Yesterday, T3 of Hip Hop duo Slum Village talked to Soul Sessions about the impending album, Villa Manifesto which is slated for release in March. As the group’s last founding member, T3 discussed the loss of both Jay Dee and Baatin, who were supplemental members of the Slum Village collective, in addition to the struggling U.S. economy due to the recession. Today, in part two of the guileless interview, the Detroit native opens up to Soul Sessions about today’s producers, whether or not Hip Hop is dead, and his music influences.

Welcome Back To The Village.

Krysten Hughes: Who are you influences, past and present?

T3 of Slum Village: I don’t have many present influences. I came up in the era of a lot of great music. I have a ton. Musically, I’m a crate digger, so obscure jazz and soul records. I also like the Hip Hop greats like Tribe Called Quest, LL Cool J, and Big Daddy Kane. But present, I do not have any influences. If I had to pick someone that I had to work with it would be Prince, or somebody that you would not expect, or someone like James Brown, before he passed. Like a musician’s musician. Someone who has changed the game on all levels. When I go to make a record, those are the people that I go to.

KH: Critics have argued that Hip Hop is dead, and that the industry and culture is oversaturated with talentless rappers, consumerism and commercialism. What do your forecast for the next five years in rap music? Do you see continuing trend or do you feel like their will be an uprising from the underground?

T3: I hope that there will be a different trend. I want to see Hip Hop put into different genres, like Rock and Roll. You have Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Metal, etc. With Hip Hop, they try to group it all together which makes other types of Hip Hop, less. There should be Mature Hip Hop, Dance Hip Hop, etc. I think it needs to be in its own sector. You can’t compare Soulja Boy to Common because its different crowds. You can’t throw both of those in the same category and label it Hip Hop. I think there are some dope cats like Guilty Simpson, on top of Fashawn, Blu and Wale. For the next 5 years I feel like everything will kind of take its place. Even if you take Wale, Fashawn, and Black Milk, they still don’t have the same audiences. Wale has hipsters, Black milk has old school and Soul, and maybe him and Fashawn have similar audiences. The hipsters are a younger crowd than Black Milk and Fashawn. Those same hipsters would have been Black Milks fans, or Slum Village fans back in the day. But now, its divided. Big Sean and Wale are the hipsters, and acts like Little Brother are soulful too. I think that we’re going to see even more division. Which may be a good thing. I think that artists are going to map out even more what they want do. With hip hop I think it will grow but it may not look like it won’t grow because its gonna be divided. But people are going to hopping in the diff sections, one day they may wanna hear Wale, and one day Black Milk. I think the underground is going to come back too and regenerate itself.

KH: Are you keeping an open ear for up and coming producers to be considered for future projects with Slum Village?

Of course. Black Milk is my man. He is up and coming. I did a whole thing online where I listened to hundreds of producer’s beats. I will always love to work with new producers. Producers today aren’t like producers 10 years ago. When I work on a Slum Village project, a guy will send a beat CD, whatever they send is what it is. I am used to working with Dilla, and he would make up a beat right there, custom craft. Him and Dr. Dre. Young producers will do that but if you don’t know them personally, they don’t do that.  There are some up and coming producers I like, such as Frank Dukes. I am always open to listen to any production. I just ask that producers put that TLC in to it, that is what makes it special.

If you missed part one of T3 of Slum Village interview with Soul Sessions you can check it out here.

“Slum Village is bonded for life.” – T3