I get put off by Slum Village ‘cos they’re generally the go-to group that backpack-bores use when lamenting about a “greater time” in hip-hop—y’know, times when Dilla was still with us and MCs were talking about ~socially conscious~ shit. So tedious is this, that I forget Slum Village are actually responsible for some of the best tracks in the genre.

The line-up has, of course, evolved over the years, and this obviously isn’t going to match them at their prime. That said, what “Live It Up” lacks in, like, genre smashing, it makes up for with just being a typically catchy, unashamedly “rap” beat. And Chicago MC, Vice, (nice name, bro!) jumps on the track to let us know that life is just as bleak now as it was in their heyday, ten years ago. Awesome!