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Jay Dee Tribute
"Jaylib’s 'The Red' is some super soulful junk..."
By Youth Radio
Youth Radio on iTunes February 7-11 for our specialty programming in tribute to Jay Dee, aka J Dilla, who died of lupus on February 10, 2006. J Dilla, born James Dewitt Yancey, came up on the underground hip-hop scene as an MC and a producer in the early nineties. Aside from creating his own work, he also collaborated with and created beats for artists like Common, Erykah Badu, and Talib Kweli. Recently, we asked some Youth Radio staff members, "What is your favorite J Dilla produced track?" to commemorate his work as an artist.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE JDILLA PRODUCED TRACK?
Brandon McFarland, Music Production Instructor/Reporter
Because I’m a youngster in the game I would probably go for “Stakes is High” [De La Soul]. “Stakes Is High” is my favorite Dilla beat just because it wasn’t a straight 4/4. It wasn’t a solid four bars. It repeated hella weird. So nobody spit a solid 16. If they did, it never connected with the beat. As a producer, that showed me that you could basically do whatever you want as long as it feels good.
Jason Valerio, Sr. Project Coordinator of Media and Broadcast Training
The song that stays in my heart is “Players” [Slum Village]. That’s only one of them because then I also love “F--- The Police” That beat! The break he used was so slappin’, but then also Poe [“Fingertips”]. There’s too many favorites...his whole catalogue. Dilla’s whole catalogue!! I’m not just saying that. Also, “Welcome to Detroit” is my favorite BBE release.
Ben Frost, Music Production Project Coordinator
One of my favorite Jay Dee beats would have to be “Stakes is High” for De La Soul. The track is just incredible, he flipped the sample completely. Another favorite would be “Who Smoked Sunshine?”, the T-Love track. The raps are good but the beat is frickin’ phenomenal! Dilla created a whole swing or stagger, that became the Detroit sound that has been replicated by other producers across the board.
Patrick Johnson, Executive Associate/Producer
My favorite Dilla track is “Donut Of Time,” off the Donuts album.
It’s a sample of “All I Do Is Think Of You” by the Jackson 5. I think
it’s just a ridiculous beat. Its’ one of the few times you listen to an
instrumental that really conveys emotion, at least a hip-hop instrumental. And the fact that later Black Thought rhymed on it for “The Game Theory” album “Can’t Stop.” This is just ridiculous. It’s like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan in the same back court.
One of my other favorites tracks from J-Dilla is “Raise It Up” [Slum Village].
Again, it shows his range from flipping samples to doing
synth beats. Another one of my favorite beats recently is actually off of Skyzoo’s mixtape. It’s called “The City’s Favorite”, another classic
Dilla beat. What makes this beat so unique is that he can flip any type of style: he can do synth beats, he can do sample flips. Then it’s always those ill drums he lays on that just has that swing that a lot of Detroit cats are coming with now. Even stuff like “Dollar” for Steve Spacek. The Billy Paul sample he flipped ridiculous. Those are three of my favorite Dilla beats. “Donut of Time,” “Raise It Up” and “Dollar.”
My favorite song that Dilla ever touched is “Stakes Is High” by De La Soul...ever! That song, lyrically, is probably one of the greatest Hip-Hop records ever made. That beat is ridiculous. The song is just a simple marriage between the two. It is one of the few beats that when it comes on, it’s like you need to go somewhere to nod your head because it puts you on notice and he gives you a little bit of time in the beginning. The way the intro is structured for you to kind of get your mind right and listen to it. That is one of the greatest songs ever.
Tapan Munshi, Youth Radio on iTunes PD
First of all, I can’t just choose one...there’s definitely a handful of favorites. I love “Won’t Do”, the new one off of The Shining album. I love that beat, I play that joint on repeat! Another crazy one is “Make It Hurt,” by Busta Rhymes. That beat showcased a different style for Dilla. It’s on some ghetto tech, Detroit techno-futuristic vibe and he really showed out on that one. A lot of the Slum Village stuff off Fantastic too.
Also, he did a remix for DJ Cam that featured Larry Blackmon from Cameo. It’s called “Love Junkee”...that beat is so clean! It’s really slow, but it knocks hella hard. The drums are real hard and he has a faint “Funky Worm” sample during the chorus. When I heard that beat, it really blew me away. Dilla’s catalogue is so big, that it’s really hard to chose just one beat, so those are a few of my favorites. Jay Dee is definitely my favorite music producer.
Erik Sakamoto, Project Coordinator for Community Outreach
1. Phat Kat’s “Dedication To The Suckers” is just a beautifully menacing beat. It is the perfect compliment to the lyrics of the track, which is no small feat considering Dilla didn’t go out on some simple “I’ma-kill-you” type of sound since Ronnie Cash [aka Phat Kat] seems to be out to simply lyrically murder fools.
2. Pharcyde’s “Runnin'” made me wonder who dude was. Essentially [this song is] the melancholy soundtrack to some ill times in school when my head wasn’t right.
3. Jaylib’s “The Red” is some super soulful junk. After I was asked the “favorite Dilla beat” question yesterday, I hummed it to my niece. Ask yourself how many hip-hop joints within the last five years you can hum to your week old niece.
Tune into Youth Radio in iTunes, February 13 when we air J Rocc’s “Thank you Jay Dee” tribute mix.
Log onto www.stonesthrow.com/jdilla and www.myspace.com/jdilla for more information about Jay Dee.
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