J Dilla: A Baker Of All Donuts
- T.Cruz
- Feb 16, 2016
- 4 min read
In a circle of Hip-Hop fans there are frequent questions that put everyone under pressure. Questions like:
Top 5 Dead or Alive?
If you were stranded on an island...?
Who's your favorite producer?
Any true Hip-Hop fan will mindfully search through their index of songs and artist, with anxiety building, thoughts coming through of who you can and can’t leave out, “but wait! I can’t forget him/her.” With it being nearly impossible to answer some of these questions, it sparks some of the cultures most talked about artist, albums and producers. For classic underground Hip-Hop fans, one of the biggest topics of discussion is of the creations of Detroit Producer, J Dilla. Is he everything his fans make him seem to be? Or have his fans put him on an overrated pedestal?
Is J Dilla overrated or underrated?
While we can sit and argue opinions, the artists Dilla has worked with will help me validate the facts of why J. Dilla is underrated. These individuals believe that J Dilla was, and continues to be one of the greatest producers of all time.
For those who don’t know, James Dewitt Yancey also known as J Dilla, Jay Dee and Dilla Dawg,is a Producer and EmCee from Detroit, also part of the Slum Village crew. He’s created beats for some of Hip-Hop’s biggest influential people and groups. With the extensive list of artists like: A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, Common, The Pharcyde, D’Angelo, Janet Jackson, Q-Tip, The Roots, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Lucy Pearl, Madlib, Slum Village, Mos Def, Black Star and De La Soul. As a Hip-Hop junkie,that list of artist collaborations . J Dilla emerged from the mid 1990’s underground Hip-Hop scene with his ability to bake tasteful music with his MPC 3000.
“People appreciate just good music, There’s nothing better than that to me, that’s what I do this sh*t for” – Jay Dee
J Dilla had all intentions of making music solely for the love of music. He was infatuated on the idea of creating a classic rather than a sound that will last only in present times. Jay Dee was infamous for dipping and dabbing into every genre and sound of music, from jazz to R&B to space sounds to underground Hip-Hop to club bangers. He’s a jack-of-all-trades, or in his case, a baker of all donuts. “Runnin’” and “Drop” by The Pharcyde are song’s that, we as Hip-Hop lovers, continue to embrace. His club bangers like “Vivrant Thing” by Q-tip will forever have the club “Shakin’ and violatin.’” “The Light” was the beginning of many, for Common and J Dilla’s collab. Quickly they began vibing and creating timeless work. “His music made me feel like I can write the best songs.” Common explains how intense of a feeling his songs were. “You would just go crazy over the music”
In an interview, Erykah Badu states “His house was like a lab in the basement, he’s definitely a scientist.”While working with Jay Dee it was more of a collaborative work than it just being his beat. Erykah Badu helped pick the record, of many, chose what part of the record was going to be sampled, then J.Dilla went to work and created the soulful classic, “Didn’t Cha Know.”
With a mind of a music genius, Dilla Dawg wasted no time in whipping up with the most flavored beats. Each beat was baked to perfection with samples sprinkled over horns and violins mixed with 808’s. His home studio had walls and floors covered with crates full of vinyls that he began collecting at age 2. In an interview, Producer and friend, DJ Houseshoes stated
“…One of many reasons J is one of the best producers of all times. 15,20 minutes. What can you do in 15 minutes? Find a Sample? The beat is done and it’ll be the best sh*t you’ve ever heard in your life!” –DJ Houseshoes
Jay Dee cooked up many beats that where just so complex in ingredients that it was difficult to have understanding. In an interview Questlove reveals the breakdown of one of Jay Dee’s most complex beats “Little Brother.” The beat was used by Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s, Black Star. The Song is sampled from Gil Scott Heron- The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. J.Dilla uses small fragments of the song and pieces them together like a 10,000 piece puzzle. Questlove explains the complexity in its composition below.
Some of todays highly respected producers show homage to Dilla, by trying to influence the Hip-Hop culture as Jay Dee did. Artist and producer, Kanye West, ratifies J Dilla being one of the most significant producers in our industry. While Kanye creates concepts of his own he keeps Dilla close to his work. In a Stones Throw Documentary Kanye West states “If dilla was alive would he like this? I have to work on behalf of dilla…it’s the best respect we can pay to great artist that have inspired us.”
Jay Dee cared so much about Hip-Hop as a Culture, that he created it ‘til the very end. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Jay Dee’s release album Donut’s. The album contains 31 beats that were all created while being hospitalized. The album was released on February 7, 2006, his 32nd Birthday, and just three days before his death. Dilla fans will say “Dilla Changed my life?” however, for me, it’s not so much that he changed my life, it’s his story that changed me. His story will forever leave a mark on the culture. Dilla Changed Hip-Hop; Hip-Hop changed Dilla. Jay Dee’s mother, also known as Ma Dukes, continues to embrace her son’s legacy and carry it through out Hip-Hop as a culture.
“All of the work that he has will live forever… this was his wish during his illness, that he’d be able to give his gift to the world, that he was able to live long enough to give that gift back and it’ll last a life time. –Ma Dukes
All in all, J Dilla has created some of the most historical Hip-Hop beats. Artist that he has worked with, and whom truly hold value to Hip-Hop, will ratify his legacy. J. Dilla wanted to create music to be heard, and not solely by Hip-Hop lovers but by music lovers of all varieties. With the mind of a musical-genius-machine J. Dilla has been underrated for far too long. For those of us who understand the complexity of his baked treats, we continue to vibe and enjoy his work as well as keep his legacy alive.
With the recipe for Jay Dee’s donuts, here’s The Last Donut Of The Night by J.Dilla. May your Donuts never leave us hungry and continue to influence and move the Hip-Hop Culture.
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