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"He went into character on the mic" - Karriem Riggins Reflects On J Dilla, The MC
"He went into character on the mic" - Karriem Riggins Reflects On J Dilla, The MC

"When he got on the mic, he had an alter-ego" - Karriem Riggins Reflects On J Dilla, The MC

"He went into character on the mic" - Karriem Riggins Reflects On J Dilla, The MC

In just a few short weeks, the world will be introduced to an entirely different realm of the late J Dilla's artistry; wordplay. The release of his long-lost solo vocal album, The Diary, nears and brings with it the promise of precisely that intro; tracks that find Jay Dee on the mic as opposed to behind the boards. As one of his closest friends and frequent collaborators, Karriem Riggins may have the most pristine lens into this side of Motor City maestro's mind.

In a recent interview with Mass Appeal (who will release The Diary through their imprint,) Riggins reflects on how and when he met Dilla, opening up about the precise moment he realized the producer's producer could blaze bars with the best in the biz, describing Dilla's rapping narrative as a tale akin to Jekyll & Hyde, with an entirely different personality, bold and swaggering, shining through as soon as he hit the booth. And while shades of this duality have been teased on tracks like Common's "Thelonius" or Pete Rock's "N**** Know," The Diary will reveal all when it finally arrives on Friday, April 15th. Watch Karriem Riggins reflect on this often overlooked component to J Dilla's legacy down below and pre-order your copy of The Diary on iTunes today.