Contents. Biography Early life James Yancey was born in Detroit, Michigan. He was the eldest of four children, including a sister, Martha, and two brothers, Earl and John; John later began doing music as. The family lived at a corner house near McDougall and Nevada, on the east side of. His parents had musical backgrounds—his mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey', is a former opera singer and his father, Beverly Dewitt Yancey, was a jazz bassist.

1. Dilla Donuts Detroit

His mother said that he could 'match pitch perfect harmony' by 'two-months old'. When he was two years old, he began collecting vinyl and would be allowed to spin records in the park, an activity he enjoyed as a child. Along with a wide range of musical genres, Yancey developed a passion for hip hop music. After transferring from Davis Aerospace Technical High School to Detroit, he met classmates T3 and, and became friends with them through mutual interest of rap battles. The three formed a rap group called. He also took up beat-making using a simple tape deck as the center of his studio.

Donuts contains 31 tracks (same as J Dilla's age at the time of recording), most of which are short. In an 2007 guest column for Pitchfork.

During these teenage years he 'stayed in the basement alone' in order to train himself to produce beats with his growing record collection. Early career In 1992, he met the Detroit musician, and had let Jay Dee use his, which he learned quickly. In 1995, Jay Dee and MC formed, and would be the first Detroit hip hop group to sign with a major label - a deal that was ended after one single when the label folded. That same year he recorded 'Yester Years EP' with 5 Elementz (a group consisting of, Thyme and Mudd). In the year 1996, he formed the group Slum Village and recorded what would become their debut album at RJ Rice Studios. Upon its release in 1997, the album quickly became popular with fans of Detroit hip hop.

At that time, hailed the group as successors to. However, Jay Dee said that he felt uncomfortable with the comparison and often voiced it in several interviews. It was kinda fucked up getting that stamp because people automatically put us in that Tribe category. That was actually a category that we didn’t actually wanna be in.

I thought the music came off like that, but we didn’t realize that shit then. I mean, you gotta listen to the lyrics of the shit. Niggas was talking about getting from bitches. It was like a nigga from never woulda said that shit. I don’t know how to say it. It’s kinda fucked up because the audience we were trying to give to were actually people we hung around. Me, myself, I hung around regular ass cats.

Not the that people kept putting out there like that. I mean, I ain’t never carried no goddamn backpack. But like I said, I understand to a certain extent. I guess that’s how the beats came off on some smooth type of shit.

And at that time, that’s when was out and there was a lot of hard shit on the radio so our thing was we’re gonna do exactly what’s not on the radio. By the mid-1990s Jay Dee was known as a major hip hop prospect, with a string of singles and projects, for, 's solo album and others. Many of these were released without his name recognition, being credited to, a production collective composed of him, and of, and later of. However, he was given songwriting credit on all of his non-remix productions under The Ummah. Under this umbrella, Jay Dee produced original songs and remixes for Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes, Something For the People, trip hop artists Crustation and many others.

He handeled production on seven tracks from 's album, released in the holiday season of 1995 and Hello, the debut album by, on. Performing career 2000 marked the debut of with, creating a new following for J Dilla as a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the production collective known as The (along with Ahmir ' Thompson, and amongst others) which earned him more recognition. He subsequently worked with, and - contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album,. His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single ' (Up Above Records), followed by the album, which began British independent record label 's 'Beat Generation' series.

In 2001, Jay Dee began using the name 'J Dilla' (an attempt to differentiate himself from who also goes by 'J.D.' ), and left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with. In 2002, Dilla produced 's, as well as a solo album, but neither record was ever released, although the former surfaced through. When Dilla finished working with Frank-N-Dank on the 48 Hours album, MCA Records requested a record with a larger commercial appeal, and the artists re-recorded the majority of the tracks, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither versions of the album were successful, and Dilla stated that he was disappointed that the music never got out to the fans. Dilla was signed to a solo deal with in 2002.

Although Dilla was known as a producer rather than an MC, he chose to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite producers, such as, Supa Dave West, and others. The album was shelved due to internal changes at the label and MCA. While the record with MCA stalled, Dilla recorded, released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack. The album was also unsuccessful, but his work from this point on was increasingly released through independent record labels. In a 2003 interview with Groove Attack, Dilla talked about this change of direction: You know, if I had a choice. Skip the major labels and just put it out yourself, man.

