Happy Birthday J Dilla!

Today, February 7th, would have been J Dilla's 36th birthday, and we can only imagine how much richer the world of music might be if he were still with us. Luckily, his beats live on, and his memory inspires a lot of innovative tributes this time of year. Ok momentary nerd alert: if you can find a pair of nice headphones and non-youtubed versions of these songs, you will enjoy this post like a thousand times more. Anyway, here are some of my favorite Dilla tributes, as well as some of my favorite Dilla-produced songs.


This is arranged medley-style for the first couple of minutes, which I don't really like, but it is definitely a great recording and I wish I could live inside the groove that starts at 2:05.

http://www.swift.fm/questlove/song/18682/
If there were some way to embed this, I so would, but in some ways I think it's best that you visit the website, because questlove has posted a ton of outrageously sick roots/dilla songs, all of which are worth listening to-repeatedly. "Wicked Ways" is also superb. He's trying to publicize this Dilla benefit concert he's hosting in Williamsburg; god damn, can you even imagine living in a city where you could attend events like this for FIVE DOLLARS?? I can't even believe that that is reality for some people.


Two of my most dearly cherished, 'hell-yeah' eliciting things in all of hip-hop: Dilla beats and Ghostface rapping about fly women. Swoon.
"She pulled out a cigarette, hon here's a lighter
Her voice was a slow jam, full length white mink
Hella fine with a beauty mark on her right cheek
When she spoke her smoke floated when it left her throat
Spelled honey when she blew it out it turned to water word
I was infatuated
She put the perfume to her neck and sprayed it
Plus the bottle was nickel plated
It make a young girl steez yo feel outdated"


Speaking of fly women, here's a song by bad bitch extraordinaire Erykah Badu produced by J Dilla. The Soulquarians should have taken over the world, and this song is just one example of how all of the artists in the group grew as a result of having worked together.


This song uses a beat that originally appeared on Donuts, which is super catchy and way imaginative. It's mixed in a really cool way, so try listening to it on headphones for the full effect. I can't make it, but if anyone reading this can make it to Chicago next weekend, MFDoom and Mos Def are having a show at the Congress theater that should be AMAZING.


Not to be redundant, because anyone who's been in my car, house, or presence in the last like, year and a half has had to listen to this song countless times, but it's still one of my all-time faves. Produced by Dilla and Madlib, this song wins for most ingenious use of sample.

There's so much great music out there that owes itself in one way or another to J Dilla. I'd love to hear some of your favorite Dilla music, feel free to post some links!