James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974–February 10, 2006), better known as J Dilla or Jay Dee, was an American hip hop producer and MC, who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. He began his career as "Jay Dee" but used the name "J Dilla" from 2001 on. Many critics believe J Dilla's work to have had a major influence on his peers,^[1] and that he embodied the neo soul sound, playing a defining yet understated role during the sub-genre's rise (roughly from the mid-90s to the early 2000s). J Dilla was known as a "producer's producer", and was highly regarded by mainstream known producers such as Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams^[2]. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... In the music industry, record producer designates a person responsible for completing a master recording so that it is fit for release. ... MasterCard logo Manchaster Town Hall MC can mean: Mini Cooper: Macao: FIPS PUB 10-4 territory code Machine, (also m/c) Manchester, England (also m/c) Mariah Carey, American songstress Marginal cost Marin Catholic Master cylinder Master of Ceremonies Rapper (also emcee), or a prefix for the names of rappers... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... An AKAI MPC2000 sampler Akai MPCs (originally MIDI Production Center, now Music Production Center) are a popular and well respected series of electronic musical instruments originally designed by Roger Linn and produced by the Japanese company Akai from 1988 onwards. ... Turntablism is the art ofSubscript text manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and an audio mixer. ... An AKAI MPC2000 sampler A sampler is an electronic music instrument closely related to a synthesizer. ... A Boss DR-202 Drum Machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums and/or other percussion instruments. ... The Macintosh 128K, the first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac Mac (formerly Macintosh) is a range of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Inc. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Barely Breaking Even (BBE) is a British record label started by two DJs Peter Adarkwah and Ben Jolly. ... The Music Corporation of America, commonly known as MCA, is a United States based corporation in the music business. ... Stones Throw Records is a California-based hip hop independent record label. ... 1st Down was a group consisting of Jay Dee, and Phat Kat. ... Q-Tip The Ummah is a music production collective, composed of members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and the late Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla) of the Detroit based group Slum Village. ... Slum Village circa 2000 Slum Village is the name of a hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. ... J-88 is the alias of Detroit hip hop duo, Slum Village. ... Soulquarians (common mispelling: Soul Aquarians) is a neo soul-inflected musical collective from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with most of its members sharing the astrology sign of Aquarius. ... Madlib (left) and Jay Dee as Jaylib Jaylib was the duo formed by producers Madlib, and the late J Dilla. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Hip hop production is the creation of hip hop music. ... MasterCard logo Manchaster Town Hall MC can mean: Mini Cooper: Macao: FIPS PUB 10-4 territory code Machine, (also m/c) Manchester, England (also m/c) Mariah Carey, American songstress Marginal cost Marin Catholic Master cylinder Master of Ceremonies Rapper (also emcee), or a prefix for the names of rappers... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Settled 1701 Incorporation 1806 Government  - Type Strong Mayor-Council  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area  - City  143. ... Neo soul (also known as nu soul) is a musical genre of the late 1990s and early 2000s that fuses contemporary R&B, 1970s style soul, classical music, jazz, and elements of alternative-hip hop. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... The 2000s are the current decade, spanning from 2000 to 2009. ... Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kÉ‘n. ... Justin Smith (born in Paterson, New Jersey on January 14, 1978), better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer. ... Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973) is an American producer, singer, rapper, and songwriter. ...

Biography

Early life

Jay Dee was the oldest of three children (including a younger brother and sister), and grew up in a house situated near McDougall and East Nevada, in Detroit.^[3] He developed a vast musical knowledge from his parents (his mother, Maureen, is a former opera singer). At a young age, he began acquiring a large collection of records which inspired him to learn multiple instruments. By high school, he had developed a passion for MCing, and formed a rap group called Slum Village with schoolmates T3 (R.L. Altman), and Baatin (Titus Glover). He had also taken up beatmaking, using a simple tapedeck as the center of his studio.^[4] Slum Village circa 2000 Slum Village is the name of a hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. ... T3 (b. ... Baatin is a rapper and soul singer. ...

