J Dilla

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James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974-2006), better known as J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American rapper and singer who emerged in the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, as one third of the renowned music group Slum Village.

According to his obituary at NPR, he "was one of the most influential hip-hop artists" on the scene, including A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, The Roots, the Pharcyde, Madlib, and Common.

Early life

In Detroit, Michigan, James Yancey grew up. The family lived in a house on the northeast corner of McDougall and Nevada, on the east side of Detroit. Yancey's parents had musical experience; his mother, Mauden "Ma Dukes" Yancey, was a classical performer and his father, Beverly Dewitt Yancey, appeared in Globetrotters half-time shows for many years. Before learning to speak, Yancey's mother said he could "match pitch perfect harmony."

Yancey discovered a passion for hip hop music along with a number of other musical styles. He befriended his classmates T3 and Baatin because of their common interest in rap wars; the three boys formed the rap group Slum Village after graduating from Davis Aerospace Technical High School to Pershing High School. Yancey started beating making by using a simple tape deck as the center of his studio. He "stayed in the basement alone" in his adolescence to learn how beats would appear from his growing collection.

In 1992, Yancey met Amp Fiddler, who allowed him to use his Akai MPC, a music workstation that he quickly conquered. Fiddler, who was playing keyboards with Funkadelic on the 1994 Lollapalooza tour, caught A Tribe Called Quest, who was also on the lineup. Fiddler introduced Q-Tip to Yancey, who gave Q-Tip a Slum Village demo tape. Yancey and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down in 1995 and became the first Detroit hip hop band to sign with a major label (Payday Records). After a single single was sold, the transaction came to an end.

Yancey released the Yester Years EP in 1995 (a band made up of Proof, Thyme, and Mudd). He formed Slum Village in 1996 and released what would be their debut album Fantastic, Vol.. RJ Rice Studios is located in the United States. The album debuted in 1997 and quickly became a hit among Detroit hip hop fans. Many journalists likened Slum Village to A Tribe Called Quest. However, Yancey expressed disappointment with the comparison and made it often in several interviews.

Yancey had a number of singles and remix projects for musicians including Janet Jackson, The Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album, and others by the mid-1990s. Many of these productions were released without his name being released, with Ummah, a production group made up of him, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and later Raphael Saadiq of Tony!

Toni!

Toné! Under the Ummah, however, he was given songwriting credit on all of his non-remix recordings.

Original songs and remixes for Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes, Brand New Heavies, Something For The People, trip hop artists Crustation, and many others were produced under this umbrella. He supervised seven tracks from The Pharcyde's album Labcabincalifornia's holiday season, 1995 and Hello, Poe's debut album on Modern Records, which were released earlier this year.

Fantastic, Vol. 2000 was the first major label debut of Slum Village with Fantastic, Vol. 2, resulting in a new following for Yancey as a director and an MC. He was also a founding member of The Soulquarians (along with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, D'Angelo, and James Poyser, among other things) who gained him more attention. He followed Erykah Badu, Poe, Talib Kweli, and Common, all contributing to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, Like Water for Chocolate.

With the single "Fuck the Police" (Up Above Records), he made his debut as a solo artist in 2001, followed by the album Welcome 2 Detroit, which introduced British independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" collection. Yancey began using the term Yancey to distinguish himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "J.D." He left Slum Village to pursue MCA Records as a solo artist.

Although Yancey produced Frank-N-Dank's 48 Hours in 2002, as well as a solo album, no record was ever released, although the former wrestler emerged through bootlegging. MCA Records wanted a record with a greater commercial reach when Yancey finished playing on the 48 Hours album, and the artists re-recorded the majority of the songs, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither of the albums were commercially successful, and Yancey expressed regret that the music never made it to the fans.

Around this time, Yancey was also involved in the recording of singer and fellow Soulquarian Bilal's second album, Love for Sale. "He had this thing where no matter what he picked up, he could bend his will into it," the singer credited to Yancey's unique twist on drum programming: "He had this thing where no matter what he picked up." Just because you hear it so firmly in your head, you can toss the funk in it."

In 2002, Yancey signed to a MCA Records as a solo artist. Despite the fact that Yancey was more well-known as a producer rather than an MC, the rapper decided to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite artists, including Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz, Waajeed, and others. The album was delayed due to internal shifts at the manufacturer and MCA.

Although MCA's record stalled, Yancey's Ruff Draft was released exclusively on vinyl by German label Groove Attack. The album was also unsuccessful, but his work from this point forward was increasingly distributed through independent record labels. Yancey talked to Groove Attack in 2003 about this change of direction:

MC Madlib and the Los Angeles producer began working with Yancey in 2002, and the pair formed the band Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album titled Champion Sound in 2003. In 2004, Yancey migrated from Detroit to Los Angeles, where he appeared on Jaylib's tour in Spring 2004.

