Three years ago this week, Hip Hop lost J Dilla to a battle with Lupus. To commemorate the life and work of James Yancey, Stones Throw Records is declaring February as “Dilla Month.”
Eothen “Egon” Alapatt, the label’s general manager spoke in an NPR interview about this month and what it means to him.
“It’s his birth month and also the month in which he died. So, we figured it was fitting to declare a month of musical celebration,” he said of February.
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Alapatt also spoke on how he personally remembers Dilla every day of his life.
“Every day I look out of my kitchen window and I see the hill where he’s buried in Los Angeles. He was actually buried in Los Angeles at his mother’s request because she felt that he was very happy there. So every morning, when I wake up, I see where he is. I think about him everyday.”
J Dilla, a legendary producer, worked with artists ranging from Erykah Badu, The Roots and Slum Village to Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, A Tribe Called Quest and Common and released critically acclaimed music for years. He lived from February 7, 1974 to February 10, 2006.
