In the five years since James “J. Dilla” Yancey has passed, there have been at least two separate groups of fans. There are die-hard aficionados, who are familiar with the Dilla catalogue from before the days of his work with The Ummah, and casual fans that are brought in through his other contributions. As Bishop Lamont rhymed on “Caltroit,” “Too many dick ride / They wasn’t bumpin’ J. Dilla nigga till after J. Dilla died…” In hopes of bringing everyone together for the greater purpose of honoring Dilla’s legacy, we dedicate this edition of “Loose Links” to the purpose of honoring one of the game’s greats.
During an interview with Okayplayer’s new site, The Revivalist, Q-Tip offered a proverbial olive branch to music fans in general.
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“Let’s try to convert more and more people to James’ legacy,” Q-Tip urged. “Let’s not hoard it; let’s not be mad at somebody listening to Soulja Boy or talk down to somebody listening to this or that. Let’s be thinkers about it and find what’s similar in Jay’s music. Let’s just try to expose that person to Jay’s beauty as well and try to let the legacy grow.”
Read “The Revivalists ‘One Won’t Do Pt. 2’ Concert Footage & Interviews” here.
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Even the most seasoned Dilla fan will appreciate Chairman Mao’s collection of little-known Dilla facts. Everything from Jay’s time as a junior police cadet to his tutelage under Amp Filder is covered in this Complex.com list.
Read “10 Facts About J. Dilla You Might Not Know” here.
“Once Upon A Time”
Last but not least, Brian “B.Kyle” Atkins may have put together the most comprehensive collection of Dilla footage and interviews. His “J. Dilla: Still Shining” documentary was released earlier this week, and is well-worth the 40 minutes of viewing time. Everyone from Ma Dukes to Bilal, Erykah Badu, House Shoes and Phat Kat make appearances.
Watch “J. Dilla: Still Shining” here
