J Dilla- Ruff Draft
< author: g booker >
Last year’s death of J Dilla was sad not only because he was so young and such a great musician, but because he was just beginning to be acknowledged as one of the greats. Dilla did not seek recognition and stardom by making big anthems and saying his name on every track he produced. Instead, he preferred to make subtle work built to withstand the test of time in collaboration with substantial artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Common, and Madlib. Though he was only in his early 30s, he managed to go almost incognito for years while amassing a substantial catalog of excellent productions. It was only with the release of “Donuts” on Stone’s Throw that he began to attract wide notice and praise beyond hip hop connoiseurs for that epic collection of tiny, delicious morsels. This week, Stone’s Throw does the American audience for Dilla a favor with the CD release of “Ruff Draft,” a 2003 EP that was originally released only in Europe on vinyl. The collection should please fans of “Donuts” - it has that same feel of 2 minute songs that nonetheless are extremely dense and bubbly. Particular standouts include “Reckless Driving” and “Nothing Like This,” which popped up on “Chrome Children,” Stone’s Throw’s collaboration with Adult Swim. Never a label to package anything shabbily, Stone’s Throw has gone all out, with 4 tracks not included on the original EP and a second disc with with all the instrumentals taken directly from the master tapes. Though J Dilla is gone, he has surely left us an extensive and rewarding history to dig through.
External Links
J Dilla
J Dilla Myspace
Stone’s Throw Records
Internal Links
Chrome Children Video #1
Dilla Track
RTR Review of J Dilla’s “The Shining”
J Dilla - Nothing Like This | Video