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A true classic. Production by J Dilla, incredibly smart lyrics and smooth flow by the emcees, and collaborations with some of the best artists in the game at the time like Common, D’Angelo, Jazzy Jeff, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and Busta Rhymes. This is an album you pop in the sound system or ipod and simply zone out. Removal of stress + mind thoughts guaranteed!

Every song on Fantastic Vol. 2 (2000) is great and I don’t say that often with hip hop albums. All the emcees apart of Slum Village including recently departed Baatin did an exceptional job. Slum Village is also a group that works well with one another. They have a few tracks on this album where they intertwine their lyrics into one another to comprise the full meaning of the verse. Very hard to do when in the studio if all the artists are writing their own lyrics. This album was a great followup to their debut, which was good but not as clean as this one.

I first got into Slum Village after hearing about their resemblance to A Tribe Called Quest (ATCQ). ATCQ exemplified exactly how real hip hop was still alive and kicking in the mid 90s. They recently got inducted into the VH1 Hip Hop Hall of Fame last year as well. Slum Village was to be a new age resurrection of them or atleast thats what I was told when introduced. Their kick back flow style and soulful beats definitely matched. So I took the opportunity to listen to their albums to see what else matched and if I would be down for it. And I was hooked almost instantaneously after hearing Thelonius and Tell Me. Two songs that really told me these guys were not just good, but great.

For those of you who don’t know J Dilla, he’s known and is one of the best hip hip and music producers to have ever graced this planet. Jay Dilla held down a unique style of soulful head boppin’ beats. Though you couldn’t go dance crazy to the beats, they still made you want to move. And I’m talking about that smart man, “I know I’m cool” head boppin that looks like you’re paying attention to something profound and nothing else is important kinda way! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go use a local train and watch people listening to their iPods! Dilla’s style is actually and will remain my favorite type of new school hip hop. It makes you feel relaxed, not out of place, and just in a mood to listen.

You’ll still hear shoutouts of Dilla’s name on albums across the hip hop genre from people like Common, Mos Def, Kanye West, etc. to old school heads like ATCQ, De La Soul, Pharcyde and many others. J Dilla was also known as Jay Dee and James Dewitt Yancey (born name). Much love and respect to him and the art he introduced into hip hop.