After experiencing some transitions, the core lineup consisted of Tam, lead singer Ken Shima, and guitarist Joe X. Jiang by 2015, until the band retired from touring in 2019.

The band's name originates from an effort of reappropriation and was the source of a protracted legal battle that took them to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case Matal v.

[1] Influenced by 1980s bands such as Depeche Mode and New Order, as well as modern acts such as the Killers and the Bravery, the Slants refer to their sound as "Chinatown Dance Rock".

This includes raising money for causes such as funding research into disparate rates of cancer for Asian American women,[5] bridging divides,[6] fighting bullying,[7] and building community centers.

"[16] In 2019, Washington University in St. Louis published an extensive study on reclaiming identities based on the Slants' name and found that, "Reappropriation does seem to work in the sense of defusing insults, rendering them less disparaging and harmful".

He and other newly minted trademark holders have been unleashed to kick-start a new era of free speech and cultural reclamation, where we as market participants have a voice.

[25] In 2008, the Slants competed in Bodog Music Battle of the Bands for the opportunity to be featured on the Fuse TV reality show and win a $1 million recording contract.

They also were becoming a fan-favorite due to frequent appearances at anime conventions, with NPR writing that, "The Slants' songs about Asian-American alienation don't seem to have hurt their appeal to white teenagers.

Pageantry featured a number of local icons including Cory Gray (The Decemberists), Krista Herring, Mic Crenshaw, and Gabe Kniffin (Silversafe).

In 2011, the Slants were featured on the front page of the Oregonian for fighting the United States Patent and Trademark Office over the right to protect their name.

That same year, The Slants was added to the Armed Forces Entertainment roster and invited to perform for active troops serving overseas.

[36] Following multiple national tours in support of The Yellow Album, longtime members Fontanilla (guitar) and Moxley (vocals) left the band.

The band quickly organized a national tour, called "Slantsgiving" to introduce Shima and Jiang to fans and to promote their upcoming album release and a new smartphone designed by Neoix.

[38] The band released Something Slanted This Way Comes, a compilation album of their previous hits re-recorded featuring the vocals of new lead singer Ken Shima.

On December 22, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of the Slants, striking down a portion of Section 2A of the Lanham Act as unconstitutional.

[41] In 2016, the band worked with Rukus Avenue in collaboration with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to release a song in support the #ActToChange anti-bullying movement.

The song, From the Heart, made headlines for speaking directly to the Trademark Office's oppressive actions that eventually led the band before the Supreme Court.

The EP's main single, a fully completed version of the song "From the Heart," was quoted in multiple stories about the band's legal journey.

After returning from Washington, DC, the band launched an ambitious national tour, with over 70 appearances in 60 days, which included multiple speaking engagements by Simon Tam, sharing legal insights from their case at law schools, bar associations, and advocacy organizations.

In 2018, they collaborated with WNYC Studios for a single called "18 21" to be included in a More Perfect series, joining the likes of Dolly Parton and Devendra Banhart.

That same year, the band started a nonprofit organization, The Slants Foundation to fund and mentor artists-activists of color,[46] and eventually expanded their philanthropic efforts.

[48][49] Since its origins, the Slants have been involved with social justice organizations across the country to bring more attention to issues pertaining to marginalized communities.

On a local level, the band worked with groups like the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) to build a new community center, revitalize a neighborhood through economic prosperity initiatives, and voter registration campaigns.

[51] In 2011–2012, the band toured military bases for troops serving overseas to highlight diverse experiences shortly after the high-profile suicide of Danny Chen.

"[57] During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, The Slants Foundation responded to the rise in attacks on the Asian American community and impact on the artists by funding projects that sought to create meaningful connections rooted in empathy.