J Dilla : NPR

'A Lot Of Detective Work': Piecing Together J Dilla's 'The Diary'

J Dilla (front) is pictured here in 2005 at Madlib's studios in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Collaborators MED, Eothen Alapatt and Madlib (left to right) surround him. Roger Ericsson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Roger Ericsson/Courtesy of the artist

Music News

'A Lot Of Detective Work': Piecing Together J Dilla's 'The Diary'

July 30, 2016 • The late hip-hop producer left behind troves of unfinished music. How do you dig into the vault of an artist like Dilla and assemble an album that remains true to their creative vision?

'A Lot Of Detective Work': Piecing Together J Dilla's 'The Diary'

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Songs We Love

Songs We Love: J Dilla, 'F*** The Police'

April 7, 2016 • #TBT to a 2001 track that surprised fans not with its title or message, but with the ferocity of Jay Dee's production.

17F*** The Police

2:34

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Buy Featured Music

Song
F*** The Police
Album
Diary
Artist
J Dilla
Label
Relativity Entertainment
Released
2016

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A Blog Supreme

Why J Dilla May Be Jazz's Latest Great Innovator

February 7, 2013 • The legacy of the late hip-hop producer extended far beyond the beats he painstakingly created.

Music Interviews

Honoring J Dilla's Music and His Legacy

February 12, 2009 • February isn't just Black History Month. It's also "J Dilla Month" — declared by Stones Throw Records in honor of the Detroit hip-hop producer James "J Dilla" Yancey. He died three years ago this weekend. The L.A.-based label worked closely with Dilla before he passed. Eothen "Egon" Alapatt, Stones Throw's general manager, talks about Dilla's music and legacy.

Honoring J Dilla's Music and His Legacy

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Shadow Classics

The 'Overlooked 11' of 2006

December 20, 2006 • Given the proliferation of year-end Top 10 lists, it seems natural that Shadow Classics — which gives shelter to under-appreciated music — would feature its own list of 2006 recordings likely to become Shadow Classics down the line. Don't let these gems go unnoticed.

Review

Song Of The Day

99 Seconds to 'Stop' and Reflect

March 9, 2006 • One of the most beautiful, disquieting hip-hop tracks in recent memory, J Dilla's "Stop" packs its 99 seconds with melancholy strings and electric guitars, rugged beats and turntable scratches. The track is built on samples of Dionne Warwick's "You're Gonna Need Me."

Music Interviews

Hip-Hop Producer, Rapper Jay Dee AKA J Dilla

February 14, 2006 • Detriot musician James Yancey — also known as J Dilla and Jay Dee — was one of the music industry's most influential hip-hop artists. But after just a brief career in the spotlight, he died Monday night at age 32 after battling lupus.

Hip-Hop Producer, Rapper Jay Dee AKA J Dilla

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In The Club: How Much Do You Pay For Live Music?

Marcus Anderson, standing outside Washington, D.C.'s Black Cat, says the most he's ever paid for a concert ticket was $265. Alex Spoto / NPR hide caption

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The Record

In The Club: How Much Do You Pay For Live Music?

July 16, 2010 • With slumping concert sales dominating music industry headlines, we wondered if concertgoers are feeling the same way they're spending.

'A Lot Of Detective Work': Piecing Together J Dilla's 'The Diary'

17F*** The Police

Buy Featured Music

Honoring J Dilla's Music and His Legacy

Review

Hip-Hop Producer, Rapper Jay Dee AKA J Dilla