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Johannesburg millennials are on cloud nine as American hip-hop legends Slum Village announce their visit to the City of Gold. In fact, millennials all over the country are pledging to “sell a kidney” for a chance to experience the duo live at the Back to the City International Festival.
The annual event takes place at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown on 10 October.
Slum Village originally emerged from Detroit as a trio in the 1990s, consisting of T3, Baatin and the late J Dilla, who passed away in 2006 due to cardiac arrest. Baating passed on three years later and the group has had a few members come but go with Young RJ who joined in 2012 decided to stay on
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The two surviving members have managed to keep the fire burning, releasing the album Yes! in 2015, which was thoroughly enjoyed by fans as it featured J Dilla’s unreleased beats.
In fact, the duo has released multiple albums since the loss of J Dilla, with their latest single, What Up Bae, having dropped in January this year.
Festival director Osmic Menoe said, “Back to the City has always been about celebrating hip-hop culture in its purest form while creating a platform where local and international communities can connect.”
“Bringing Slum Village to South Africa is a significant moment for fans who understand the influence of Detroit hip-hop and the lasting legacy the group has built over decades.”
Die-hard Slum Village fans probably have recollections of shouting “the roof… the roof… the roof is on fire” to early 2000s hits like Tainted featuring neo-soul artist Dwele, and Selfish featuring Kanye West and John Legend. But it's 2026 and nobody says that anymore so the correct term for their upcoming performance is "it's about to be lit!"
Their memorable discography also features the smash hit Forth and Back, which was so well-received that the group included it on two of their albums: Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) (1996/1997) and Fantastic, Vol. 2 (2000).
Listen before you go Forth and Back on Spotify
Slum Village believes in the power of collaboration, having worked with Cordae, Larry June, Elijah Fox and Eric Roberson on their critically acclaimed 2024 album F.U.N.
- What: Back To The City International Festival
- When: 10 October
- Where: Mary Fitzgerald Square, Newtown
- Cost: R400 to R2000 tickets on Back To The City’s website
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