J Dilla (James Dewitt Yancey) is arguably one of the best artists and producers the hip-hop and R&B industry has ever seen. Before his untimely death in 2006 at the age of 32, he had already worked with some of the genre’s heaviest of hitters and had produced some of the most memorable hits with acts such as Janet Jackson, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, D’Angelo, The Pharcyde, and many more.
His collection of music that has been released posthumously is equally as impressive, with the prolific producer having amassed an entire lifetime’s worth of work at such a young age. In 2017, Okayplayer put together an insane collection of songs that Dilla took samples from over the years, for what would have been his 43rd birthday (he was born February 7th, 1974 in Detroit). The playlist, which can be listened to below via Spotify, totals a combined 28+ hours of listening pleasure for your ears. Wish a happy birthday to Mr. Dilla and take a listen below.
[via Okayplayer ]
[Originally published 2/7/18]