Early productions

In 1992, he met experienced Detroit musician Amp Fiddler, who was impressed by what Jay Dee was able to accomplish with such limited tools. Amp Fiddler let Jay Dee use his MPC, which he learned quite quickly. In 1995, Jay Dee and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down, and would be the first Detroit hip hop group to sign with a major label (Pay Day) - a deal that was ended after one single when the label folded. That same year he recorded The Album That Time Forgot with 5 Elementz (a group consisting of the late Proof and Mudd). Amp Fiddler is a funk musician. ... An AKAI MPC2000 sampler Akai MPCs (originally MIDI Production Center, now Music Production Center) are a popular and well respected series of electronic musical instruments originally designed by Roger Linn and produced by the Japanese company Akai from 1988 onwards. ... Phat Kat (a. ... 1st Down was a group consisting of Jay Dee, and Phat Kat. ... DeShaun Dupree Holton (October 2, 1973–April 11, 2006), better known as Proof, was an American rapper and member of the rap group D12. ...

By the late 1990s Jay Dee was known as a major hip-hop prospect, with a string of singles and remix projects, for Janet Jackson, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album and others. Some other Jay Dee productions were released without his name recognition, being credited to The Ummah, A Tribe Called Quest's production team, of which he was a member. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... A remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. ... Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is a Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated American singer, songwriter, composer, actress, dancer, choreographer, record producer, and activist. ... The Pharcyde is one of the most celebrated underground West Coast alternative hip hop acts. ... De La Soul is a Grammy-award winning hip hop group from Long Island, New York. ... my best friend Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr. ... A Tribe Called Quest is a critically acclaimed American hip-hop group, formed in 1988. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Q-Tip The Ummah is a music production collective, composed of members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and the late Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla) of the Detroit based group Slum Village. ...

Performing career

2000 marked the major label debut of Slum Village with Fantastic, Vol. 2, creating a new following for Jay Dee as a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the production collective known as The Soulquarians (along with Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, D'Angelo and James Poyser amongst others) which earned him more recognition and buzz. He subsequently worked with Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and Common - contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, Like Water for Chocolate. The following is a partial list of record labels, both past and present. ... Fantastic, Vol. ... Soulquarians (common mispelling: Soul Aquarians) is a neo soul-inflected musical collective from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with most of its members sharing the astrology sign of Aquarius. ... Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born on January 20, 1971), known professionally as ?uestlove or Questlove, is an American drummer, DJ, music journalist and record producer. ... DAngelo (born Michaela Eugene Archer on February 11, 1974 in Richmond, Virginia) is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. ... James Poyser James Poyser is an African-American songwriter, record producer, and keyboardist known for his hip-hop and R&B productions. ... Erykah Badu (born Erica Abi Wright, February 26, 1971, in Dallas, Texas) is an American neo-soul, R&B/hip hop artist whose work crosses over into jazz. ... Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene in Brooklyn, New York City on October 3, 1975) is an American MC from Brooklyn, New York. ... Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. ... Like Water for Chocolate is an album by rapper Common, released in March 2000. ...

His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single "Fuck the Police", followed by the album Welcome 2 Detroit, which kicked off U.K. Independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. In 2002, Jay Dee, began using the name "J Dilla" (an attempt to differentiate himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "J.D."), and left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with MCA. This article is about the J Dilla song. ... Welcome 2 Detroit is an album from former Slum Village producer J Dilla (aka Jay Dee). ... Motto  2(French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen 3 United Kingdom() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() Capital London Largest conurbation (population) Greater London Urban Area Official languages English (de facto)4 Government  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair Formation  -  Acts of... Barely Breaking Even (BBE) is a British record label started by two DJs Peter Adarkwah and Ben Jolly. ... Jermaine Dupri also known simply as JD (born Jermaine Dupri Mauldin on September 23, 1973) is an American record producer and rapper. ... Slum Village circa 2000 Slum Village is the name of a hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. ... The Music Corporation of America was a United States based corporation in the music business. ...

2002 saw Dilla producing the entirety of Frank-N-Dank's 48 Hours, as well as a solo album, but neither record was ever released, although the former did eventually surface through bootlegging.^[5]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 saw the light of day, and the latter has only been heard as a bootleg. Dilla expressed he was disappointed that the music never got out to the fans. Frank-N-Danks 2003 album, 48 Hours Frank-N-Dank (real names Frank Bush, and Derrick Harvey) are an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. ... This is an article about the Frank-N-Dank album. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Look up bootleg in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

