third album and first with new member Elzhi, Trinity. Many fans looked at rapper-producer Jay Dee as the group's backbone, but Trinity proved that Slum Village could provide without its sonic architect, as that album's single "Tainted" became the group's biggest hit.
"We've always stuck to our guns," T3 says. "We've never tried to change to get commercial success. We always just did what we did and when you do what you do, eventually somebody's going to have to give you your respect for having the courage to do what you do."
Now back where they started, Slum Village yet again thrills and delights fans and gains yet a larger audience hungry for the smoking beats under the hot lyrical talent of T3 and Elzhi. Slum has begun to bring more of their personal feelings to their music, allowing the listeners and fans to touch more on the emotions and realness and touched on more serious topics. Prequel to a Classic features previously unreleased joints and jams from Slum Village with production by B.R. Gunna, J Dilla and Kareem Riggins. The mixtape gives listeners the best of some of their material since Fantastic Vol. 1.
T3 has said in a recent 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 , Kareem Riggins, Pete Rock and all the people who have been down with SV from day one.”
J Dilla died on February 10, 2006 after being diagnosed with TTP and Lupus.
Baatin died on July 31, 2009.
www.slumvillage.com
5 Ela
Slum Village Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stop ridin, you might get penetrated
And I'd sho' hate it, if you end up impregnated
Well at least 4 out of 5 niggas in the place know whattup's or what
Be yellin' peaceful 'cause I got the piece put up
In a box with the rock in the back of the, Lex it protects
I done told 'em that I'm usin' my ex
Bitches come to take a chance on my meat
I see that you can't wait to get into my pants
Come and dance on my lap, all real we can get buck
Hoochies on the dance show
Sh-sh-sho' nuff, s-s-slow up, shut up
Shut the fuck and start workin' me off
Bitch you pressin' yo' luck, who says we're fuckin' you up
Shh-shh-sluh, suh-slow the fuck up
We got that boom, bip, nigga don't slip
Talkin that punk shit, will definitely get yo' punk split
Your major malfunction, make me set trip
Now we dumpin, on yo' bitch, so don't ask me for nuttin'
Ayo hold up a second fella, the Ela
After S is, cash collectin', you jealous
'Cause we fly like some propellers, tell a
Another other we hella, my niggas, well um
You can't be a bitch in this music shit
You got to put yo' dick in this music shit
My crew put the dick in on the ultimate
I guess you plays the bitch and we beez the pimp
Mr. Kitty Cat, head on the mat, show me where's it at
Knock-kneed pigeontoed, stone cold asshole
Put your mouth on my meat, just call me Rollo
You can't have me, I'm just too dope
Yo fuck the cop market, the Glock clockin'
The dough sockin', the beat rockin, bitch knockin'
Your rap mockin', woop woop, stop jockin'
Your rap floppin', my whole crew is non-stoppin'
I put it towards y'all a little somethin about the S
A little bit of fact that revolves, the five helluva elements and all
Visualizin' fiver liver, saliva flyin'
So the last of the real rap and also assimilizin' the slack of slack rappers
Youse a bitch, I know what's in the mind of a bitch
Switch, throw yo' hands in the air and suck a dick
Bitch, I know what's in the mind of a bitch
That's why a nigga like you always suck a dick
Back to, what I sayin befo' we, anti-you
Steppin' to meet we, yeah right the who
Wanna do this not a fair fight, true we
Do what we do just to, shed light on you and you and you
You can open up yo' eyes and watch my crew do this
We got more feel than a clitoris
In yo' eyes I see a lot of deceitfulness
Bring your whole hood and still can't get with this
Y'all some hoes, butt-fucked to get enough
What the fuck, just a ho nigga that can't get it up
And we blastin', fuckin up your whole crew
And laughin',' cause me and mines is check cashin'
On your back like my 22, hey boo how is that
Matter of fact I need to be smackin' yo' ass for how you act
Ayo we pussy eatin', eatin' pussy for a hobby
Marinatin', scoopin' hoes in the lobby
Our job be, takin what other niggas got
It's the 5 to the V'n and we cold rocked the spot
We cold rocked the spot, rocked the spot
And we cold rocked the spot
The lyrics of "5 Ela" by Slum Village are highly explicit and touch upon themes of sex, misogyny, and aggression. The song opens with a warning to the listeners that if they continue to follow the artist, they may end up being impregnated. The following lines capture the artist's attitude towards women, with references to the male genitalia and provocatively inviting women to dance on his lap. The song also talks about the group's superior skills in music, using a metaphor of putting their "dick" into it.
As the song progresses, the artists express their anger towards others who speak ill of them, warning them that their "punk shit" will lead to them being beaten. The lyrics also contain profanity and aggressive language, with the group boasting of their wealth and success.
Overall, the lyrics of "5 Ela" portray a negative portrayal of women and excessive masculinity, using vulgar language and strong expletives to convey their message.
Line by Line Meaning
All of y'all, is on our dicks
Everyone is trying to ride our success and use us for their own gain
Stop ridin, you might get penetrated
Stop following us because you might end up getting hurt or taken advantage of
And I'd sho' hate it, if you end up impregnated
I don't want you to be negatively affected by our success and end up in a difficult situation
Well at least 4 out of 5 niggas in the place know whattup's or what
Most people in the place understand what's happening and what's going on
Be yellin' peaceful 'cause I got the piece put up
Everyone is being respectful and peaceful because I have a weapon and they don't want to provoke me
In a box with the rock in the back of the, Lex it protects
My weapon is stored safely in a box in the back of my car where it won't hurt anyone
I done told 'em that I'm usin' my ex
I've already explained to people that I have an ex-girlfriend and I'm moving on
Romancin' the lady
I'm starting a new relationship and trying to be romantic with my new partner
Bitches come to take a chance on my meat
Women are interested in me and want to have sex with me
I see that you can't wait to get into my pants
I know that you're interested in me sexually and impatient to start a physical relationship
Come and dance on my lap, all real we can get buck
Come and sit on my lap and we can be passionate together
Hoochies on the dance show
There are women dancing and showing off their bodies
Sh-sh-sho' nuff, s-s-slow up, shut up
Be quiet and listen
Shut the fuck and start workin' me off
Stop talking and start doing what I want you to do
Bitch you pressin' yo' luck, who says we're fuckin' you up
You're taking a risk by not obeying me and you might get hurt
Shh-shh-sluh, suh-slow the fuck up
Be quiet and go slower
We got that boom, bip, nigga don't slip
We have a lot of power and will not be taken down easily
Talkin that punk shit, will definitely get yo' punk split
If you talk badly about us, we'll hurt you
Your major malfunction, make me set trip
Your behavior is causing me to become angry
Now we dumpin, on yo' bitch, so don't ask me for nuttin'
We will not help you and may even harm you, so don't ask us for anything
Ayo hold up a second fella, the Ela
Wait a minute, let me talk about our group
After S is, cash collectin', you jealous
We are becoming wealthy and successful, and some people are envious of us
'Cause we fly like some propellers, tell a
We are moving fast and efficiently, like propellers
Another other we hella, my niggas, well um
We are the best and we know it
You can't be a bitch in this music shit
You have to be tough to succeed in the music industry
You got to put yo' dick in this music shit
You have to work hard and give it your all to succeed in the music industry
My crew put the dick in on the ultimate
My group puts in our all to achieve ultimate success
I guess you plays the bitch and we beez the pimp
We are in control of our success and you are not
Mr. Kitty Cat, head on the mat, show me where's it at
I want you to give me oral sex
Knock-kneed pigeontoed, stone cold asshole
You are not attractive to me
Put your mouth on my meat, just call me Rollo
Give me oral sex and call me by my nickname
You can't have me, I'm just too dope
I'm too great and successful for you to handle
Yo fuck the cop market, the Glock clockin'
I don't care about the police or their guns
The dough sockin', the beat rockin, bitch knockin'
We are making a lot of money, our music is great, and we are successful with women
Your rap mockin', woop woop, stop jockin'
Stop copying our style and trying to be like us
Your rap floppin', my whole crew is non-stoppin'
Your music is not good and our group is always working hard and making great music
I put it towards y'all a little somethin about the S
I want to share some information with you about our group
A little bit of fact that revolves, the five helluva elements and all
The key to our success is our five group members who each bring something unique to the table
Visualizin' fiver liver, saliva flyin'
We are visualizing our success and working hard to achieve it
So the last of the real rap and also assimilizin' the slack of slack rappers
We are the best real rappers out there, and we are making fun of the less talented rappers
Youse a bitch, I know what's in the mind of a bitch
You are weak and I can see what you're thinking
Switch, throw yo' hands in the air and suck a dick
Do what I say and perform oral sex on me
That's why a nigga like you always suck a dick
You're weak and always tend to follow and please others
Back to, what I sayin befo' we, anti-you
Let's go back to what I was saying before, which is against you
Steppin' to meet we, yeah right the who
If you try to step up to us, you will fail
Wanna do this not a fair fight, true we
If we fight, it won't be a fair fight because we are better and more talented
Do what we do just to, shed light on you and you and you
We are working hard and succeeding to show up and impress others
You can open up yo' eyes and watch my crew do this
Watch us work hard and succeed
We got more feel than a clitoris
Our music has a lot of emotion and feeling
In yo' eyes I see a lot of deceitfulness
I see that you are not honest or trustworthy
Bring your whole hood and still can't get with this
Even if your entire group tries, they can't match our talent and success
Y'all some hoes, butt-fucked to get enough
You are all weak and willing to do anything to get what you want
What the fuck, just a ho nigga that can't get it up
You are a weak and useless person who can't achieve anything
And we blastin', fuckin up your whole crew
We are doing great and causing trouble for your group
And laughin',' cause me and mines is check cashin'
We are making a lot of money and laughing at our success
On your back like my 22, hey boo how is that
I'm on top of you like I am with my gun
Matter of fact I need to be smackin' yo' ass for how you act
I need to punish you for the way you're behaving
Ayo we pussy eatin', eatin' pussy for a hobby
We enjoy performing oral sex
Marinatin', scoopin' hoes in the lobby
We are relaxing and meeting women in the lobby
Our job be, takin what other niggas got
Our goal is to take what we want from other people
It's the 5 to the V'n and we cold rocked the spot
Our group is the best and we are making a big impact
We cold rocked the spot, rocked the spot
We are extremely successful and making a big impact
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James Yancey, T. Glover
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind