J Dilla

J Dilla, alias Jay Dee (born James Yancey), is a hip-hop record producer and MC, who emerged from the mid-1990s independent, underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, MI.

Related Topics:
Hip-hop - Record producer - MC - 1990s - Detroit

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He began his career as Jay Dee but since 2001 has called himself J Dilla, a name not entirely accepted by his public. He has releases under Jay Dee and J Dilla.

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Through his work on a string of singles and remix projects for artists De La Soul, Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes, and quietly serving as a member of A Tribe Called Quest's production team, the Ummah, Jay Dee became known as a major hip-hop prospect by the late 1990s. The hip-hop community took notice of his no-frills, breakbeat-laden classic hip-hop style after he helped craft albums for Common (Like Water for Chocolate), D'Angelo (Voodoo), Q-Tip (Amplified) and the debut for his own group Slum Village (Fan-Tas-Tic, Vol. 1).

Related Topics:
De La Soul - Pharcyde - Busta Rhymes - A Tribe Called Quest - Breakbeat - D'Angelo - Slum Village

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By the time of his Major label debut with Slum Village on Fantastic, Vol. 2 in 2000, Jay Dee was recognized as one of hip-hop's most admired and desired producers. His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single "F**k the Police", followed by the album Welcome to Detroit, kicking off UK indie label BBE Music's "Beat Generation" series. With a growing reputation and impressive resume, he left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo debut on MCA. Work on this album was done in 2002 and 2003, but was never released. Jay Dee's major output of 2003 was production for Common's Electric Circus, which was ridiculed by critics and fans alike.

Related Topics:
Major label - Common

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From that point his work has increasingly been released through independent record labels.

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Producer/MC Madlib began a collaboration with J Dilla to form the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing the album Champion Sound in 2003. J Dilla appeared on tour with Jaylib in 2004, had various production, MC, and remixes credits during 2004-2005 (most notably two tracks on Common's Be) but his output slowed for the first time since his debut. Articles in publications Urb (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) have confirmed rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period.

Related Topics:
Madlib - Urb

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Despite a slower output of major releases, his cult status has remained strong within his core audience, fueled in part by the unauthorized circulation of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, raw working material) mostly through internet file sharing. These beat tapes have chronicled a consistent quality of J Dilla's production style through raw break-beat sounds to more refined synth and sample-based cut-ups, while maintaining a natural-feeling soul and R&B influence. Producers Kanye West and Pharrell Williams have both gone on record praising his production sound.

Related Topics:
Soul - R&B - Kanye West - Pharrell Williams

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Continuing his arc as an independent solo artist, two J Dilla solo albums, Donuts and The Shining have been announced as 2006 releases by independent labels Stones Throw Records and BBE.

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