Mixtape Monday: Fresh Donuts w/ J. Rocc, Rhettmatic, House Shoes + More
Karas Lamb Karas Lamb
Source: SoundCloud
Every February hip-hop fans across the globe celebrate the life and music of the iconic Detroit producer and MC James DeWitt Yancey aka J Dilla. Though his birthday has passed, the donuts are still fresh. This Mixtape Monday is dedicated to the man and his music.
Archival sets, new tribute mixes and concept projects make up this week’s roundup, which is lead by contributions from Flying Lotus, House Shoes, J. Rocc, Rhettmatic, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Questlove, Cookin Soul, Benji B and J. Rawls.
There’s also a mix from Dilla himself, courtesy of BOILER ROOM and BBE. Other contributors include Mekdot, Soulection, DJ Ritz, De La Soul, Sensible J, Kutmah, Stereofox and Rashad Hayes. Turn it up!
J. Rocc and Rhettmatic linked up to pay tribute to J Dilla in 2015 with a tag team mix.
SoundCloud
Both J.Rocc & Rhettmatic have done personal tribute mixes to their fallen friend, J Dilla, over the years, but haven't recently done one in a while....till now. This time, they decided to make another Dilla Tribute Mix....together. They basically planned to record an impromptu, inprovised 2x4 (2 person/4 turntables) mix...nothing pre-planned, see what happens, as they improvise on the spot, weaving in & out of songs with blends & cuts, pick the best parts of the mix, & release it to the world to share.
Originally launched just days after Dilla’s passing, J. Rocc’s Thank You Jaydee mix would go on to serve as the inaugural episode of the Stones Throw Podcast and eventually grow into four acts released over three years.
Sourced from original vinyl and mixed by House Shoes with Rhettmatic behind the boards, The King James Version is a gigantic three-part tribute to J Dilla that gives listeners a window into James Yancey’s crate digging and sample chopping genius.
Dedicating a two-hour block of airtime to J Dilla on BBC 1Xtra, Benji B paid tribute to the man and his music following news of his departure in 2006.
This is a lovingly and expertly constructed journey through the building blocks of Dilla’s beats – the dusty OG vinyl grooves that he sampled. From the basis of a Frank-N-Dank cult favorite, through that of a Fantastic SV moment, to Donuts’ irresistible ingredients, Shoes’ thorough work shines the light on his friend’s ear for a sneaky loop, his affection for perfectly imperfect chops and his knack for extracting the soul from a forgotten musical fragment and making it something altogether new, something his own. Long Live King James" - Chairman Mao XXLMag/EgoTrip
First released in 2006, J. Rawls’ Liquid Crystal Project is a captivating 15-track instrumental tribute to a number of producers, including J Dilla. With it, Rawls captures the essence of some iconic beatsmiths and musicians a la Yesterday’s New Quintet.
Rashad Hayes paid tribute to J Dilla with a 2015 mix that seeks to preserve the legacy of one of Detroit’s finest.
Source: SoundCloud
Crystals shine. Their beauty is captivating and equally timeless. They sparkle infinitely. The same can be said about music made from the soul. It too captivates the listener. We become enveloped by rich sounds, each piece of music a gem in its own right. With 'The Liquid Crystal Project' J Rawls has given the listener exactly what the title suggests. It flows and glides from the speakers. Warm bass and drums are laced with sublime keys and a multitude of live instrumentation assembled by the Columbus Ohio native. Press play and take a blissful trip.
This mix is very special to me as it is dedicated to the honor of the late great J Dilla. I made this to showcase the versatility & amazing quality of work from one of the greatest producers of all-time.
From emerging from the gritty city of Detroit to showcasing his genius to the entire world before his passing at age 32, Dilla (also known as Jay Dee) always kept his love for all forms of music front and center. It's my honor and duty to continue to push music forward and keep his memory alive with everything I have in me.
The 23rd edition of the INFINIT Sessions mix series is a one-hour tribute to the almighty J Dilla.
Stereofox paid tribute to J Dilla and Nujabes -- two fallen producers often mentioned in the same sentence -- with the 30-minute J Dilla & Nujabes tribute mix, which landed in 2017.
Joe Kay paid tribute to your favorite producer’s favorite producer on Soulection Radio Show #245 with a tribute to J Dilla.
Source: Audiomack
DJ Ritz - Ice Cream Donuts
In my own way, I tried to memorialize the music of J Dilla as best I could with my set. As is the norm, b-sides, samples and everything in between were included. I hope that you, the listener, enjoy the mix as much as I did creating it.
Tampa native and the Shut It Down Squad’s own DJ Ritz mashes Gucci Mane and J Dilla on the 13-track Ice Cream Donuts tribute tape. It doesn’t sound like it should work, but it does.
Kutmah mans the controls for two hours during the Sketchbook Radio tribute to J Dilla.
Source: SoundCloud
It's already been a decade since J Dilla — the mercurial producer and rapper from Detroit — passed away and his posthumously completed album, The Shining, saw the light of day on BBE Records. As they prepare to release the project on 7" for the first time, we're extremely honoured to get our hands on a never-before-heard mixtape by the master himself. Made some time between mid-1999 and early 2000, it's a fly-on-the-wall showing of what Jay Dee had blaring out of his speakers while on the sofa or by the MPC.
De La Soul make magic over J Dilla’s production on the Smell The Da.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancy) mixtape.
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Karas Lamb writes and digs for tunes you haven’t heard yet. She actually wants to listen to your mixtape. Follow her on Twitter @karaslamb or Instagram @blamblamkaraslam.
