Rising from the rugged streets and rich musical tapestry of Detroit, Slum Village is poised to carry on the old-school, funk, and soul-filled hip-hop torch of genre pioneers A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and the Pharcyde. Growing up in the Conant Garden neighborhood of Detroit and forming during high-school days at Detroit's Pershing High School, MCs Baatin, Jay Dee (J Dilla), and T3 quickly garnered praise and recognition in the local underground scene. In the mid 90s, Jay Dee became part of the hip-hop elite as a member of the Ummah, the production team responsible for multiple hits by Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest, D'Angelo, the Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Common, as well as remixes for Janet Jackson and Brand New Heavies. In 1998, Slum Village gained further recognition as an opening act for A Tribe Called Quest's farewell tour. The group has released five studio albums and has been featured on many compilations and mixtapes. Guest appearances on their records include Dirt McGirt (ODB), Kanye West, John Legend, Pete Rock, and many others. They have also contributed to tracks by artists such as Hi-Tek, Guru, Common, Black Milk, and Bahamadia. In February of 2006, Jay Dee died after being diagnosed with TTP and Lupus. T3 and Elzhi, with special appearances by Baatin, continue to perform all over the world as Slum Village.