Cheat Sheet: Dig Deep Into J Dilla's Sample Archive With This 28-Hour Long Playlist
Source: SoundCloud
Every February hip-hop fans across the globe celebrate the life and music of the iconic Detroit producer and MC James DeWitt Yancey aka J Dilla. Though his birthday has passed, the donuts are still fresh. This Mixtape Monday is dedicated to the man and his music.
Archival sets, new tribute mixes and concept projects make up this week’s roundup, which is lead by contributions from Flying Lotus, House Shoes, J. Rocc, Rhettmatic, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Questlove, Cookin Soul, Benji B and J. Rawls.
There’s also a mix from Dilla himself, courtesy of BOILER ROOM and BBE. Other contributors include Mekdot, Soulection, DJ Ritz, De La Soul, Sensible J, Kutmah, Stereofox and Rashad Hayes. Turn it up!
Source: Mixcloud
Flying Lotus - Dilla’s Still Here Mix (Dublab 02.10.06)
Flying Lotus took over the controls at Dublab on the day of Dilla’s passing in 2006 to drop a one-hour tribute mix.
Source: SoundCloud
J. Rocc - Discogs Mix 43: Dillatronic
J. Rocc dropped a mix for Discogs in celebration of J Dilla’s posthumous release Dillatronic in 2016.
Source: Mixcloud
J. Rocc x Rhettmatic - Get Live With It (2x4 Tribute Mix)
J. Rocc and Rhettmatic linked up to pay tribute to J Dilla in 2015 with a tag team mix.
Both J.Rocc & Rhettmatic have done personal tribute mixes to their fallen friend, J Dilla, over the years, but haven't recently done one in a while....till now. This time, they decided to make another Dilla Tribute Mix....together. They basically planned to record an impromptu, inprovised 2x4 (2 person/4 turntables) mix...nothing pre-planned, see what happens, as they improvise on the spot, weaving in & out of songs with blends & cuts, pick the best parts of the mix, & release it to the world to share.
SoundCloud
J. Rocc - Thank You Jaydee (4-Part Tribute Mix)
Originally launched just days after Dilla’s passing, J. Rocc’s Thank You Jaydee mix would go on to serve as the inaugural episode of the Stones Throw Podcast and eventually grow into four acts released over three years.
Source: SoundCloud
House Shoes - The King James Version
Sourced from original vinyl and mixed by House Shoes with Rhettmatic behind the boards, The King James Version is a gigantic three-part tribute to J Dilla that gives listeners a window into James Yancey’s crate digging and sample chopping genius.
This is a lovingly and expertly constructed journey through the building blocks of Dilla’s beats – the dusty OG vinyl grooves that he sampled. From the basis of a Frank-N-Dank cult favorite, through that of a Fantastic SV moment, to Donuts’ irresistible ingredients, Shoes’ thorough work shines the light on his friend’s ear for a sneaky loop, his affection for perfectly imperfect chops and his knack for extracting the soul from a forgotten musical fragment and making it something altogether new, something his own. Long Live King James" - Chairman Mao XXLMag/EgoTrip
Source: SoundCloud
Benji B - J Dilla Tribute Show BBC 1Xtra (02.17.06)
Dedicating a two-hour block of airtime to J Dilla on BBC 1Xtra, Benji B paid tribute to the man and his music following news of his departure in 2006.
Source: SoundCloud
DJ Jazzy Jeff - Doing It For Dilla
DJ Jazzy Jeff did it for Dilla with this three-part mix set live from Johnny Brenda’s in Philly, hosted by Dayne Jordan.
Source: SoundCloud
Questlove - HOT97 J Dilla Tribute Mix
On the sixth anniversary of J Dilla’s passing, Questlove paid tribute to his Soulquarian brother with a one-hour set.
Source: Bandcamp
J. Rawls - The Liquid Crystal Project
First released in 2006, J. Rawls’ Liquid Crystal Project is a captivating 15-track instrumental tribute to a number of producers, including J Dilla. With it, Rawls captures the essence of some iconic beatsmiths and musicians a la Yesterday’s New Quintet.
Crystals shine. Their beauty is captivating and equally timeless. They sparkle infinitely. The same can be said about music made from the soul. It too captivates the listener. We become enveloped by rich sounds, each piece of music a gem in its own right. With 'The Liquid Crystal Project' J Rawls has given the listener exactly what the title suggests. It flows and glides from the speakers. Warm bass and drums are laced with sublime keys and a multitude of live instrumentation assembled by the Columbus Ohio native. Press play and take a blissful trip.
