Slaughterhouse, four of the illest Mcs in the game that have
consistently put in work year after year through good times and broken
promises, when you talk about dedication not many people define it better than
these four. So when it was announced that they would be getting signed to Shady
after their stellar first album and EP, the expectations went sky high. Because
at Shady they’d have the creative freedom, possible push, and necessary support
that real Mcs making real hip hop need and most importantly the budget and
understanding, they’d be a priority. Since forming the group they’ve been
dropping a high volume of great consistent material and constantly garnering
attention for the group and each individual. And after the BET Hiphop awards
cypher, those that didn’t know them before were definitely put on notice as
Slaughterhouse along with Eminem and Yelawolf did one of the most memorable
cypher in Award show history. Its still
memorable say it with me “ Hi Rihana”, if you haven’t seen it you tube it. We heard that the album was to be expected
soon, but then delays and setbacks begin.
Then slowly but surely we got closer and closer to a release date and
the excitement built, and the attention became more and more, and then
surprisingly Slaughterhouse dropped a mixtape, with Dj Drama.
The mixtape, On the House, good enough to be the album, and
once again the expectations shot through the roof. But after a bunch setbacks,
delays, and much anticipation, Slaughterhouse delivers the their first major
label release, with Shady Records, and they more than live up to the hype and
expectations. Four artists accustomed to setback and delays that constantly put
in work and deliver, they more than answer the call and hit the mark on Welcome
to our house. We know without a doubt
that they would deliver a lyrical clinic, A class, no questions to even be
asked. But it’s the whole album approach
that makes Welcome To Our House special.
It would have been easy to take the expected road for them to get pure
hip hop beats, Get Dj Premier on production and Just Spazz out, and spit
lyrical fire, which we know they can all do with ease. But, they took a route
that will surprise a few people and went another route, the Radio Friendly
route, but not regular radio friendly, The Eminem or B.oB. radio friendly, so
still highly creative.
They say the key to be a great Mc is staying relevant, and
transitioning with the culture, and in today’s culture, in order to sell
records, you need to fit the format that video and radio will play. Well every
single track on this album is radio friendly, but delivered with so much
skill. We knew that each one of the
members of Slaughterhouse could rap, but could they gel, and could they song
make. The Answer, Hell Yeah!!!
The deliver an album with everything you want, and album
needs. Sonically its eclectic, the beat styles are different from track to
track, and they never get stuck in one form or type, they continuously keep it
moving, with beat selections that challenge each artist because its not their
normal selection of beats. And with that change in beats each is artist is
allowed to show their full repertoire of skills, some rarely shown and some we
didn’t know they had. The subject range
and versatility is incredible, each artist has their shine moment and an equal
number of shine moments. Once again everything you want, need and expect from
an album is delivered, making the album one big hip hop lesson. You need something for a concert or to get
you hype Check for “Coffin” ft./ Busta Rhymes.
For the strip club check for “Throw That” . You want that spazz out and
just get to the lyrical thrashing; we know they can do that check for “Die”, a song
that will have you head bobbing hard while you riding out. But of course it
cant be all bounce, hard hitting and go wild music, if you really want to know
how good a rapper is, put him on a slow track where you can hear them clearly
and the beat is not distracting, got that too check, “Goodbye” and
“The Other side” give you that soulful introspective vibe, with the
latter easily being able to be a single. But beyond those there are great performance
tracks, that the mainstream should definitely pay attention to, “My Life” ft.
Ceelo Green, if cleaned up can easily be a single, but it also begs to be
performed at something major like an award show, because it’s a big beat with
pop crossover potential. Expect to hear “Walk of Shame” in the background at somebody’s
stadium or performed in a rap and rock collabo,
“Get Up” I expect to hear somewhere on an ESPN highlight segment, on
none urban radio, or possibly in a stadium. Need that rap pop collabo, got that
covered too, check for “Rescue Me” ft. up and coming Skylar Grey. You need some get hype music, party music
beginning of a concert or major performance music “Throw it Away” with Swizz
Beatz, fits the bill and it can easily crossover and get radio play also. Concept story telling, check “Asylum”. You need some rawkus music, check for “Hammer
Dance” and “ Frat House” and if you need a good all purpose joint check for
“Park it Sideways” which will end up being the background to a commercial or
slide show or something, especially the clean version. And last but not least the addictive “ Place
to Be” ft./ B.o.B., is a live performance with a live band waiting to happen.
If radio and video outlets don’t find a way to get this
album in rotation there’s a conspiracy and people need to be fired, the label
has to give this album a push a major push in every market, because the
potential is there. The replay value high, if you have the On the House mixtape,
you’ll be listening to both of them back to back on heavy repeat. Its highly
entertaining, every time you listen you’ll catch something different, because
there are so many layers to the songs, from the lyrics, to the beats, the
adlibs, interactions, sound effects you name it. It’s got Star Power that will should introduce
them to some new audiences, the Production team is first class (Eminem, Boy
Wonder, Boi-1da, Kane Beatz, Justice League, No I.D.).
I give the Slaughterhouse Welcome to: Our House
album a classic rating 6 out of 6 stars. A classic album changes something; it
changes the rules of hip hop, the way we listen to hip hop, what we expect
and/or how albums are made. This album is not only complete, but it will change
the way lyrical artist approach making an album and getting radio play, because
if you cant get radio play you cant get sales or recognition in this current
climate of hip hop. This album will force the lyrical artist to take a holistic
approach to recording an album and should be studied, because although the
beats are radio friendly, Slaughterhouse manages to stay true to hip hop,
challenge themselves and show growth, be lyrical and make their type of music
without compromising their integrity. This album will still be jamming 5-10 yrs
from now, it will influence the way we listen to music, now lets hope and pray
it sells, for the good of hip and putting lyrics back on top of the charts.
