Hip-hop group, liquor company lend support to AIDS cause

DETROIT –
They hail from the Conant Gardens neighborhood on the East Side, and their hearts remain in their city as they travel the globe. And Detroit hip-hop group Slum Village came home last week, teaming up with Remy Martin to donate $7,500 to AIDS Partnership Michigan.
The donation, which was presented Friday at APM's Detroit office, was part of the popular cognac maker's Black Music Month program, which kicked off in June. Remy Martin picked 10 up-and-coming artists to play shows in their hometowns. Each artist or group picked a charitable cause, and the company made a donation on their behalf.
"It's a big epidemic going on in the city of Detroit – and in the black and Latino community especially," said Slum Village's T3, R.L. Altman, explaining why the group picked AIDS as its cause.
Slum Village recorded for the Capitol Records label before going independent. It has recorded five albums to date, the latest being a self-titled disc released in 2005.
While at APM, Slum Village met 17 of the agency's employees and learned what each did. When it was her turn to speak, executive director Barb Murray talked about the agency's history.
"In the early days, to be blunt with you gentlemen, we helped a lot of people die," she said. "Now we help people live."