Slaughterhouse (Slaughterhouse album)
| Company type | Studio album |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | August 11, 2009 |
| Founder | Crooked I, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce da 5'9" |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Hip hop music album |
| Parent | E1 Music |
Slaughterhouse marks the inaugural studio album from the American hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse, which includes members Crooked I, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Royce da 5'9". Released on August 11, 2009, through E1 Music, the album moved 18,600 units during its initial week.
Background
The announcement of the album came from E1 Music in June 2009. The formation of the group occurred when Joe Budden invited Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, and Royce da 5'9" to collaborate on a track named "Slaughterhouse" for his Halfway House project. The dynamic between them sparked the decision to establish the supergroup.
Delay
Initially scheduled for a July 7 release, the album's launch was postponed to August 11 to provide additional time for promotional efforts and coordination with E1 Music. Royce da 5'9" highlighted the significance of a well-planned release, explaining their desire to avoid rushing and instead prioritize delivering a solid product that would drive sales. He also mentioned that selecting top-quality beats was essential to match their lyrical content, ensuring superior tracks. Joell Ortiz from Brooklyn described the recording sessions as challenging yet fulfilling.
On June 16, the group issued an apology regarding the delay and reassured fans that no further postponements would take place.
Music
Production credits on the album include Focus..., the Alchemist, DJ Khalil, Streetrunner, D12's Mr. Porter, among others. On June 18, 2009, they released a street single titled "Woodstock (Hood Hop)," produced by Nottz and featuring M.O.P., which was shared via Joe Budden's Twitter account. The lead official single, "The One", had its music video directed by Rik Cordero and premiered on July 12 on MTV2 Sucka Free & MTV Jams. Royce confirmed guest appearances by Pharoahe Monch and Novel on the record.
The album cover depicts each member sporting a sports team's logo representing another member’s hometown; notably, Joell Ortiz’s Detroit Tigers cap is blacked out.
Reception
After three weeks in the market, total sales reached 28,000 copies. The album holds a Metacritic rating of 69/100 based on nine critical reviews, reflecting "generally favorable reviews."
AllMusic awarded it 4 out of 5 stars, commenting:
RapReviews gave it a score of 9 out of 10:
XXL assigned an XL rating within their XXL scale:
HipHopDX rated it 4 out of 5 stars:
About.com noted:
Track listing
{{Track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = Sound Off | writer1 = | extra1 = StreetRunner | length1 = 5:51 | title2 = Lyrical Murderers | note2 = featuring K-Young | writer2 = | extra2 = Focus... | length2 = 4:04 | title3 = Microphone | writer3 = | extra3 = The Alchemist | length3 = 4:42 | title4 = Not Tonight | writer4 = | extra4 = StreetRunner | length4 = 3:39 | title5 = The One | note5 = featuring The New Royales | writer5 = | extra5 = DJ Khalil | length5 = 3:37 | title6 = In the Mind of Madness | note6 = Skit | length6 = 1:23 | title7 = Cuckoo | writer7 = | extra7 = DJ Khalil | length7 = 4:30 | title8 = The Phone Call | note8 = Skit | length8 = 1:01 | title9 = Onslaught 2 | note9 = featuring Fatman Scoop | writer9 = | extra9 = Emile Haynie | length9 = 4:27 | title10 = The Phone Call 2 | note10 = Skit | length10 = 0:58 | title11 = Salute | note11 = featuring Pharoahe Monch | writer11 = | extra11 = Mr. Porter | length11 = 4:31 | title12 = Pray (It's a Shame) | writer12 = | extra12 = RealSon | length12 = 3:53 |}
Sample credits
- "Sound Off" incorporates elements from "It's Too Late" by The Stylistics
- "Microphone" features samples from "L'alpagueur" by Michel Colombier
- "Not Tonight" uses a sample of "I Don't Know Why I Love You" by Thelma Houston
- "The One" blends samples from "I'm Still #1" by Boogie Down Productions, "Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith, and "Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz
- "Pray (It's a Shame)" contains a sample from "It's a Shame" by The Spinners
- "Cut You Loose" includes a sample of "You're No Good" by The Harvey Averne Dozen
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Highest position |
Sales figures |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 25 | 44,000+ |
| U.S. Top Digital Albums | 9 | |
| U.S. Top Independent Albums | 2 | |
| U.S. Top Rap Albums | 2 | |
| U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 4 |