On the upcoming episode of People’s Party With Talib Kweli, West Coast rap veteran Crooked I chops it up with the host about a number of subjects, from his time on the infamous Death Row Records to the formation — and eventual dissolution — of internet favorite battle rap crew Slaughterhouse (Crooked, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Royce Da 5’9). In the preview clip above, Crook breaks down how his Hip-Hop Weekly freestyle series came to the attention of Joe Budden, how Slaughterhouse’s first self-titled single went viral and cemented the four rappers as a group, and the reasons why their partnership eventually fell apart.
“I feel like the culture deserved that album [Glass House, the planned follow-up to the group’s major-label debut] because we came with Welcome To: Our House and a lot of people felt like it wasn’t the right thing for Slaughterhouse,” Crooked I says. He reels off the “Slaughterhouse of producers” that he and his partners assembled to help craft the album, including Just Blaze, Illmind, Cardiak, and more, and details the process to create the new project, which he says involved a lot him “trying to patch up holes in the boat,” which included schedule conflicts, bruised egos, and near nonstop haranguing from eager fans. He had to “reclaim his time,” he says, leading to him leaving the group.
He does say, however, “we need closure.” While Kweli points out that they shouldn’t “do it for the fans,” he does say that the group deserves to complete their unfinished business. Crook commends the other three members’ respective solo ventures and wonders, “is there a way that we can give the world one last Slaughterhouse album?”
People’s Party is a weekly interview show hosted by hip-hop legend Talib Kweli. The show features big-name guests exploring hip-hop, culture, and politics. You can listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, and Uproxx Video on Youtube.