Tag Archives: j dilla
Happy Birthday J Dilla
Posted on 07. Feb, 2011 by JD.
Remembering the life, beats, and legacy of Jay Dee, J Dilla, otherwise known as James Yancey. What can you say about this man? He was simply amazing. His music will live on forever, it is timeless and classic. A very hard thing to be in todays music landscape. I am a huge fan of his work. I came across this article written by Jonathan Cunningham from the Detroit Metro Times. Read it and remember the legend.
Happy Birthday J Dilla. Today is February 7th, and for those that have that date permanently etched in their brains like myself, that means it’s J Dilla’s birthday. The legendary Detroit producer and emcee would have been 37 years young today. It’s hard to believe it’s already been five years since he passed away at the tender age of 32 from complications related to Lupus. His contributions to contemporary music were so numerous that many consider him to be the greatest hip-hop producer of all time.
There will be many things written about him today regarding how monumental his time on earth was and how influential the music that he made with Slum Village truly was for an entire generation. Or how the songs that he crafted for various other artists such as The Roots, Erykah Badu, Common, Bilal, Busta Rhymes, The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, and numerous others represented the true golden era of late ’90s’ and early 2000′s contemporary soul. It’s all true. Then there are the numerous stories from those who knew him intimately that go untold to the masses about how giving Dilla was as a person that accurately measure his truest mark. He was a good son, a good father, and a good friend to a chosen few which is something that should never be overlooked.
For good reading material today, I recommend the stellar piece Dollars to Donuts that former Detroit Free Press writer Kelley Carter did for VibeMagazine, an early Jay Dee interview from 1996 that Chairman Mao wrote for Vibe, and a true labor of love that I helped pen along with Khary Kimani Turner back in 2006. Of far greater importance is the music itself. Here are a few classic Dilla gems from over the years to check out along with a mini documentary, Still Shining, that B. Kyle put together back in 2006. Enjoy. -Jonathan Cunningham
“J.Dilla: Still Shining” from B.Kyle on Vimeo.
“J.Dilla: Still Shining” from B.Kyle on Vimeo.
Created in 2006, this remembrance piece is created as a tribute to the memory and legacy of James “J.Dilla” Yancey. This is a piece designed for his fans and supporters who knew of his accomplishments before February 2006 and those that have grown to appreciate his genius. Here, we gain a greater insight and understanding about our musical icon.
J.Dilla is Still Shining.
(2:55) – Work Ethic Starts In The Basement
(7:35) – What To Listen For in A Dilla Beat
(9:10) – J.Dilla’s Range As A Producer. The King of Reinvention
(12:16) – Going Beyond His Influences
(14:39) – The Dilla Approach To Production
(20:21) – Jay The Producer vs Jay The MC
(26:08) – The Personal Side of J.Dilla
(29:04) – A Soldier Unstoppable!
(32:05) – Venturing Out. (as explained by Phat Kat)
(33:59) – Heading Home… Job Well Done.
(34:48) – We Salute You.
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Behind the Beat poster..
Back in 2005, photographer Raph Rashid was hoping to complete a book of hip-hop home studios by getting pics of J Dilla at work in Los Angeles. Unknown to all but a small circle of people at the time, J Dilla had been in and out of the hospital all year dealing with increasingly serious health problems. It was summer, during a brief period when Dilla was home, working on The Shining, looking and feeling good, when Raph came to take this picture. It was published with others later that year in his book Behind the Beat: Hip-Hop Home Studios.
You may have seen some of the other photos on the web. We arranged with Raph to use one on our Ruff Draft poster and last year’s Stussy shirt. Another photo from this session which also appears in the book, is one of Dilla and his young daughter Ja’Mya Yancey.
Happy Birthday James Yancey.
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Josh One MashUp of Sade & J Dilla
Posted on 26. Apr, 2010 by JD.
Josh One rarely.. to almost never puts out an “edit” or “mashup.” However, he feels this one is special. Its good, just how we like it here at ScratchTag and Fresh Goods.
Blending Sade’s “Solder of Love” & J Dilla’s “Pause” Feat. Frank & Dank this little number could work in a number of situations. Take a listen.
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J DILLA by STUSSY
Posted on 12. Feb, 2010 by JD.
Stussy & Stones Throw Records have partnered for Raph Rashid’s classic pic of J Dilla on a limited-edition Stussy Tee. This will be released Feb. 13, 2010 in White and Black, available atstonesthrow.com and Stussy locations.
The photo was taken by Raph Rashid in Dilla’s L.A. dining room-turned-studio, summer 2005, for his book Behind The Beat: Hip-Hop Home Studios.
Stussy & Stones Throw will also be announcing a multi-city in-store release parties for this shirts. Stay tuned for details.
www.j-dilla.com
www.stussy.com
www.stonesthrow.com
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