I tell everybody it's better to do it yourself and let the Indies come after you instead of going in their direction and getting a deal and you have to wait. It ain't fun. Take it from me. Right now, I'm on MCA but it feels like I'm an unsigned artist still. It's a blessing, but damn I'm like, 'When's my shit gonna come out? I'm ready now, what's up?'

Later life and death -based producer and MC began collaborating with J Dilla, and the pair formed the group in 2002, releasing an album called in 2003. J Dilla relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles in 2004 and appeared on with Jaylib in Spring 2004. J Dilla's and medication caused dramatic weight loss in 2003 onwards, forcing him to publicly confirm speculation about his health in 2004.

Despite a slower output of major releases and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his status remained strong within his core audience, as evident by unauthorized circulation of his underground 'beat tapes' (instrumental, and raw working materials), mostly through internet. Articles in publications (March 2004) and (June 2005) confirmed rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but these were downplayed by Jay himself. The seriousness of his condition became public in November 2005 when J Dilla toured performing from a wheelchair.

It was later revealed that he suffered from (a rare blood disease), and possibly. J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, at his home in, three days after the release of his final album. His mother, Maureen Yancey, said that the cause was. Posthumous music.

This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2015) Upon his death, Dilla had several projects planned for future completion and release. According to founding Slum Village member T3 in an interview in March 2015, J Dilla has about 150 unreleased beats, some of which featured on Slum Village's album entitled Yes!, which released June 16, 2015., '75% completed when Dilla died,' was completed posthumously by and released on August 8, 2006 on. Was reissued as a double CD/LP set in March 2007 and is sometimes considered his third solo album. The reissue contains previously unreleased material from the Ruff Draft sessions and instrumentals. Most notably, it was also released in a cassette tape format, paying homage to Dilla's dirty, grimy sound (he was known for recording over two-tracked instrumentals).

Was announced in 2005 as his debut release on the Operation Unknown label. The official release remains shrouded in mystery, as various legitimate and illegitimate versions of this mini-album can be bought online and in stores., J Dilla's and Madlib's collaborative album, was reissued in June 2007 by as a 2CD Deluxe Edition with instrumentals and b-sides., the debut album by J Dilla's younger brother, was released in 2008 on. It is produced entirely by J Dilla and features rapping by his brother, under the name Illa J.

Stones Throw Records released a digital instrumental version of the album in 2009., an album featuring 28 previously unreleased instrumental tracks made at various points in his career, was released in 2009. Vocals to a select few of the tracks were provided by rappers who were close to Dilla though the majority of the album is instrumental. The project was mixed and arranged by, who was a major inspiration to Dilla.

In 2010, unreleased production and vocals from J Dilla were featured on 's sixth studio album, the first album with all five members. In December 2011, Jonathan Taylor, CEO of the Yancey Music Group (founded by Dilla's mother Maureen Yancey), told the UK's Conspiracy Worldwide radio show that the album Rebirth of Detroit was ready for a May 2012 release.

On May 25, 2012, Mahogani Music released a limited edition 12' vinyl titled Dillatroit/Rebirth Promo EP, leading up to the official release of Rebirth of Detroit on June 12, 2012. In 2014, J Dilla's long-lost MCA Records album entitled was scheduled for release, but was delayed to April 15, 2016, via Mass Appeal Records. Intended for release in 2002, the album is a collection of Dilla's vocal performances over production by, and others. The first single is the album's intro cut, 'The Introduction.'

This section may be to read and navigate comfortably. Please consider content into sub-articles, it, or adding or removing. (February 2018). 's album is an album entirely dedicated to J Dilla, in which cut up the samples in methods that J Dilla used. released a mixtape called Dilla Joints on what would have been J Dilla's 36th birthday in February 2010.