A solo album was completed by Dilla for MCA/Geffen Records in 2003.^[6] He handled MC duties while the beats were supplied by some of his favorite producers, with Dilla providing additional production. The album contained contributions from Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, DJ House Shoes, Karriem Riggins, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz and more. The album also featured guest appearances from Bilal, Frank-N-Dank, and others. To date, only three of these songs have been heard in any form: a song called "Diamonds", produced by Nottz, which was played live at a J Dilla tribute concert in 2006 - the recording of which was ripped into an audio file and passed around on the Internet; and "Fight Club," which featured guest verses from Nottz and Boogie Man, and was produced by Waajeed and released on Jeed's label, Bling47's compilation, Best Kept Secret in 2003, and the Kanye West produced track that DJ House Shoes played while on a recent European tour. Other tracks that have been mentioned in interviews, were remakes of Gary Numan's classic, "Cars," entitled "Trucks," and a remake of Vanity 6's "Drive Me Wild", completed with Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of The Roots. In a recent video interview on Stones Throw's website, Dilla's close friend DJ House Shoes alluded to the possibility of the MCA album finally seeing an official release through Stones Throw Records in the future. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Pete Rock (born Peter Phillips, June 21, 1970[1] in Bronx, New York) is an American hip hop DJ, producer and rapper. ... Hi-Tek is an American Rawkus Records alternative hip hop artist from Cincinnati. ... Karriem Riggins (born August 25, 1975) is a jazz musician and a former member of the Ray Brown Trio (which is no longer in existence), who hails from Detroit, Michigan. ... Supa Dave West is an african-american musician, vocalist, songwriter and producer. ... Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kɑn. ... Dominick Lamb (better known as Nottz) is a hip hop producer from Norfolk, Virginia, USA. He sometimes extends his name to Nottz Raw. ... Bilal (born Bilal Sayeed Oliver on August 23, 1979, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) is a neo soul musician and member of the musical collective known as Soulquarians. ... Frank-N-Danks 2003 album, 48 Hours Frank-N-Dank (real names Frank Bush, and Derrick Harvey) are an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. ... Dominick Lamb (better known as Nottz) is a hip hop producer from Norfolk, Virginia, USA. He sometimes extends his name to Nottz Raw. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Waajeed (b. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Roots, also known as The Legendary Roots Crew, The Fifth Dynasty, The Square Roots and The Foundation, are an influential, Grammy winning hip hop group based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, famed for a heavily jazzy sound and live instrumentation. ...

Following the collapse of Dilla and Frank-N-Dank's MCA albums, Dilla recorded the uncompromising Ruff Draft, released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack. Although the album was little known, it signaled a change in sound and attitude, and 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: Frank-N-Danks 2003 album, 48 Hours Frank-N-Dank (real names Frank Bush, and Derrick Harvey) are an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. ... Ruff Draft is an album by the late former Slum Village member Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Later years and illness

LA-based Producer and MC, Madlib, began collaborating with J Dilla, and the pair formed the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album called Champion Sound in 2003. J Dilla relocated from Detroit to LA in 2004 and appeared on tour with Jaylib in Spring 2004. Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Madlib (left) and Jay Dee as Jaylib Jaylib was the duo formed by producers Madlib, and the late J Dilla. ... Champion Sound is an album by the duo Jaylib (producers J Dilla and Madlib). ... A concert comprises a performance, usually involving some degree of formality, and particularly a performance featuring music. ...

Despite a slower output of major releases and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his core audience, fueled in part by the unauthorized circulation of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mostly through internet file sharing. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... File sharing is the activity of making files available to other users for download over the Internet, but also over smaller networks. ...

Articles in publications Urb (March 2004) and XXL (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 Europe performing from a wheelchair. It was later revealed that he suffered from TTP, a rare blood disease, and possibly Lupus.^[7] URB is a monthly American magazine devoted to electronic music, hip-hop and urban lifestyle and culture. ... A 2005 cover of XXL, featuring Snoop Dogg and The Game. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP or Moschcowitz disease) is a rare disorder of the blood coagulation system that in most cases arises from the deficiency or inhibition of the enzyme ADAMTS13, which is responsible for cleaving large multimers of von Willebrand factor. ... Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is potentially debilitating and sometimes fatal as the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. ...

J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, at his home in Los Angeles, California. His obituary in The New York Times on February 14, 2006, states: "The cause was cardiac arrest, according to his mother, Maureen Yancey." His last album, Donuts was released 3 days earlier, on February 7, 2006. February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State California County Los Angeles County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Donuts is an instrumental album by rapper/producer J Dilla (also known as Jay Dee). ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Posthumous work

Aside from Donuts, Dilla completed or nearly completed two more full length releases, during his illness. The first, The Shining, was released on August 8, 2006 by BBE Records. Final production of the album was handled posthumously by Karriem Riggins, whom Dilla had asked to help with the album. According to Riggins, The Shining was "75% completed when Dilla died."^[8] Donuts is an instrumental album by rapper/producer J Dilla (also known as Jay Dee). ... The Shining is the title of the upcoming album from late Hip Hop producer/rapper J Dilla, who passed away February 10, 2006. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Karriem Riggins (born August 25, 1975) is a jazz musician and a former member of the Ray Brown Trio (which is no longer in existence), who hails from Detroit, Michigan. ...