Source: SoundCloud
DJ Rashad Hayes - J Dilla Tribute Mix
Rashad Hayes paid tribute to J Dilla with a 2015 mix that seeks to preserve the legacy of one of Detroit’s finest.
This mix is very special to me as it is dedicated to the honor of the late great J Dilla. I made this to showcase the versatility & amazing quality of work from one of the greatest producers of all-time.From emerging from the gritty city of Detroit to showcasing his genius to the entire world before his passing at age 32, Dilla (also known as Jay Dee) always kept his love for all forms of music front and center. It's my honor and duty to continue to push music forward and keep his memory alive with everything I have in me.
Source: SoundCloud
Cookin Soul - J Dilla Tribute SP-404 Live Mix
Armed with one turntable, one laptop and an SP-404, Cookin Soul spun a live 30-minute tribute to J Dilla in Brussels in 2017.
Source: SoundCloud
INFINIT - Session #23: J Dilla Tribute Edition
The 23rd edition of the INFINIT Sessions mix series is a one-hour tribute to the almighty J Dilla.
Source: SoundCloud
Mr. Choc x C-Minus - Almighty Ruffnex 2x4 J Dilla Tribute
The Almighty Ruffnex paid tribute to J Dilla in 2015 with a live 2x4 set at the Boombox in Los Angeles.
Source: SoundCloud
Sensible J - Mix For The Diary
Aussie selector Sensible J paid tribute to J Dilla with an hour-long mix in celebration of the release of his vocal album The Diary.
Source: SoundCloud
Stereofox - J Dilla & Nujabes: The Tributes
Stereofox paid tribute to J Dilla and Nujabes -- two fallen producers often mentioned in the same sentence -- with the 30-minute J Dilla & Nujabes tribute mix, which landed in 2017.
Source: Mixcloud
Mekdot - Salute To J Dilla
Meka of 2dopeboyz holds it down for Dilla Dawg with a 53-minute tribute to the man and his music.
In my own way, I tried to memorialize the music of J Dilla as best I could with my set. As is the norm, b-sides, samples and everything in between were included. I hope that you, the listener, enjoy the mix as much as I did creating it.
Source: Soundcloud
Joe Kay - Soulection Radio Show #245 (Dilla Tribute)
Joe Kay paid tribute to your favorite producer’s favorite producer on Soulection Radio Show #245 with a tribute to J Dilla.
Source: Audiomack
DJ Ritz - Ice Cream Donuts
Tampa native and the Shut It Down Squad’s own DJ Ritz mashes Gucci Mane and J Dilla on the 13-track Ice Cream Donuts tribute tape. It doesn’t sound like it should work, but it does.
Source: SoundCloud
J Dilla - Back To The Crib Mixtape
The folks at BBE and BOILER ROOM saw fit to dig up and drop a vintage J Dilla mixtape ahead of the release of The Shining.
It's already been a decade since J Dilla — the mercurial producer and rapper from Detroit — passed away and his posthumously completed album, The Shining, saw the light of day on BBE Records. As they prepare to release the project on 7" for the first time, we're extremely honoured to get our hands on a never-before-heard mixtape by the master himself. Made some time between mid-1999 and early 2000, it's a fly-on-the-wall showing of what Jay Dee had blaring out of his speakers while on the sofa or by the MPC.
Source: Bandcamp
Thelonious Martin - A Dozen For Dilla Vol. 2
Chicago producer Thelonious Martin follows the 2017 J Dilla tribute project A Dozen For Dilla with the 12-track Volume 2.
Source: SoundCloud
Kutmah - Sketchbook Radio Dilla Tribute 5
Kutmah mans the controls for two hours during the Sketchbook Radio tribute to J Dilla.
Source: SoundCloud
De La Soul x J Dilla - Smell The Da.I.S.Y. Mixtape
De La Soul make magic over J Dilla’s production on the Smell The Da.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancy) mixtape.
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Karas Lamb writes and digs for tunes you haven’t heard yet. She actually wants to listen to your mixtape. Follow her on Twitter @karaslamb or Instagram @blamblamkaraslam.