From 2003 to 2004, Yancey's illness and medications resulted in dramatic weight loss, prompting him to publicly admit to doubting concern about his health in 2004. Despite a lower number of major launches and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained solid among his core audience, as shown by the unauthorised distribution of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mainly via internet file sharing.

URB (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) published articles in journals that linked to rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but they were denied by Jay himself. When Yancey toured Europe in November 2005 in a wheelchair, the seriousness of his illness became clear. Later, it was discovered that he had thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disorder) and lupus.

He was mostly hospital bound at the end of his life, leaving him in debt, when his health insurance was cancelled due to a late payment. Maureen Yancey's mother remembered paying $500,000 a month.

Yancey died in Los Angeles, California, three days after his 32nd birthday and the debut of his final album, Donuts, on February 10, 2006. The reason, according to Maureen, was cardiac arrest.

Later life and death

Madlib, a Los Angeles musician and singer, began working with Yancey and the pair formed the band Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album titled Champion Sound in 2003. In 2004, Yancey moved from Detroit to Los Angeles, where she appeared on a tour with Jaylib in Spring 2004.

Yancey's illness and medications resulted in dramatic weight loss in 2003 and 2004, causing him to openly admit to rumors regarding his health in 2004. Despite a lower number of major launches and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his core audience, as shown by the unlawful selling of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental and raw working materials), mainly via internet file sharing.

Articles in newspapers URB (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) reported rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but these were denied by Jay himself. When Yancey toured Europe in November 2005 in a wheelchair, the seriousness of his illness became apparent. Later, it was discovered that he had thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disorder) and lupus.

He was mainly hospital bound, leaving him in debt after his medical insurance was cancelled due to a late payment. Maureen Yancey's mother recalled paying $500,000 a month.

Yancey died in Los Angeles, California, three days after his 32nd birthday and the unveiling of his final album, Donuts, on February 10, 2006. The cause, according to Maubeen, was cardiac arrest.

Source

Early career

Yancey was introduced to Amp Fiddler, who allowed him to use his Akai MPC, a music workstation that he quickly mastered in 1992. Fiddler, who was playing keyboards with Funkadelic on the 1994 Lollapalooza tour, met with A Tribe Called Quest, who was also on the lineup. Fiddler Tastow, who gave Q-Tip a Slum Village demo tape, took Q-Tip to Yancey. Yancey and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down in 1995, becoming the first Detroit hip hop band to sign with a major label (Payday Records). When the brand was terminated, the agreement came to an end.

With 5 Elementz, Yancey's Yester Years EP (a band made up of Proof, Thyme, and Muddd), a group consisting of Proof, Thyme, and Muddd) was released in 1995. He formed Slum Village in 1996 and recorded what would be their debut album Fantastic, Vol. 2. 1 at RJ Rice Studios. The album debuted in 1997 and quickly became a hit among Detroit hip hop fans. Many journalists compared Slum Village to A Tribe Called Quest. However, Yancey expressed dissatisfaction with the comparison in numerous interviews and even sang of it.

Yancey had a number of singles and remix projects for artists including Janet Jackson, The Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album, and others by the mid-1990s. Many of these films were released without his name being revealed, with his Ummah, a production collective made up of him, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and later Raphael Saadiq of Tony.

Toni!

Toné! However, under the Ummah, he was given credit for all of his non-remix recordings.

Original songs and remixes for Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes, Brand New Heavies, Something For the People, trip hop artists Crustation, and many others were produced under this umbrella. He produced seven tracks from The Pharcyde's album Labcabincalifornia, which was released in the holiday season of 1995 and Hello, Poe's debut album on Modern Records earlier this year.

Fantastic, Vol. 2, 2000 marked Slum Village's debut on major label. 2 has established a new fanbase for Yancey as both a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the Soulquarians production group (along with Ahmir "Questlove") Thompson, D'Angelo, and James Poyser), which earned him more attention. He continued to work with Erykah Badu, Poe, Talib Kweli, and Common, contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed debut album, Like Water for Chocolate.

He made his solo debut in 2001 with the single "Fuck the Police" (Up Above Records), which was followed by the album Welcome 2 Detroit, which began the British independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. Yancey began using the term Yancey to distinguish himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "J.D." He left Slum Village to pursue MCA Records as a major label solo artist.

Frank-N-Dank's 48 Hours, as well as a solo album, were released in 2002, but no record was ever released, although the former survivor of bootlegging emerged. MCA Records requested a record with a greater commercial appeal when Yancey finished working with Frank-N-Dank on the 48 Hours album, and the musicians re-recorded the majority of the tracks, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither of the albums were successful, and Yancey expressed disappointment that the songs never made it out to the fans.