The mixtape would later be rapped over by in his mixtape Dilla, Dice, Pregunta. pay tribute to J Dilla on their 2006 album with 'Can't Stop This', a song that incorporates J Dilla's song 'Time: The Donut of the Heart' as the beat with emcee Black Thought rapping about the impact he had on his life. The song closes with a number of voice messages discussing J Dilla's legacy and influence on hip-hop music over the years. Again pay tribute to J Dilla, along with deceased member Baatin, on the instrumental interlude 'Dillatude: Flight of the Titus' from their album. Rapper released a 6-song EP entitled Thanks For The Donuts, strictly using beats produced by J Dilla, on the 5th anniversary of the release of Donuts (February 7, 2011), which also would be J Dilla's 37th birthday. 's series of New Amerykah albums contains a number of tributes to J Dilla. On, Badu first honours Dilla with the song 'The Healer', where she sings 'this one is for Dilla'.

She again pays tribute to him on the song 'My People', a re-working of the song 'People' from J Dilla's album Donuts. The closing song of New Amerykah Part One, 'Telephone', draws inspiration from J Dilla's final moments as his mother had described to her, with J Dilla himself having visions about his passage to the afterlife. On, Badu pays tribute again to Dilla on the song 'Love', a song that J Dilla posthumously produced as well. commemorates J Dilla with a series of mixes and podcasts entitled Thank You Jay Dee.

The series is divided into four acts and was released yearly from 2006 to 2009. The music contained within is a megamix of J Dilla's sample sources, demonstrating the wide variety of styles and songs Dilla was able to incorporate in creating his music. on his 2008 album pays tribute to J Dilla all over the album, from the album cover (an imitation of Dilla's instrumental album Donuts), to the interludes ('Workin' On It' is a medley of various songs found on Donuts) and the songs 'Open Your Eyes' and 'Brandi'.

'Open Your Eyes' is a cover of the Bobby Caldwell song that was sampled by J Dilla for Common's 'The Light', from his 2000 album Like Water For Chocolate. 'Brandi' contains a sample from 'Go Ladies' from J Dilla's former group Slum Village, who also appear on the song, from their 2000 album, Fantastic, Vol. recorded a hip-hop mixtape tribute to J Dilla titled. released a 2 in 1 album/mixtape entitled Dilla Pickles in honor of J Dilla. released an instrumental tribute to J Dilla on vinyl entitled Dilla is the G.O.A.T.

(Greatest of All Time), with Spinna producing a beat in the same vein as J Dilla's song 'Nobody Cares About Us' with Phat Kat. DJ Spinna would later release a second tribute to Dilla called Dillagence, using the same production as Dilla is the G.O.A.T. And featuring a medley of J Dilla's lyrics performed by of. in collaboration with Mick Boogie, Rah Digga, Q-Tip, and others, released Dillagence, a mixtape dedicated to J Dilla's memory and featuring songs created by J Dilla. pays tribute to Dilla on his album. In the song 'Put Your Stamp on It', he raps 'If hip hop is dead then it happened the day that Dilla died'.

The song was produced by Dilla himself. pays tribute to J Dilla on the album, on the track 'Gangsta Boogie'. pays tribute to J Dilla on his 2008 album with the songs 'Shaka' and 'Life is Better'.

On the former, he calls J Dilla a 'master' and raps, 'Dilla, having you in my past has been blast, you've inspired so many and forever will you last', and on the latter, he makes mention of J Dilla twice during a verse that recalls some of hip-hop's most influential figures. mentions J Dilla on various productions of his since his death. On his 2008 album, Black Milk rhymes about how J Dilla was an inspiration to him ('Long Story Short') and that he was 'the best Hip-Hop producer' ('Bond 4 Life'). On his 2010 album, Black Milk laments that he wishes J Dilla was still around 'to hear this new shit' ('Closed Chapter'). pays tribute to J Dilla by remaking the Slum Village track 'Fall In Love' in his own signature sound, utilizing the same melody and harmony with a more electronic aesthetic. The song would later be rhymed over in the song 'Paid Homage (RIP J Dilla)', from Detroit emcee Finale's album A Pipe Dream and a Promise. Flying Lotus also produced his own rendition of J Dilla's song 'Lightworks' with the song 'LTWXRMX' from his white label EP Shhhh!

