I posted this back in 2009 and since I don’t think I can write anything more that can express how much in awe I am of J Dilla, I thought I’d just repost that old entry which is just as relevant as it was when I first posted it. I’ve re-read Questlove’s story numerous times and every single time it never fails to amaze me. Going through and listening to the sound clips just make miss him more and more. The man, the myth, the legend. Happy Birthday James “Dilla” Yancey.
I realize now that J Dilla was a god. Maybe it was the frame of mind I was at during the time I first heard his beats. Or maybe it was the type of artists he was producing for that didn’t click with me but I just never really understood the praise he got. I was a little peeved that I couldn’t grasp the brilliance in him that others saw. Now, I don’t want to toot my own horn but I feel I have a pretty darn good understanding and overall appreciation of Hip Hop. So what was it exactly that those in the same elitist, snobby, pretentious league I considered myself to be in, saw that I didn’t?
Well whatever the case may be, I can safely say now that I get it. Label me a complete convert. I went from being the trouble maker sinner kid who was friends with the kids that went to Sunday school to full blown Born Again Child Evangelist. I can see clearly now the genius of the man. I just hope I’m not too late and maybe if I start repenting now, the day I make it to wherever it is you go to when you die, the Hip Hop gods will allow me entrance.
Awhile back ?uestlove wrote an amazing post on Okayplayer about J-Dilla doing what he does best. I suggest going here to read and take in the audio samples.(I’ve been listening to them for the last hour or so) Hopefully after reading it, you’ll agree to have witnessed a miracle and Dilla will have changed your life as well. RIP James Dewitt Yancey.
It’s a tad late I know but better late than never and since I find it extremely hard to encapsulate the entire year in a few paragraphs, I’ll let Skillz do it for me. He’s been doing this for a few years now(since 2007 I believe) and it’s become a nice yearly tradition by the most famous rapper to ever come out of VA.(If I find out that that’s not the case I’m editing that out) So without further ado:
On the short list of my favorite songs of all time, this one is the most likely to give the listener diabetes. You couldn’t tell by the look of the cover but this song is 100% sugary sweet. It’s the kind of song you would see compiled in one of those AM Gold collections they would sell on TV on some infomercial. I want to buy the actual LP of this just for the enlarged picture alone. Cause, I mean…..just look at it!
Look how cool those two motherfuckers are. It’s as if they’re saying: “Yeah, yeah we’re here. Can we get this goddamn photo shoot over with already? We got pussy to slay and cool music to play. Where are my goddamn cigarettes?”
Oh and here’s Jay’s version “Dear Summer”. It actually preceded Lu’s version but for some stupid reason, I can’t get the file to play so I’m linking to it.
With the first music related post I’ve written in 8 months I feel it’s only appropriate that it is one that involved Lupe and Pharrell Williams. Here we have a snippet of a song called “Horn Synth” which may or may not be from Lu’s upcoming album Lasers. Pharrell showing he can speed up the tempo and still preserve that signature Neptunes sound and Lu also demonstrating the ability to speed up his flow yet still remain coherent which many rappers fail to do.
But as fresh as I think this song is, Lupe still hasn’t done enough to make up for “Solar Midnight”, the song he did for that one Twilight movie. Fuck that noise, I regret even bringing it up. You know what? Forget I ever mentioned it. I will never speak of it by name again. Lupe, Twilight…never happened. Working with Chad & Pharrell is a step in the right direction Lu. Let’s stay on path. I’m gonna leave on that note and attempt to isolate the brain cells responsible for the memory of “the-song-that-will-not-be-named” and somehow try to permanently erase them from my brain.
Really digging this new site Muxtape. Got hip to this by a post on Soul SIdes(one of my fav blogs btw). It’s a simple site that allows you to create a mixtape and through your browser allow people to listen to it at their leisure. Future Muxtapes I plan on compiling will have more of a theme to them. This first one is to just test the waters and upload some of the songs I’ve been listening to as of late. Enjoy.
