In Memoriam
J Dilla
February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006 · aged 32
Hip-Hop · Neo Soul
James Dewitt Yancey, better known as J Dilla or Jay Dee, completely rewired the rhythmic grid of modern music. Born in Detroit in 1974, Dilla was a hip-hop producer who played his MPC drum machine like an organic instrument. He famously abandoned musical quantization, programming beats that were intentionally dragging, rushing, and delightfully off-kilter, giving electronic production a distinctly human, soulful feel. As a member of Slum Village and the production collective The Soulquarians, he shaped the sound of neo-soul and alternative hip-hop, working with Erykah Badu, The Roots, and D'Angelo. Suffering from a rare blood disease and lupus, Dilla spent his final months in a hospital bed, where he miraculously produced his instrumental masterpiece, 'Donuts'. Released on his 32nd birthday, he passed away just three days later on February 10, 2006. His innovative 'Dilla feel' remains the holy grail for producers and drummers worldwide.
Milestones
Donuts, Fantastic Vol. 2 (with Slum Village), Production for A Tribe Called Quest and Erykah Badu
Also remembered in 2006
- Ali Farka Touré (1939–2006)
- Arthur Lee (1945–2006)
- James Brown (1933–2006)
- Syd Barrett (1946–2006)