According to the Detroit Free Press, founding member of seminal Detroit rap group Slum Village, Baatin, is dead at 35. The cause of the death is not yet public. Friends and family, from Dwele and 9th Wonder to Talib Kweli have sent their condolences through Twitter, spreading word of the Detroit MC's passing. "I'm at a loss right now. Hi-Tek was set to dj for Slum Village tonight. RIP Baatin. More influential than you can imagine. Slum Village forever," wrote Kweli.
Baatin, born Titus Glover, had a history of health problems, and left the group in 2002, after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Though Slum Village added gifted MC Elzhi shortly before Baatin left, the group suffered a major loss in 2006 when their other founding member, J Dilla, passed away.
Having finally recovering from Dilla's death, remaining founding member T3 recently reached out to Baatin to rejoin the group.
"I felt like the fans wanted Baatin to come back," T3 explained. "I felt like I really didn't want to do another album without Baatin. I wanted his energy..I found him and he was ready. He seemed like he had his stuff together."
News of Baatin's return to Slum Village began circulating, and the group officially announced the Sept. 22 release date of their reunion album 'Villa Manifesto,' the week before Baatin died.
"Baatin will be missed," Slum Village's T3 said in a statement. "I'm glad we got a chance to work together before he passed. We lost another Slum soldier, a dear friend and a brother. He touched many lives."
Baatin left two children, Michael Majesty Ellis, 9, and Aura Grace Glover, 1. There will be a public remembrance for the MC on Sunday in Detroit.He will be missed.
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