Methodically quiet and seriously serious, St. Paul Slim prefers to sit back and observe, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Don’t write him off as shy or docile, though, because for as somber as Slim can be, he can be equally boisterous and rowdy. He’ll get in your face to deliver the harsh reality of everyday life in the inner city.
Born in Chicago and raised in St. Paul, Slim’s hard past is the creative fuel powering his career. If he raps about a gun, it’s because he’s carried one. If he rhymes about gang violence, it’s because he’s witnessed it.
“Everything’s got a lesson to it,” Slim says.
Growing up during hip-hop’s heyday, Slim’s music reflects his desire to bring the genre back to those roots.
“I was inspired and influenced by the greats, I am a product of greatness therefore I am great,” Slim boasts.
Lyrically, Slim’s precise delivery and unprecedented wordplay challenge his listeners to see through the bullshit drowning commercial hip-hop. Likewise, his beats resonate a stripped down, old school vibe with modern hip-hop flair.
“I grew up in an era where hip-hop wasn’t about bling-bling,” he says. “People had nice watches, they wore gold chains, but nobody talked about it. Hip-hop’s the news of the ghetto and I think there’s more to talk about than money and girls.”
After high school, Slim enrolled in the Marine Corps, where he served for four years but never abandoned his desire to make it as a hip-hop artist. Although Slim rarely addresses his military past in his music, he says it brought a larger understanding of the world to his music. Out of the military by 2002, Slim put together “Slim Case”-his first EP- in collaboration with his brother, Mastermind. That little project had fans and critics alike begging for more; and earned Slim the Best EP award during the 3rd annual Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards.
St. Paul Slim played an important role in many successful hip-hop projects, including Atmosphere’s “Strictly Leakage,” Muja Messiah’s “MPLS Massacre,” and the soundtrack for the major motion picture “Justice.” He has performed with respected hip-hop legends like MC Lyte, Black Moon, and Slick Rick. Slim is a repeat performer at the Twin Cities Hip-Hop Celebration.
Although Slim’s been making noise in the Twin Cities for awhile, he’s just starting down the path to hip-hop infamy. “With his varied beats, Jay-Z-channeled flow, and uber-confident swagger, Slim has all the tools to be the next in a long line of stellar underground Twin Cities emcees.” (Minnesota Daily, January 22, 2009)
St. Paul Slim’s next project, Recession Music, will be out May 12. It will be available at Cal Surf, Fifth Element, and Cheapo for recession-friendly $5 or for free download online at recessionmusic.com.