Released in 2008. The short film 'Until the Quiet Comes' released by Flying Lotus and directed by stars dancer Storyboard P wearing a shirt with the text 'J Dilla Changed My Life'. Flying Lotus (under pseudonym Captain Murphy) also mentions J Dilla in the song 'Dead Man's Tetris' from the 2014 album,., a pianist, pays tribute to J Dilla with the song 'J Dillalude'. The jazz composition, requested by Q-Tip in a voice message played at the song's onset, is made up of various Dilla productions such as Common's 'Thelonius', De La Soul's 'Stakes Is High' and Slum Village's 'Fall in Love'. 'Dillalude Pt.

2' was released on the Black Radio Recovered: Remix EP in October 2012 under the Robert Glasper Experiment. Hip-hop producer pays tribute to J Dilla on his side-project The Liquid Crystal Project with a song entitled 'A Tribute to Dilla', a jazzy rendition of Slum Village's song 'Players'. Rawls later pays tribute again to Dilla with the song 'Another Tribute to Dilla' released on vinyl 7-inch, which offers a jazzy cover of the song 'Fall in Love'.

and J-Rocc honor J Dilla with two installments of the Beat Konducta series. And (later combined into Vol. 5-6: A Tribute to.) are instrumental tributes produced in the same fashion as J Dilla's album Donuts. Producer pays tribute to J Dilla with the track 'Raise It Up For Dilla'.

former member of dedicates her song and video 'You Never Get Over It' from her solo album Trip The Light Fantastic in loving memory of J. Dilla and her mother and father. pay tribute to Dilla on the track 'La La La' with the line: 'Dilla, if you hear me, we are missing you so much.' .

Take, in his 2008 album The Dirty Decibels of Thomas Two Thousand, pays tribute to J Dilla on two songs, 'Lie-twerx' and 'Fall in Love Again', which cover the productions on 'Lightworks' and 'Fall in Love' respectively. pays tribute to J Dilla on his album. At the end of the song 'Due Me a Favour', he performs an rap, stating: 'I believe that Dilla was the number one dude in rap'. pays tribute to J Dilla on their song 'Business As Usual' from the EP, where A.G. Rhymes: 'Age bitter, J Dilla rest your soul / Gave his life for this hip hop shit, y'all don't hear me though'. A Suite for Ma Dukes is a live musical tribute to J Dilla arranged and conducted by with the help of and a 60-piece orchestra. Originally a four-song EP of a selection of J Dilla's works, the project expanded and culminated into a series of live events that were recorded for a subsequent live album release.

The concert, the second in the Timeless Conductor Series presented by Mochilla, included orchestral renditions of several J Dilla's productions and featured appearances by soul singers and, rappers, Talib Kweli and Illa J, along with various instrumental and vocal contributions by some of Dilla's close collaborators like, Shafiq Husayn, and. On 's 'Knock Knock' from his popular mixtape The Warm-Up, the song opens with the line: 'Sometimes play the villain, sometimes play the hero. Sometimes I be Dilla, sometimes I be. pays a tribute to J Dilla in the song 'Shine So Brite' on the album., the funk band pays tribute with their song 'Mr. Guitarist/composer premiered a composition at called 'Flam! Pan-Asian Microjam for J Dilla and ', inspired in part by Yancey's sense of rhythmic ideas. pays tribute to J Dilla on the track 'Check It Out', a re-interpretation of the single ', which was produced by Dilla.

On Massilon, Ohio rapper 's mixtape Lincoln Way Nights, he refers to Dilla in the song 'Tell Montez I Love Her' with this line: 'You was the first to introduce me to Dilla, and until this day I ain't never heard nobody realer'. On Pittsburgh rapper 's The Jukebox mixtape, he does his own rendition of 'So Far To Go'. For “Too Deep For the Intro,” on the Friday Night Lights mixtape, sped up “Didn't Cha Know”, which Dilla famously produced for Erykah Badu.

