Modern hip-hop began as a conflict between two coasts. New York
had Biggie, Public Enemy and Wu Tang Clan, while SoCal
boasted NWA, 2Pac, Snoop (Doggy) Dogg and a snarling record exec named Suge
Knight. As the two camps spat back and forth, love for their brutal poetry
effectively made its way inland. Today, an
elite handful of major US cities are associated with major hip-hop industry
players, including New Orleans (Lil’ Wayne), Miami (Rick Ross), Oakland (Del tha Funkee Homosapien), Chicago (Kanye
West, Common), Minneapolis (Atmosphere), Philly (The Roots) and Atlanta (the
entire crunk movement).
And then
there’s Detroit. Once the birthplace of contemporary soul and hallowed ground
for rock ‘n’ roll, Motown’s rap scene has been especially potent since the late 90's, thanks to
homegrown talents like Eminem, MC Breed and Royce da 5’9’’ (we’ll just forget
about Kid Rock and ICP for a moment). The hard-working denizens of the Motor City hip-hop community have produced some of the past decade’s finest
underground jams. However, the rest of the country has yet to embrace the city's offerings. As an introduction, here are some of the key players.
The Ringleader: Black Milk
If the
contemporary Detroit underground scene has a founder, it’s this Detroit
producer and MC. He’s rapped with and produced all of the scene’s major
figures; in addition, he’s worked with Canibus, Lloyd Banks and even Jack
White. His most recent solo release, Album of the Year, dropped in December 2011 to rave
reviews.
The Founding Group: Slum Village
In 1996,
three twentysomething friends—James Dewitt Yancey (aka J
Dilla), Titus Glover (aka Baatin) and T3 (no name given)—founded Slum
Village. Two years later, the group was so popular that they were asked to open
for A Tribe Called Quest. In 2001, Black Milk produced the group’s Dirty
District: Vol. 1,
and this collaboration set the contemporary scene in motion. Slum
Village lost two members (see below) and gained two more (Elzhi and Illa J)
before the group dissolved in 2010 following their penultimate release, Villa
Manifesto.
The Departed: J Dilla (1974-2006)
Every
hip-hop scene needs a fallen soldier—a Messiah figure, if you will. In
underground Detroit, J Dilla holds that title. He wasn’t long for this world,
but he earned himself a healthy reputation before succumbing to lupus at the
age of 28. After his time with Slum Village, he appeared on more than 100
albums (including four posthumous solo releases) and his list of collaborative
partners includes De La Soul, The Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli and
Ghostface Killah. Pete Rock, a legend in his own right, named J Dilla among the
five all-time greatest producers. The second Detroit underground casualty—Slum
Village co-founder Baatin—passed away three years later of unknown causes. He
was 29.
The Prodigy: Elzhi
The Young Blood: Danny Brown
The
Veteran: Royce da 5’9’’
If you’ve
been hanging around Detroit clubs as long as Raymond Daniel Montgomery has,
then your opinions have the power to influence people. As Royce da 5’9’’, he
began his professional career in 1997 as half of the duo Bad Meets Evil; a
white kid named Marshall Mathers was the other co-founder. After that group
broke up in 2000 (Royce and D12 didn’t get along), he began what would be a
very lucrative solo career. Along the way, he’s never stopped giving props to
his comrades in the underground circuit—and since his word is gospel around the
local joints, his gratuities have helped to spawn several careers. If his
lyrics weren’t so vicious, you might think he’s the nicest guy in
hip-hop.
The Prodigy: Elzhi
Wordsmithing
is not a prerequisite ability for hip-hop success, but it certainly helps—and
Elzhi takes his cunning linguistics to an applause-worthy level. His sound isn’t gimmicky, though,
thanks to a knack for effectively mixing complicated language with minimalist
beatwork. After his debut dropped in 2008, he was dubbed “Detroit’s Best Kept
Secret” by local hip-hop aficionados. He’s also prolific, having released two
albums in four years with a third, The Feed, due out later in 2012. In this
recording from The Shelter (the same establishment featured prominently in 8
Mile), he
performs with another Detroit underground staple, Phat Kat.
The Young Blood: Danny Brown
If this
kid is any indication, the Detroit underground scene should continue to thrive
nicely. Not simply because of his high critical acclaim, but also strong loyalty to
his roots. He even turned down an opportunity to sign with G-Unit, simply
because the Brooklyn-based company asked him to change his fashion image. "I understand where they
were coming from with that,” he told MTV, “but you gotta understand where I'm
coming from too: I'm from Detroit." Though he’s battled drug problems,
he’s managed to emerge as a rising star on hip-hop’s national stage. His
sophomore release, XXX, was praised by the likes of Spin and Pitchfork.com. This album will be available
on iTunes next week.
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