So Long J Dilla, and Thanks . . . (r.i.p. Jay Dee)

It's a very sad day. I just found out this afternoon that Jay Dee (James Yancey), aka J Dilla passed away yesterday. He was only 32. J Dilla had health problems in the past and reportedly died from kidney failure related to lupus nephritis.

Jay Dee produced or had a hand in defining the sound of so many great hip hops albums, including Tribe Called Quest's swan song The Love Movement, and some tracks from the Pharcyde's Labcabincalifornia, De La Soul's Stakes is High, and Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun. But his reknown as a skilled beat maker and demand as a producer really took off after he played a huge role in crafting the sound of Q Tip's Amplified in 1999 and Common's Like Water for Chocolate in 2000.

Along with rappers T3 and Baatin, Jay Dee formed the group Slum Village in the mid 1990's, putting out the underground classic Fantastic, Vol. 1 in 1996 (which was officially released in 2005) and Fantastic, Vol. 2 in 2000. The following year, Jay Dee released his first solo joint, Welcome 2 Detroit, on UK indie label bbe. Detroit featured guest spots from underground Motor City rappers. Last year J Dilla released an instrumental version of Welcome 2 Detroit -- damn, what a treat (see below). Jay Dee also teamed up with fellow producer, MC, crate digger, and jazz head Madlib to form Jlib, releasing Champion Sound in 2003.

Here's some of what J Dilla said, on the bbe website, about buying 7" vinyl singles as a kid and how he then began snapping up jazz and soul albums:

The first record I remember buying was "Open Sesame" by Kool And The Gang on 7". I used to go to the record stores like every week and buy whatever was new on 7". I was so spoilt 'cos I had all the records. Then I got into Jack McDuff. I used to got to sleep listening to that shit, that's where the jazz influence came from. Album wise I started buying jazz first – then a lot of soul.

Come Get It -- Welcome 2 Detroit (Instrumental)

(not) Featuring Phat Kat -- " . . . " (2005)

from Q Tip's Amplified:

Wait Up (1999)

and from Common's Like Water for Chocolate:

Thelonius (feat. Slum Village & Jay Dee) (2000)

And just three days before his death, Dilla's latest project, Donuts dropped. A review copy of Donuts may be on its way to me (Hannah?). If not I'll pick it up soon and post a review and Jay Dee tribute, part II. From the initial reviews, Donuts should be phenomenal. Here's what the Stones Throw site says about the album:

Begun simply enough as a production beat tape, "Donuts" evolved into a project as unusual as the environment in which it was created. It's a hip-hop album without MC's. An album of electronic music that at times sounds like a 70s soul mixtape. Its abrupt transitions and numerous interludes might make you think you're rapidly turning the radio dial in some strange city where every station is programmed by a certain Detroit hip-hop producer. "Donuts" is J Dilla doing what he does best – crafting hip-hop, soul and electronic music into his own sound.

see also: Stones Throw myspace page Jay Dee's myspace page
J Dilla will be missed. To say the least. Review of Donuts to follow.
Peace.

UPDATE: as relax star vibe school and free hip hop now have noted, there will be a Dilla tribute spin on Tues. night @ the M Bar in NYC. Also, Del over @ vibes & stuff has a link to a Jay Dee tribute mix stream by DJ Venom (thanks Del). Kevin over @ So Much Silence has a great Dilla post featuring "Stakes is High" & Pharcyde cuts (!) and Straight Bangin' posted a particulary stellar Jay Dee tribute. Finally, look for o-dub's obit in LA Weekly and soul sides.

update UPDATE: Rafi Kam over @ oh word put together a fantastic piece that culls excepts from the best Dilla tributes and links to others (including los amigos), focusing in particular on the Jay Dee tracks & favorites lists folks posted-up. As Rafi notes, we all "came together to mourn [Dilla's loss] like a family":

There appeared hundreds of blog posts and thousands upon thousands of posts at message boards, myspace, etc. . . . [and] This was all within the first few days, all before Yahoo had given a news headline to Dilla on their front page. So many people had taken the initiative to share their memories of the man and ten plus years of great music.

. . .