Slum Village's Baatin Dies; Friends and MCs Pay Respects

BY Andrea WooPublished Aug 4, 2009

Hours after the sudden and unexpected death of Slum Village's Baatin, friends and fellow MCs paid their respects by shouting him out at Vancouver's Rock the Bells date.

"I want to say rest in peace to the homie Baatin," said Common, during his set at the event, which took place at Burnaby's Deer Lake Park Aug 1. "God bless his soul."

Nas, who had never met Baatin, heard about the death through a business associate.

"I'm sorry to hear about the loss and condolences to his family," he said during an interview.

Talib Kweli, who rocked with Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal, said during an interview that a personal highlight of the tour so far was getting to see Baatin rock every night.

Host Supernatural and Slum Village's T3 both commented on the death being the group's second tragic loss, after legendary producer J Dilla's death in February 2006.

Baatin (born Titus Glover) was reportedly found dead early Saturday morning in Detroit. People close to him confirmed the death, though a cause is not yet known.

Baatin is survived by his nine-year-old son Michael Majesty Ellis; his one-year-old daughter Aura Grace Glover; parents Howard and Grace Glover; and sister Tina, according to the Free Press.

He was 35.

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