Review/ Slum Village X Abstract Orchestra @ Trinity Centre: 'tangible and contagious enthusiasm'

By Bethany Marris, Online Music Editor

After performing their acclaimed rendition of Madvillany at The Marble Factory in late 2017, Abstract Orchestra returned to Bristol to perform alongside Detroit’s finest at Trinity Centre last week.

The membership-makeup of Slum Village differs significantly from that of their breakthrough in 1998, where they opened for A Tribe Called Quest on the group’s farewell tour. Back then, Slum Village were a rap trio, comprised of J Dilla, Baatin and T3. In 2001, Dilla decided to go solo, and whilst it would be wrong to say Dilla’s influence and skill was ‘replaced’, T3 recruited Elzhi to fill the gap. Despite being released after the first membership shake up, 2002’s Trinity proved a moderate success.

However, 2004 saw the departure of Baatin, and Slum Village became two. Illa J, J Dilla’s younger sibling, stepped forward to fill his late big brother’s shoes. The changes did not stop with Illa J, though, and three have once again become two. The latest front-man recruit of Young RJ, joining T3, now carries the flame and performs the rhymes of all those who preceded him.

Slum Village’s story is one of tragedy and confusion, with the deaths of both Dilla and Baatin occurring following their departure from the group. Even so, the pair took to the stage of Bristol’s Trinity Centre with youthful zeal, showing no signs of a tainted history. It just so happened that the opening night of their tour with Abstract Orchestra, in Bristol, fell on what would’ve been J Dilla’s birthday; and tributes were duly made in abundance.

Despite an opening set from Bristol-based K-Ners, only when Abstract Orchestra were due to come on did the crowd cluster in anticipation. The group performed half an hour of their seamless, acclaimed hip-hop renditions; with tracks from Dilla’s seminal record ‘Donuts’ dominating the set list. Moreover, the live instrumentals of the tracks played were blissfully elevated by the group’s vocalist Anna Uhuru.

Sandwiched between AO and Slum Village’s set was an interlude from the duo’s resident DJ, Nick Wels. Almost regardless of their skill, a live DJ during the interval is always a nice touch. Through the mixing of hip-hop classics such as Common’s ‘The Light’, Wels’ set was fantastically received, and proved the perfect segway into the final set of the evening.

From the moment they sauntered on stage, T3 and Young RJ’s capacity to effortlessly bounce bars back-and-forth manifested. The vast majority of tracks played, including ‘Fall in Love’ and ‘Selfish’, were of course produced when Young RJ had a behind-the-scenes role, yet this was irrelevant. In fact, it was Slum Village’s older material such as ‘Get dis Money’ that enthralled the crowd the most. Above all, however, the pair’s tangible and contagious enthusiasm was what made the night particularly special. Whilst holding grand reputations in their field, both rappers come across refreshingly unpretentious, and their palpable fervour for their trade truly lit up the room.

The show was closed collaboratively, with a packed stage and of course, one last mighty birthday- ode to Dilla. It would’ve been nice to have seen a little more of both acts performing together, although all in all the night provided very little to fault.

Featured Image: Bethany Marris/ Epigram

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