Urban Grandstand Digital: How much is left from Dilla, in
terms of archives?
Slum Village: We got some stuff. We got beats here and there
because we have so much history. We have some early slum
stuff, quite a few records.
Urban Grandstand Digital: What has kept you guys out
here? Obviously people know of you, and they’re still
checking for you, but being realistic in it all, it’s been 16
years now. Time has passed, and when that happens, people don’t necessarily check anymore.
Slum Village: That’s true, but I think it’s because we’re consistent. We’ve done an album almost every two years. We’re
always working because we do what we love, and love what we
do. That’s the main part of it. I think if you do that, it works. I
think sometimes people do music for the wrong reasons.
Urban Grandstand Digital: I really appreciate you guys for your time today.
Obviously, we just set everything up
yesterday, and the new album is coming. I’m loving the new single, as is
most people, but I’m grateful for you.
It’s been probably ten years since I
spoke with you guys. We did a pretty
big campaign for Detroit Deli, but this
is good. There’s been so many changes
within the group, most uncontrollable,
and J Dilla was such a huge part. He
produced the new single, right?
Slum Village: Yes, it was…
Urban Grandstand Digital: There’s a lot
to be said about that. Obviously, your
loyalty has remained strong, and you
clearly have lots of timeless material
with him. Why was it so important for
Right Back” to be out there?
Urban Grandstand Digital: I actually want to make sure we
highlight that comment as well, because that’s something
we push and promote, which is people doing what they
love to do and following their passion and dreams. When
you do that, you can’t go wrong.
“We’re
always
working
because
we do
what we
love, and
love what
we do.”
Slum Village: This really is like a throwback album. We had beats we were
working with in the past, and we felt like
it was time now. We wanted to bring it all
back full circle, with some Baatin lyrics,
and Dilla rhymes and beats, and the new
stuff with J, and mix it all together. You
know, I think good music is good music.
It still sounds like a great record. Initially,
I wrote a verse and sent it to De La, and
then Posdnuos sent his verse back. Once
I heard the verse, I wanted to tell a more in-depth story,
and that’s why we decided to do that record. Beat-wise,
it’s a classic Dilla beat that people never heard from the
archives. It was a timeless record.
Slum Village: I don’t think you can go
wrong. People get lost in the sauce though,
and do music for the wrong reasons. This
is my passion, so I did it for that reason. It’s
hard for a lot of people to find their passion. I was lucky enough to find mine early
in my career, and I stuck to it.
Urban Grandstand Digital: In terms of
the new material, do you sense any difficulty in promoting, and continuing to
build the fanbase while holding on to the
original fanbase?
Slum Village: I think it’s just beginning to
merge back. We had a few situations where
we lost members, and things happened.
By continuing to put out music, we gained
new fans, and now I feel like some of the
old fans are coming back and recognizing the consistency. The foundation hasn’t
really changed. I been there since the
beginning, and Young RJ has been there
since the beginning, but behind the scenes.
It ain’t like there’s people who was never
affiliated.
Urban Grandstand Digital: Exactly.
There’s a lot of people too who don’t realize that Young RJ has been there since
the beginning.
Slum Village: Right, but it’s a learning process too. Back in the day, people used to read the notes on the
album, and I think you have to purchase them now to know who
did what. Urban Grandstand Digital: Right, you don’t get the
liner notes anymore.