Having produced tracks for the likes of Common, The Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes, and D'Angelo among others, producer Jay Dee has more than proven his ability to make beats that move the masses' asses. But what happens when the music plays without those celebrity voices? The answer: fewer distractions. Welcome to Detroit is a delectable set of concoctions from the Slum Village dweller's laboratory. From the percussion and live guitar on "African Rhythms," to the handclaps and succinctly programmed bass lines on "The Clapper," the Detroit native further explores the virtues of his beloved low end theory. Guest verses from Detroit undergrounders Phat Kat, Blu, and Beej add a little Midwestern flavor to the record's universal feel. And the spacy vocals and variety of keyboard and synthesizer sounds on songs like "Come Get It" and "Big Booty Express" take you out of this hip-hop world and into the next. Welcome to Detroit is hip-hop hospitality at its best. --Kenji Jasper