Lyricism is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of four-emcee wrecking crew Slaughterhouse. No gimmicks or bright lights, just four dudes in a brawl with a beat. Even before signing the dotted line with Eminem’s Shady records imprint, they were separately making their mark in hip-hop whether through beef, gossip blogs, or most of the time, just making incredible music. And just like Rick Ross has done with his unlikely roster of rappers that span the entire nation, Shady Records has got a blockbuster on its hands too. After a couple of date adjustments and setbacks, their major label debut is finally here.
If nothing describes their rise, the album’s second single “ My Life” featuring Cee-Lo, an artist who also played the background before hitting big, does exactly that. The celebratory track features progressive production that would fit in on MTV but the reflective verses put their long journeys into perspective — from Joell Ortiz’s conquered rap dreams to Royce’s ability to retire his father from the post office.
The radio-ready singles undoubtedly give the group a D12-ish effect, but some jams in particular reveal just how much better they are. Royce’s vivid lines on the Hit-Boy produced “Coffin” or the bouncy “Flip a Bird” finds a relentless Joell Ortiz reminiscing the first time he played with a revolver. On “Get Up,” even legendary midwest producer No I.D. picks up the mood with an uptempo record to match the quick-witted lyricism of the group. It’s in these zones that they truly prevail.
The darker tracks are where most of the group seizes the chance to shine. “Goodbyes” may be the most memorable track on the album. While each trades moments of misery on the track, Joe Budden’s heartfelt verse — reminiscing, among other things, on a painful miscarriage — hits home the most. Over consistent claps and a rolling piano, he spits “As she sighed couldn’t stop the tears coming from her eyes / That birth control that she on, for them is suicide / As long as it’s still inside, two of them wouldn’t survive.”
After putting out a raw and uncut mixtape, On The House, with DJ Drama, the studio album offers a well rounded gumbo for long time Slaughterhouse fans. The album has its joyous moments but the grit of their experience in underground hip-hop still remains. Even on the more melodic songs, they make sure to maintain the lyricism that got them to where they are today.
With hip-hop steadily growing and flying into so many dimensions, they fill in the much needed gap between the kids with the tight jeans and the golden era enthusiast. Welcome to Our House opens Slaughterhouse up to a whole ‘nother audience. These guys have proved to be triumphant in their battle against staying underground forever.
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