Trinity (Past, Present and Future)
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Trinity (Past, Present and Future)
| type = studio
| artist = Slum Village
| cover = Slum Village - Trinity.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2002|8|13}}
| recorded = 2001–2002
| studio = {{hlist|RJ Rice Studios (Farmington Hills, MI)|Studio A (Dearborn Heights, MI)|The Studio (Philadelphia, PA)}}
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{Duration|h=1|m=8|s=32}}
| label = Capitol
| producer = {{hlist|Black Milk|Ess Man|Hi-Tek|J Dilla|Karriem Riggins|Scott Storch|T3|Waajeed|Young R.J.}}
| prev_title = Best Kept Secret
| prev_year = 2000
| next_title = Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit)
| next_year = 2004
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Trinity (Past, Present and Future)
| type = studio
| single1 = Tainted
| single1date = July 2, 2002
| single2 = Disco
| single2date = November 5, 2002
}}
}}
{{italic title|all=yes|noerror}}
Trinity (Past, Present and Future) is the third studio album by American hip hop group Slum Village. It was released on August 13, 2002, via Capitol Records. The recording sessions took place at RJ Rice Studios in Farmington Hills, Studio A in Dearborn Heights, and The Studio in Philadelphia. The album was produced by T3, Waajeed, J Dilla, Karriem Riggins, Young RJ, Black Milk, Ess Man, Hi-Tek, and Scott Storch.
The album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. Its lead single, Dwele-assisted "Tainted", made it to number 87 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Overview
Trinity marked the group's first shift away from its original lineup, due to J Dilla's departure following Fantastic, Vol. 2, to pursue a solo career. Longtime affiliate Elzhi, joined the remaining members; a move which was initially disapproved by hardcore fans, but with time has been accepted, and even praised.
Another major change was Slum Village's new recording home, Capitol Records, which would subsequently cause problems for the group. Although the first single "Tainted" was a respectable success, the album received poor promotion thereafter.
With the production element of Fantastic, Vol. 2 receiving the most acclaim the last time around, filling Dilla's shoes was always going to be a hard task for even the most competent trackmaster, but the team assorted for Trinity (including Dilla himself) didn't stray too far from the feel of the previous album. The beats are, perhaps, less jazzy and subtle but even further left of field on tracks like the aptly titled "Insane", and the first of three Dilla contributions, "One". The group's chemistry, while not as freeflowing and snappy as before, remained intact, and there seemed to be a more concentrated effort by each member to match each other's flows and subjects on the same songs.
While on tour to support the album, Baatin began to experience health problems, which led to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. He was soon kicked out of the group while still in the hospital, which greatly upset him. The dispute was later resolved, and Baatin reunited with T3 and Elzhi in 2008, before dying of a suspected drug overdose in 2009.
Critical reaction
{{Music ratings
| MC = 59/100{{Cite web |title=Critic Reviews for Trinity (Past, Present and Future) - Metacritic |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/trinity-past-present-and-future/slum-village/critic-reviews |access-date=March 9, 2024 |website=Metacritic |language=en}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Bush |first=John |title=Trinity (Past, Present and Future) - Slum Village |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/trinity-past-present-and-future-mw0000219282 |access-date=March 9, 2024 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}
| rev2 = Robert Christgau
| rev2score = {{Rating-Christgau|dud}}{{Cite web |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=January 21, 2003 |title=Consumer Guide: Escape Claus |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv103-03.php |access-date=March 9, 2024 |website=Village Voice |via=www.robertchristgau.com}}
| rev3 = HipHopDX
| rev3score = 3.5/5{{Cite web |last=Oduro |first=Mike |date=August 15, 2002 |title=Slum Village - Trinity |url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.202/title.slum-village-trinity |access-date=March 9, 2024 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}
| rev4 = Pitchfork
| rev4score = 4.5/10{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=September 26, 2002 |title=Slum Village: Trinity: Past, Present and Future |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/7251-trinity-past-present-and-future/ |access-date=March 9, 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
| rev5 = RapReviews
| rev6 = Rolling Stone
| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Relic |first=Peter |date=September 10, 2002 |title=Slum Village: Trinity (Past, Present & Future) : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/slumvillage/albums/album/186102/review/6067834/trinity_past_present__future |access-date=October 2, 2007 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002075216/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/slumvillage/albums/album/186102/review/6067834/trinity_past_present__future |archive-date=2007-10-02 |via=Wayback Machine}}
}}
Fans were split between those welcoming the addition of Elzhi and those who were against it and felt that J Dilla was too instrumental in the group's previously established identity to be replaced.