In May 2006, J Dilla's mother announced the creation of The J Dilla Foundation. In February 2007, a year after his death, J Dilla posthumously received the Plug Award's Artist of the Year as well as the award for Record Producer of the Year.^[9][10]

Stones Throw reissued Dilla's rarely heard Ruff Draft as a 2/CD, 2/LP set in March 2007. The reissue contains previously unreleased material from the Ruff Draft sessions and instrumentals. Stones Throw Records is a California-based hip hop independent record label. ... Ruff Draft is an album by the late former Slum Village member Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla). ...

The second, Jay Love Japan, was announced during Dilla's lifetime as an instrumental EP. It was announced an imminent release in at different times in 2005, then in 2006 and 2007 with a track list containing several songs with vocals added after his death. Advance copies garnered comparisons to posthumous Tupac Shakur material, which many fans complain of abusing his legacy by including artists and producers that Shakur may not have had any interest in working with, were he alive. It is currently "delayed indefinitely".^[11] Jay Love Japan is the fifth solo album by the late great Detroit, Michigan Hip Hop producer J Dilla. ... Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ...

J Dilla's and Madlib's collaboration album Champion Sound was re-released in June 2007 by Stones Throw Records as a 2CD Deluxe Edition with instrumentals and b-sides. Champion Sound is an album by the duo Jaylib (producers J Dilla and Madlib). ... Stones Throw Records is a California-based hip hop independent record label. ...

Selected discography

Main article: James Yancey Discography

The following catalogs song-writing credits for James Yancey, also known as Jay Dee and J Dilla. ...

Solo albums

• 2001 Welcome 2 Detroit (BBE)
• 2003 Ruff Draft EP (Mummy/Groove Attack) (2007 2CD/LP reissue: Stones Throw)
• 2006 Donuts (Stones Throw)
• 2006 The Shining (BBE)

Welcome 2 Detroit is an album from former Slum Village producer J Dilla (aka Jay Dee). ... Ruff Draft is an album by the late former Slum Village member Jay Dee (also known as J Dilla). ... Donuts is an instrumental album by rapper/producer J Dilla (also known as Jay Dee). ... The Shining is the title of the upcoming album from late Hip Hop producer/rapper J Dilla, who passed away February 10, 2006. ...

Full-length collaborations

J Dilla was a member of Slum Village for both of their Fantastic albums. J-88 is an alternate name for Slum Village. Slum Village circa 2000 Slum Village is the name of a hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. ...

• 1997 Slum Village - Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) (Donut Boy Recordings) (2006 re-release: Counterflow)
• 2000 Slum Village - Fantastic, Vol. 2 (Goodvibe)
• 2000 J-88 - Best Kept Secret EP (Groove Attack)
• 2003 Jaylib - Champion Sound (Stones Throw)

Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. ... Fantastic, Vol. ... J-88 is the alias of Detroit hip hop duo, Slum Village. ... Best Kept Secret is an EP release by Slum Village under the name J-88. ... Madlib (left) and Jay Dee as Jaylib Jaylib was the duo formed by producers Madlib, and the late J Dilla. ... Champion Sound is an album by the duo Jaylib (producers J Dilla and Madlib). ... Stones Throw Records is a California-based hip hop independent record label. ...

Instrumental releases

• 2002 Vol. 1: Unreleased (Bling47.com)
• 2003 Vol. 2: Vintage (Bling47.com)

External links

Obituaries and memorials

• "Timeless" - J. Dilla Poster (18 x 24 Inches)
• "Jay Dee's last days" — Detroit Free Press, 23 February 2006
• Real Detroit Weekly Feature on Jay Dee
• Jay Dee Feature on TheRootsLive.com
• "Jay Dee - producer for Common, Busta and Tribe - dies" — MTV News, 10 February 2006
• Friends and peers remember J Dilla

Interviews February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

• Slum Village Video Interview at dropmagazine.com
• 2004 interview in Thick Magazine

Official Sites

• J Dilla's MySpace Profile
• J Dilla at Stones Throw Records
• Jay Dee/J Dilla at BBE Music

References