Slum Village

Slum Village is a hip hop group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.

The group was formed by three members, rappers Baatin (1974–2009) and T3, plus rapper and producer J Dilla (1974– 2006). J Dilla left in 2001 to pursue a solo career with MCA Records. Elzhi joined in his absence, after which Baatin also left due to health complications. Following J Dilla's death in 2006 and Baatin's death in 2009, T3 remains the sole surviving member of the original lineup. Over its history the group has been through several line-up changes, which once included J Dilla's younger brother Illa J, but now the group currently exists as a duo of T3 and producer Young RJ.

Formation and early years

Rappers Baatin and T3 along with producer J Dilla grew up together in the Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit and attended Pershing High School together. It was here in the early 1990s that they formed the group, which originally went by the name of Ssenepod ("dopeness" spelled backwards). Around this time the group would hone their skills during open-mic nights at Detriot's Hip-Hop Shop along with a young Eminem. Ssenepod was renamed to Slum Village in 1991.