It was nearly a year-and-a-half ago that Kxng Crooked suddenly announced his exit from Slaughterhouse. In April of 2018, the group’s co-founder disbanded from the collective formed a decade earlier by Joe Budden, Royce 5’9, and Joell Ortiz. Although the Shady Records act had been relatively idle since 2014’s House Rules mixtape, fans had been told that a third album, reportedly titled Glass House, was on its way. That LP has yet to surface.

To make things more complicated since April of ’18, Joe Budden and Eminem’s tensions came to a boil. Last August, Eminem addressed Joe by name, who had been publicly critical of 2017’s Revival, and later, 2018’s Kamikaze in his media platforms. Slaughterhouse’s label backer has been at war with one of its members. On top of it all, Budden had announced retirement from Rap after his 2016 solo album, Rage & The Machine. That decision impacted the three other members of the group, which eventually disbanded.

Kxng Crooked Is Brutally Honest About The Breakup Of Slaughterhouse (Video)

In the latest episode of People’s Party, Kxng Crooked tells Talib Kweli about the late 2000s formation of the group. Crook’ credits Budden’s Joe Budden TV vlogs as being the inspiration to Love And Hip-Hop. However, he also says that he wants his most recognized group to have one more go-round.

“At first, I was off it; I was really mad, Kwe’,” Crooked says, “because we put a lot of work in—I got three Slaughterhouse tattoos. The way that it was crumbling, internally, I just didn’t like it. So I started going around and talking to [Eminem’s Shady Records partner] Paul Rosenberg and Em, and [was] trying to piece it back together. But I was getting resistance.”

Joe Budden Flips Out On Eminem. He Says He’s Been Better Than Em For A Decade (Video)

Talib, who is part of groups including Black Star and Reflection Eternal, asks what the internal struggles looked like. “The internal struggles [were] scheduling. We had an album, Glass House. It was done, for the most part; you could’ve made an album out of it.” Crook’ says that in terms of promoting and touring the group’s third release, conflicts arose. “One member [said], ‘I don’t have no time to do it this summer. Let’s talk in November.’ Then November comes around, and it’s like, ‘You know what? I can’t do it now.’ It started being like this ain’t gonna happen,” says the Long Beach, California MC. “I just felt like it was robbing the culture.” He expands that this release featured “a Slaughterhouse of producers,” including Just Blaze, J.U.S.T.I.C.E League, !llmind, and Cardiak—all working together. While some have been critical of the production on the quartet’s two released albums, this one stood apart. “It came out incredible, and I wanted it to see [the light of day],” Crooked I says, justifying his behind-the-scenes efforts to “patch up holes in the boat before it sunk. It just ended up sinking, and I got mad, and [left the group].”

Although Crooked I’s exit made waves in 2018, he does not want the story to end there. “We still need to have some closure. I haven’t said this [anywhere else]. We need closure; I think we need to put another Slaughterhouse album out.”

Eminem Responds To Joe Budden’s Podcast Rant

Kweli brings up an unreleased episode of Pull Up, one of Joe Budden’s platforms. Only a clip ever aired. Crook’ explains, “I think Joe figured out that, you know what? It’s not gonna be good [to air]. ‘Cause a lot of dirty laundry came out.”

He compliments his former band-mates. Kxng Crooked says he likes what Joe has done with his acclaimed podcast, State Of The Culture, Love And Hip-Hop New York, and Pull Up. Crook’ praises Royce’s Book Of Ryan and hints at new music. He also supports Joell’s 2018 Apollo Brown collaboration, Mona Lisa, as well as his latest, Monday. “I’m like everybody’s doing crazy sh*t right now. You know what? I’d be open to saying, ‘Okay, is there a way we can give the world one last Slaughterhouse album?'”

Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz Discuss The Making Of Their Joint Mona Lisa Album (AFH TV Video)

One year ago, Kxng Crooked and Royce appeared on Joell Ortiz & Apollo Brown’s remix to “Timberlan’d Up.” Joe Budden remains retired from Rap.

In 2019, Kxng Crooked has released three volumes of his weekly songs.

Eminem Brings Back Slim Shady In The Video For His Joe Budden Diss

#BonusBeat: The full People’s Party episode with guest KXNG Crooked: