SlaughterHouse (Album Review)

The Intro (because this review deserves an intro)

King Eljay – I did a post a while back advertising the day of music (5/19/09) when Eminem, Method Man/Redman, and Busta Rhymes came out on the same day. I said something to the effect of: “As of this current moment, this is the most important date for hip-hop this year.” I (along with a majority of people) thought this would set the tone for the year musically, and that if sales exceeded this date and if the quality was there, then things could get back on the right track for hip-hop fans. (check the post if you want here)

And as expected…Eminem sold. No one else did. Eminem’s album was dope, but a lot of people think that arguably his best song he’s released this year is the diss going at Mariah Carey/Cannon. Busta’s album was so pop tart and eclectic it didn’t even do any type of numbers, and Method Man and Redman…

…Well, in the intro track, they said they didn’t care if the album shipped gold. I’m not even sure it did that. Their album was good, BUT all three albums disappointed me because I had high hopes for them.

And then SlaughterHouse formed and announced an album. I figured it was too good to be true. How many times do four of your favorite underground rappers decide to merge together and make history as they all reach their respective peaks in time? It doesn’t happen.

Except now.

And usually when things like this happen, somehow it gets watered down and the end result is something that you were not expecting. And unfortunately for Royce, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, and Joe Budden, I thought that was what was about to happen.

It was literally TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

Crooked I had just came off of the “Hip-Hop Weekly” scheme in which he dropped epic freestyles over one, two, and maybe even three beats on the same song and demolished them.

Joell Ortiz had “The Bodega Chronicles” street mixtape/album that was just amazing to listen to and catching more and more wind as time passed on.

Joe Budden had FINALLY announced his album “Padded Room” and sent something like an ETHER to Saigon, so people were speaking on that alongside the album release date, and the sudden popularity of the internet sensation JoeBuddenTV.com (back when it was just a Youtube channel, haha).

And Royce Da 5’9 had dropped “Bar Exam 2”, which is STILL one of the top three mixtapes I’ve ever heard in MY LIFE. I’m not even exaggerating… no one bodied the “Swing Ya Rag/I’m Me” beats like this man…

And all together? I’m the biggest critic. There’s NO WAY all four of them can get together, demolish every track, and make an ALBUM. Not a mixtape, an ALBUM.

That was my initial reaction before I hit play and heard the trumpets on the intro song…

The Good: This album is the best thing I’ve heard this year. Nothing’s even close. All four of them mesh together so perfectly to the point it seems like they were MADE to do this. The lyricism is there. All of them go DUMB on this album. In certain points, some exceed the other (VERY SIMILAR to how Clipse and the Re-Up Gang went back and forth on their mixtapes) but it’s never a competition. They all know they’re dope, so they’re just dumbing out simultaneously…. And it’s a sight to hear.

Each one impressed me more so than I was already impressed with them individually. Royce set the tone for most of the tracks by taking the point guard position and going first. I had no idea that Joell knew how to flip syllables and rhyme schemes the way he did. Crooked I is just MONSTROUS on every track (the world is not ready for this man’s lines). Joe Budden seemed to catch a 2nd wind out of NOWHERE and just murder tracks when you least expect it, most notably for me was his “bloody/Soo Woop” line in “Cuckoo”…

…I was driving, and literally almost crashed my Ram. Seriously. Joey was ON ONE with that song…

Most lyrical albums lack in production, and I am GLAD to say this is not the case in this album. If it was any OTHER four rappers, the producers would eclipse the rapper’s talents (think Ace Hood, Plies, etc). Streetrunner, The Alchemist, Mr. Porter, DJ Khalil and Filthy Rockwell all act a biblical donkey on this album, and most people would be content with that. It was obvious that SlaughterHouse defiantly refused to let the beat outshine them, and they abolished every track they stepped on.

To be honest, it wasn’t even a fair fight…

The most impressive thing about this album is how it flows together. Each track is different, each track flows perfect into the next one, and almost every track is constructed perfectly without selling out on their core. Each track has lyrics for days, but yet there are some tracks on here that fit radio perfect for hip-hop heads and casual listeners alike (“The One” is a radio MONSTER. I halfway wish Def Jam was behind the movement JUST to market that single).

The originality is present in every track as well, ESPECIALLY in “Cut You Loose”, in which they address hip-hop as a man (or woman, in Joe Budden’s perspective). It’s refreshing to see four original rappers have four completely different spins on the same topic, and that’s what happens on this track, and almost every track on this album.

In short, this album is hardcore hip-hop heaven in just about every sense of the word.

The Bad: Notice I said “almost” a couple of times? Unfortunately, there are one or two minor things that were off about the album for me PERSONALLY. The first thing that stuck out was the phone call skits. The first listen-through they were cool, but after that, I felt like they interrupted the flow of the album. They are funny, but I felt like the presentation would’ve been better if they actually would’ve combined both of them into one skit (but that’s a minor opinion).

HOWEVER…The last song on the album (“Killaz”) is lyrically sound and the production is dope, but the hook sounds like they got lazy and just put it together last minute. They set the standard so high with the previous songs to the point it’s almost disrespectful how bland this hook sounds comparatively.

But even considering all of that…how bad is it for other rappers if the SlaughterHouse throw-away hooks sound better than 80 percent of the “top-tier” hooks on the radio?

The Impressive Brooklyn EmCee: As I said earlier, every rapper impressed me to no end on here, but I have to highlight Joell Ortiz for a second because I feel like he’s the most slept on in the group. He never talks about gunplay on the whole album (unlike the other three who at times overdose on it), but yet he holds his own and bodies every track he’s on. Some people can’t RAP without mentioning some type of gun, and Joell does it regularly. That’s an Emcee to the heart.

Bottom Line: I can talk about this CD all day. I literally can dissect it, but when it comes down to it, it’s almost perfect. I really didn’t want to turn this review into a praise-session for SlaughterHouse… but you honestly can’t help it if the album is THIS GOOD. The only negative thing I can say about this album is that it’s hardcore hip-hop, meaning they (excluding Joell Ortiz) are reckless at the mouth, but they do it so well to the point I think even Eminem would be inspired.

Buy this album. End of story.

—–> Final Rating: 4.8/5 <—–

My Favorites:

• “Onslaught 2” feat. Fat Man Scoop
• “The One”
• “Cut You Loose”
• “Rain Drops” feat. Novel