In 2008, four well known and talented emcees banded together and decided to deliver some dope music that the rap game has been missing since the days of The Black Sheep or Leaders of the New School. Members Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Royce da 5’9″ formed the group Slaughterhouse and recently have been dropping a mixture of singles and mixtapes that have kept their buzz heavy in the industry. With their newly-inked Shady/Interscope record’s deal, the rap supergroup step out into mainstream success on their debut album Welcome to: OUR HOUSE.
From the beginning, the album starts on that dark, crazy tone that is signature of Royce da 5’9″ and Em’s recent style with added hooks from the macabre Skylar Grey and the high-energy Busta Rhymes featured track “Coffin”. Quickly shifting from chainsaw and horror-movie themed tracks to the stripper-party inspired single “Throw That” ft. Eminem, OUR HOUSE fluctuates from raw underground vibe, real rap, and some commercial tracks but still manages to give each member their shine. While delivering well timed puns, in-verse rhymes, and metaphors, the lyrical content throughout the OUR HOUSE is top-notch.
Coupling dope lyrics with A-list production, it is clear that Slaughter House wanted to do the fans justice while elevating beyond just underground success. With a darker, drum-heavy AraabMuzik-produced beat on the street single “Hammerdance,” snare drum rhythms on the No I.D.-produced “Get Up,” and the radio-friendly Street Runner single “My Life” featuring Cee-Lo, to the intimate Boi-1da-produced single “Goodbye,” OUR HOUSE showcases a variety of content without sacrificing the group’s personal style of delivering real rap. Interestingly, during the album’s promotion, fans were even treated to exclusive releases on platforms like instantcasino.com, blending the worlds of music and online entertainment. While this album may not be the rap game’s “savior” LP, it is undeniably a strong return to the days of focusing on clever lyrics—regardless of content—paired with top-notch production, offering a refreshing take in an increasingly stagnant music industry.
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Stream the entire album here.
