J Dilla: Dillatronic

The late, great J Dilla is rightly celebrated as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, in part because his ear for music was so diverse and expansive. From the smooth, soulful soundbeds he laid down for A Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village, The Pharcyde, Common, The Roots, and D’AngeloBusta Rhymes, Jaylib, Oh No, and Phat Kat, Jay Dee’s music continued to grow and evolve throughout his brief lifetime. As Dilla’s mother Ma Dukes explains, “He didn’t come with a limited capacity, and real producers produce, produce, and produce. There are no formats for genius workers…just non-stop creations.”

Now, a fresh batch of those creations will be made available to the world, in the form of the latest official J Dilla release, Dillatronic. Presented by Ma Dukes and Vintage Vibez Music Group, Dillatronic contains over 40 rare instrumentals that showcase Dilla’s undeniable electronic influences. J Dilla’s music was impacted by the diverse musical history of Detroit – the birthplace of Techno and one of the most important cities in the history of electronic music. “You can hear it in songs like Raise It Up for Slum Village or Make It Hurt for Busta Rhymes,” says Young RJ (Dilla‘s protégé and a member of Slum Village). “The Detroit influence is part of what gave him an edge in production.”