Hip Hop’s track record with “super groups” is not the best. Many get announced, a handful come together, and a small few really flourish. One of Hip Hop’s greatest achievements in this area is Slaughterhouse, made up of Royce Da 5’9″, Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, and Crooked I. The group is a four-headed lyrical beast, and thanks to hard work, dedication, and perhaps even some luck, the crew has stuck together to sign a deal with Shady Records and are now putting the finishing touches on their second full length album. The new LP, Welcome To Our House, is tentatively slated for a spring or summer release, and unlike the group’s first album, which was made in a 6-day recording spree, the new album has no time restraints or pressures. The absence of a deadline, mixed with the resources provided by Eminem and Shady 2.0 have contributed to what Slaughterhouse calls their best work to date. “They’re letting the painters paint,” Joell Ortiz told me calmly backstage at the Metro before Slaughterhouse’s sold out show. “And we’re gonna make a masterpiece,” he added.
Slaughterhouse is back, and apparently better than ever. I had the chance to speak with all four members before the Chicago edition of the Welcome To Our House tour about their new music, the gamble they took when they formed the group, and importance they place on real Hip Hop. Check it out.