Trinity (Past, Present and Future) was met with mixed or average reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 59, based on twelve reviews. A few critics, however, wrote favorable reviews and gave praise for the group's original song concepts as well as Elzhi's lyrical abilities.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Intro 1
| writer1 =
| extra1 = T3
| length1 = 0:32
| title2 = Intro 2
| writer2 = {{hlist|Jason Powers|Titus Glover|RL Altman III|Robert O'Bryant}}
| extra2 = Waajeed
| length2 = 2:26
| title3 = Insane
| writer3 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|O'Bryant}}
| extra3 = Waajeed
| length3 = 2:37
| title4 = What Is This
| writer4 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Curtis Cross|Dani Siciliano|Matthew Herbert}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Black Milk|T3{{ref|c|[c]}}|Young RJ{{ref|c|[c]}}}}
| length4 = 2:25
| title5 = Tainted
| note5 = featuring Dwele
| writer5 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Andwele Gardner|Karriem Riggins}}
| extra5 = Karriem Riggins
| length5 = 4:26
| title6 = La La
| writer6 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|O'Bryant|Ralph J. Rice Jr.|Vernon D. Hill|Michel Colombier}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Waajeed|T3{{ref|c|[c]}}|Young RJ{{ref|c|[c]}}|Vernon D. Hill{{ref|c|[c]}}}}
| length6 = 4:52
| title7 = All-Ta-Ment
| writer7 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Rice Jr.|Marvin Gaye}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|T3|Young RJ{{ref|c|[c]}}}}
| length7 = 3:42
| title8 = Disco
| writer8 = {{hlist|Powers|Altman III|Ernest "Que D" Toney}}
| extra8 = {{hlist|T3|Young RJ{{ref|c|[c]}}|Vernon D. Hill{{ref|c|[c]}}}}
| length8 = 3:05
| title9 = Trinity (Interlude)
| writer9 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III}}
| extra9 = Black Milk
| length9 = 2:09
| title10 = One
| writer10 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|James Yancey}}
| extra10 = Jay Dee
| length10 = 3:50
| title11 = Hoes
| writer11 = {{hlist|Glover|Altman III|Yancey}}
| extra11 = Jay Dee
| length11 = 3:28
| title12 = Star (Interlude)
| note12 = featuring T. Banks
| writer12 = {{hlist|Altman III|O'Bryant}}
| extra12 = T3
| length12 = 0:22
| title13 = Star
| note13 = featuring Dwele
| writer13 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|O'Bryant}}
| extra13 = Waajeed
| length13 = 3:20
| title14 = Slumber
| writer14 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Tony Cottrell}}
| extra14 = Hi-Tek
| length14 = 4:10
| title15 = Let's
| writer15 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Yancey}}
| extra15 = Jay Dee
| length15 = 5:18
| title16 = S.O.U.L.
| writer16 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Riggins}}
| extra16 = Karriem Riggins
| length16 = 3:25
| title17 = 80's Skit
| writer17 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III}}
| extra17 = Slum Village
| length17 = 1:48
| title18 = Unisex
| writer18 = {{hlist|Altman III|Rice Jr.}}
| extra18 = {{hlist|T3|Young RJ}}
| length18 = 1:49
| title19 = Love U Hate
| writer19 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Shelton Rivers|Claude Bolling}}
| extra19 = Ess Man
| length19 = 3:38
| title20 = Get Live
| writer20 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Scott Storch}}
| extra20 = Scott Storch
| length20 = 4:43
| title21 = Harmony
| writer21 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|Riggins|Hen Elliott}}
| extra21 = Karriem Riggins
| length21 = 3:28
| title22 = Who Are We (Interlude)
| writer22 = {{hlist|Powers|Glover|Altman III|O'Bryant}}
| extra22 = T3
| length22 = 1:05
| title23 =
| writer23 =
| extra23 =
| length23 = 0:04
| title24 =
| writer24 =
| extra24 =
| length24 = 0:04
| title25 =
| writer25 =
| extra25 =
| length25 = 0:04
| title26 =
| writer26 =
| extra26 =
| length26 = 0:07
| title27 = Fall in Love
| note27 = featuring Samiyyah
| writer27 = {{hlist|Samiyyah Dixon|Alice Cooper|Dennis Dunaway|Glen Buxton|Michael Bruce|Neal Smith}}
| extra27 = {{hlist|Jay Dee{{ref|o|[o]}}|T3{{ref|r|[r]}}|Ess Band{{ref|r|[r]}}}}
| length27 = 1:35
| total_length = 1:08:32
}}
;Notes
- {{sup|{{note|c|[c]}}}} signifies a co-producer.
- {{sup|{{note|o|[o]}}}} signifies an original producer.
- {{sup|{{note|r|[r]}}}} signifies a remix producer.
- Tracks 23 to 26 are a few seconds of silence.
- Track 27 is a bonus track often listed as track 23.
- In the liner notes, Black Milk was originally credited under the name Curtis "Nottyhead" Cross.
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2002)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Billboard200|20|artist=Slum Village|rowheader=true|access-date=March 9, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|5|artist=Slum Village|rowheader=true|access-date=March 9, 2024}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|50810|Slum Village – Trinity (Past, Present And Future)}}
{{Slum Village}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Capitol Records albums
Category:Albums produced by Hi-Tek
Category:Albums produced by J Dilla
Category:Albums produced by Black Milk