Requiem for Dilla
So I'm listening to the new "Donuts" album in my room when one of my best friends call to tell me that the man I'm listening to is no more. The same shock ran through me as the first time I heard his music. Unbelievable! I knew he was sick but I guess I (along with many others) truly never believed he was gonna pass so soon. So with condolences to the friends and family of Jay Dee I write this. There are only a handful of people in this industry that can truly say they were the first, or that can truly be called innovators. Jay Dee to me was the last from a very small list. The league of followers, students, biters, haters, all fans of his music confirm that. There isn't enough time for me to really get into the impact he's had on my career and my approach to music, but I will say this. When he came along everything I knew about making music changed. Not so much that I wanted to emulate him, but to try and be that fearless and open minded in creating. He listened to everything, could create almost anything, in many different styles or genres, and for me could do no wrong. All that and I've never even met the man, so I know his close friends and family are feelin it 10 times more than I could. I pray God gives you comfort and peace in the days ahead. So from the first time I heard "Fantastic" on a random Beat Junkies mixtape (that I lost to an ex girlfriend and have never been able to find again), to my current constant repeat playing of the "Anti-American Graffiti" track from his last release. I'll leave you with my top 5 (I ONLY GET FIVE?!!!?) Dilla moments, (all subject to change due to the impossible feat of having to choose). God bless you Mr. Yancey.

1. " Players" - (I listened to that song and the instrumental for a month and a half straight every morning on my way to work. Classic. This track single-handedly began my infatuation with using voices as instruments. He even let the beat ride for the last 47 to 50 seconds of the song. Which coincidently is how long ATCQ's "Lyrics to go" beat rides at the end. Great minds think alike.)
2. "Untitled/fantastic" into "fall in love" - (Ok Ok so that's two! But I could never listen to one without the other. The untitled track has this amazing feel. The drops on the vocals...genius. What can I say about "Fall in love" besides truly classic. Perfect sample use, perfect melody line to compliment it, perfect rhyme structure to the beat, just stupidly well done.)
3. "Runnin" - (The Pharcyde had to be going nuts when they heard this track. Though I've heard they thought initially that Q-tip made it and was trying to pull an alias producer thing. But the Drums and bass line tone are unmistakably Jay Dee. That song haunts me as a feel I long to create. Great polyrhythmic sample use ( Jay Dee mastered that), over an unconventional drum pattern, and it still became one of there greater known hits! (in my Slick Rick voice-"Teacher, Teacher..tell me how you do it...).
4. "Don't nobody care about us" - (The initial "WHUT THEE!?!?....from me when a close friend played this song for me (peace Harahula!) explains my love for this track. In one of many reinventions of himself, Jay Dee was telling everyone, here's my take on synth fused hiphop. Although heavier on his Welcome to Detroit album, this was my first witness to this movement. From there this whole synth, disco, 4 on the floor, space funk thing happened. And once again, I was in a "What am I supposed to do now?" tryin to find my own place in the house Jay Dee built.)
5. "Show me what you got" - (Even as I'm writing this I'm thinkin of a dozen other tracks I should put here but, this one feels good for these reasons. It was done on one of Busta's more "commercial" selling Albums, and It displays the way Dilla fearlessly used samples. The song's sample isn't really chopped to bits, as many of his aren't, at least not beyond recognition. But it was used the best way it could have been used. And that, I felt, is part of his genius. I always felt he toyed with us in a " I could do this in my sleep with my hands tied and still blow ya'lls mind!" kind of way. He would use the most well known drum loop or horn or vocal sample and make it Dilla-fied.( See De La's "Shoomp" as well...incredible!). The fact he was able to be apart of a major project like a Busta record I think confirms what I've always believed. I think his influence is in major radio as well as the underground. The evidence is in just about every producer who came out after him. Listen closely and i think you'll feel the same.)