Welcome To: Our House (Busby's Review)

It's been 4 years since Joe Budden called Royce Da 5'9, Crooked I, and Joell Ortiz to appear on his Halfway House album track entitled Slaughterhouse.  After the track got a lot of critical acclaim and discovering that they have a lot of things in common, they decided to make the song track into a group name.  After the release of their debut album in 2009, it got the attention of Slim Shady himself that lead to him signing the group to Shady Records.  Along with Yelawolf, Eminem's main goal for the next generation of Shady Records was to bring lyricism back to hip-hop.

In my honest opinion, Slaughterhouse are the most lyrical rap group in hip-hop right now.  Bar for bar, mainstream wise I don't think a lot of people can fuck with them.  With their first album, they mainly focused on just mainly rapping.  Wasn't really a lot of song concepts, they were just doing a lot of magic tricks on how good they can rap together.  With their sophomore album, they decided to actually make a cohesive album that has a flow to it, and also help them cross over.  Welcome To: Our House is the album that re-introduces the world to Slaughterhouse.

Now lyrically, these dudes are the EXACT same, there aren't really any weak verses on this album. They ALL rip it, which isn't really a surprise if you followed each member individually that led to the formation of the group.  The opening track, Our House, really sets the tone for the album on their strive to be the greatest and realist Emcees in the rap game.  With production from Alex Da Kid and Skylar Grey on the hook, the dark and moody track was a great opener.  The only thing I found out of place on that song was Eminem's verse.  His bridge was okay but his verse wasn't needed, not like it was bad or anything, it just wasn't needed.  Could have gave a verse from Joe Budden though but whatever.  However, other then that I liked the track.  The same thing can be said about Throw That, which feels more like a D-12 record then a Slaughterhouse record, felt out of place on the album, and to be honest Em's presence wasn't needed.

Other then that, the album is pretty good for what it is.  They really showed their lyrical growth with songs like Coffin (feat. Busta Rhymes), Die, and the lead single Hammer Dance they showed that they can really truly rap their asses off. You can also sense the hunger in their rhymes with records like Get Up and the "Get Rick Or Die Tryin" concept record of Flip A Bird.

The group also get very personal on this album as well.  One of my favorite tracks on here is the other Alex Da Kid produced track called Rescue Me.  Driven by the Skylar Grey hook, the track is talking about rescuing them from their personal demons.  One of the other personal tracks they have on this album is Goodbye, having each member open up about saying goodbye to a loved one.  With Joe Budden talking about the death of his unborn baby.  To Crooked I and Joell Ortiz talking about the deaths of their uncle and grandmothers, the record is a very emotional song.  Kinda gets me choked up when I listen to it.



Now through all the rain and the pain, there does come some celebration.  The single My Life featuring Cee-Lo Green kinda grew on me after listening to it a few more times.  The Mr. Porter produced track featuring Swizz Beatz entitled Throw It Away is a banger, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets some radio play.  Frat House is another banger too, and too be honest I feel THAT record should have been the lead single.  Kind of reminds me of an updated version of The One, really good track, and Em would be CRAZY if he don't release this as a single and make a video to this.

The one track I DO NOT like on this album is Park It Sideways.  I tried listening to that track numerous times and I just CANNOT get in to it.  It really has NO place on that album, and it just sounds like a watered down version of My Life.  Kane Beatz was behind the beat and it almost sounds like the record he did for Lupe.  However, I do understand they were trying to cross over with that record, but that was what My Life was for...but whatever.

The last track on the standard issue of the album is Our Way, which pretty much sums up the album.  They made it big their way, after all those years of getting jerked around at labels they finally found a place to be themselves.  Really good way to end the album in my opinion, and it wrapped the album up nicely.

The bonus tracks are decent for what they are.  I kinda like Asylum, which also features Eminem, but I felt that song should have just been left on the cutting room floor.  Em's hook was kinda annoying, and it sounded like it was suppose to be on Relapse 2.  Walk Of Shame is a pretty catchy track to put on when you want to kick out that person you had a one night stand with.  The J.U.S.T.I.C.E League continue their streak of knocking production with the song The Other Side.  Place To Be featuring B.o.B is an alright track, and to be honest it should have replaced Park It Sideways, but that is just me.  Overall, the bonus tracks are good for what they are..

You can tell that Em was completely hands on with the crafting of this album.  You can tell he built the album from the ground up and picked the right songs that would flow right.  In my opinion, with the exception of a few tracks, he did a pretty good job on it.  Production wise, Welcome To: Our House was pretty well done.  Joe Budden, Royce, Joell, & Crooked all came correct when it came time for them to spit.  They are STILL the same niggas that we know from before.  They STILL can rap their asses off, and for this to be their second album together as a group, they did a pretty good job on it.

Now if you wanted to hear the Slaughterhouse from the first album where all they did was rap about rapping.  Then go back and listen to their first album and/or listen to their mixtape that they released last week.  If they wanted to make that kind of album again they would have just stayed on their old label.  These niggas are trying to eat, they are trying to make money, and staying on an independent label won't get them so far.  All four of these niggas came a VERY long way, from getting jerked around from their labels.  To getting shelved, to building a fan base from the ground up thanks to the internet.  Slaughterhouse deserves all the success they get.  It was well earned in my opinion and Em did a good job re-introducing the world to Slaughterhouse.  Slaughterhouse also helped achieved Em's goal.  Em brought good lyrics back to hip-hop...clap for em...

Busby's Review: 4/5