Around this time, Yancey was also involved in the development of singer and fellow Soulquarian Bilal's second album, Love for Sale. "He had this thing where no matter what he got up, he could bend his will into it," the singer credited to Yancey for showing him a different way to drum programming: "He had this thing where no matter what he found up, he could bend his will into it." "Just because you hear it so strongly in your head, you should throw the funk in it."

In 2002, Yancey signed to a MCA Records exclusive deal. Despite the fact that Yancey was promoted as a producer rather than an MC, he decided to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite artists, including Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz, Waajeed, and others. Due to internal shifts at the brand and MCA, the album was shelved.

Though MCA's record slowed, Yancey's Ruff Draft was released exclusively on vinyl by German label Groove Attack. The album was also unsuccessful, but his work from this point forward was increasingly available on independent record labels. Yancey talked to a 2003 interview with Groove Attack about this change of direction: a change of direction:

Madlib, a Los Angeles producer and singer, started collaborating with Yancey and the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing a record titled Champion Sound in 2003. In 2004, Yancey migrated from Detroit to Los Angeles, and in Spring 2004, she appeared with Jaylib on tour.

In 2003, Yancey's illness and medications resulted in significant weight loss, prompting him to openly admit to concerns about his health in 2004. Despite a diminished number of big launches and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his target market, as shown by the illegal selling of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), largely by internet file sharing.

Published articles in newspapers URB (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) reported rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this time, but Jay himself denied this. When Yancey toured Europe in a wheelchair, the seriousness of his illness became known in November 2005. It was later revealed that he had thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disorder) and lupus.

He was mostly hospital bound at the end of his life, leaving him in debt, until his medical insurance was voided due to a late payment. Maureen Yancey's mother recalled paying $500,000 a month.

Yancey died on February 10, 2006, three days after his 32nd birthday and the debut of his last album, Donuts, on his home in Los Angeles, California. The cause, according to Maun, was cardiac arrest.

Performing career

Fantastic, Vol. 2000 marked the big label debut of Slum Village with Fantastic, Vol. 2 has developed a new fanbase for Yancey as both a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the Soulquarians (along with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, D'Angelo, and James Poyser), who gained him more fame. He followed Erykah Badu, Poe, Talib Kweli, and Common, all contributing to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, Like Water for Chocolate.

He made his solo debut in 2001 (Up Above Records), followed by the album Welcome 2 Detroit, which began the British independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. Yancey first used the word Yancey to distinguish himself from Jermaine Dupri, who also goes by "J.D." He left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with MCA Records.

Frank-N-Dank's 48 Hours, as well as a solo album, were released in 2002, but no one was ever released, although the former surfaced through bootlegging. MCA Records demanded a record with a greater commercial appeal after Yancey's time on the 48 Hours, and the musicians re-recorded the majority of the songs, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither of the albums were commercially popular, and Yancey expressed surprise that the music never made it to the fans.

Yancey also assisted with the creation of singer and Soulquarian Bilal's second album, Love for Sale, around this time. "He had this thing where no matter what he picked up, he could bend his will into it," the singer credited to Yancey's unique approach to drum programming: "He had this thing where no matter what he picked up." You should throw the funk in it because it's so clear in your head."

In 2002, Yancey was signed to a MCA Records as a solo artist. Despite the fact that Yancey was more known as a producer than an MC, he decided to rap on the album and have the music created by some of his favorite designers, such as Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Nottz, Waajeed, and others. Internal changes at the label and MCA had to cancel the album.

Though MCA's record stalemate, Yancey's Ruff Draft was released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack. The album was also unsuccessful, but his work from this point forward was increasingly released through independent record labels. Yancey talked to Groove Attack in 2003 about the change in direction: a definite change of direction:

Madlib, a Los Angeles producer, and Yancey began collaborating with Yancey in 2002, forming the band Jaylib in 2002, which released a song titled Champion Sound in 2003. In 2004, Yancey migrated from Detroit to Los Angeles and appeared on Jaylib's tour in Spring 2004.

In 2003, Yancey's illness and medications resulted in significant weight loss, prompting him to openly discuss concerns about his health in 2004. Despite a slower release of major launches and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained solid within his core audience, as shown by the illegal distribution of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mainly by internet file sharing.

URB (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) published articles in journals, but Jay himself denied allegations of ill health and hospitalization during this period. When Yancey toured Europe in November 2005, the seriousness of his illness became known. Later, it was revealed that he had thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disorder) and lupus.

He was mostly hospital bound at the end of his life, leaving him in debt, until his medical insurance was voided due to a late payment. Maureen Yancey's mother remembered spending $500,000 a month.

Yancey died in Los Angeles, California, three days after his 32nd birthday and the debut of his final album, Donuts, on February 10, 2006. The cause, according to Maun, was cardiac arrest.

Source