Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) - Overview

Overview

The album was recorded in 1996 and 1997 in J Dilla's home studio. Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) quickly became popular with fans of Detroit hip hop, when copies of the cassette were sold by the group at concerts, and also made available at Record Time on Gratiot. The record became highly sought after, with copies costing up to $50 at one point.

Although, at the time Slum Village were hailed as successors to A Tribe Called Quest, Fan-Tas-Tic shares little in common with Tribe's earthy, cerebral brand of Hip hop. The topics on the album revolve around what is now common place in commercial hip hop; acquiring female interests, and wealth.

Slum Village is a contradiction, a paradox. We break rules, we do things other people wouldn't do. Places other people wouldn't go, we go there, talking about things. That's why it's really difficult to compare us to A Tribe Called Quest, because they were more tribal, peaceful type people. We're nothing like that. - Baatin

The group received much praise for their seemingly freestyled approach (which they later admitted to), and also for the production style of the then-upcoming producer Jay Dee, who subtly used low end frequencies, intricate basslines, and offbeat drums, behind the "tag-team" rhyming of his partners, T3 and Baatin.