'Show Me a Good Time' from 's album mentions J Dilla., in his single 'Toast to the Dead', from his free mixtape, raps: 'J Dilla's still alive as long as his music is.' The production of the song is credited to J Dilla himself.

made a song called 'Two Can Win' paying tribute to J Dilla. Jay Dee's death in 2006 prompted Skyzoo to pay tribute with the song 'Sky's Last Donut.' . released a mixtape And Then They Played Dilla. mentions J Dilla in the mixtape 'Acid Rap'. The standout song 'Everybody's Something' samples Slum Village's 'Fall in Love'.

has a couple songs over J Dilla's beats called 'Dreams' featuring Punch & 'Players (freestyle)' featuring Punch and. has used some of Dilla's beats in some of his works like 'Snakes', 'Two Lips' and 'Like Me' on his 2015 album, which was an unreleased Dilla beat.

Also, in 'Christ Conscious', Badass uses the line 'Specially educated, Heavily Medicated/ Give me that beat and I'll put you next to Dilla. pays tribute to J Dilla throughout his mixtape Toronto Love Jay. mentioned his aspirations to have a recording session with Dilla in his track 'Walkin' on Air', a song from his 2014 album: 'All I ever wanted was to make scrilla, Have a recording session with J Dilla'. state in the liner notes to their 2008 album in reference to J Dilla's death, 'Wish we had the chance to work with you, your music continues to inspire us.

James Hughes, the son of filmmaker revealed that his father was a huge fan of Donuts. pay tribute to J Dilla in the liner notes of their 2006 reunion album by saying 'And last but not least, a special shout out and in loving memory to the man who hooked up many an ill remix, James (Jay Dee, J Dilla) Yancey.

Rest in peace, brotha'. Singer referred to Dilla's inspiration on his production as 'the reason why I even do beats' on his 2007 album.Left. Production team revealed that J Dilla was the inspiration behind the sound of 's 1997 single '.

The song's musical arrangement was inspired by Dilla's remix of ' song 'Sometimes', the first single from their fourth album. has used some of Dilla's beats in the songs 'Sweet Lips', an unreleased J Dilla beat and 'Welcome'.

Astro Dawg made a beat called 'A Donut For Dilla' paying tribute to J Dilla. referenced J Dilla in the opening verse of their song Death of the Muse. made an instrumental song called 'Dilla Bounce (R.I.P.)' on the his album paying tribute to J Dilla. rapped over Gobstopper on his one-off release 'The Season.' . paid tribute to J Dilla alongside other deceased artists and on the song 'Great Day In The Mourning' on Kweli's 2015 collaboration album with, Indie 500. paid homage to his friend in his song entitled 'Dear Dilla'.

On their 2016 album, mentioned J Dilla in the song 'Detroit'. paid tribute to J DIlla in the song 'February'. In early 2017, honours J Dilla with a verse before the intro to Bellion's radio hit 'All Time Low' on.

sampled J Dilla's song 'All Right' on their 2013 self-titled debut album in the song 'So Far (It's Alright)'. Discography. Studio albums. 2001:. 2003: (with as Jaylib). 2006: Posthumous studio albums.

2006:. 2007:. 2009:. 2016: Extended plays. 2002:. 2003:.

2003: (2003 release) Compilations. 2007:. 2009: Dillanthology 1: Dilla's Productions for Various Artists. 2009: Dillanthology 2: Dilla's Remixes for Various Artists.

2009: Dillanthology 3: Dilla's Productions. 2013: Lost Tapes, Reels + More. 2015: Jay Dee a.k.a. J Dilla 'The King of Beats' (Box Set). 2015:. 2016: Jay Dee a.k.a. J Dilla 'The King of Beats', Vol.

2: Lost Scrolls. 2016: Jay Dee's Ma Dukes Collection. 2017: J Dilla's Delights, Vol.

1. 2017: J Dilla's Delights, Vol. 2 Posthumous work. 2006: (EP). 2006:.

2007: (Reissue). 2007:. 2009:. 2010: (EP). 2012: Dillatroit (EP). 2012: Rebirth of Detroit.

2013: The Lost Scrolls, Vol. 1 (EP). 2013: Diamonds & Ice (EP). 2014: Give Them What They Want (EP). 2016:. 2016: Back to the Crib (Mixtape). 2017: Motor City References.

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Retrieved 2016-06-19. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to: Official sites. Resources. discography. / / / / discographies. discography.