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In 1992, after early cassette tape noodling and the formation of the rap group Slum Village, James Yancey (better known as J Dilla, though then known as Jay Dee) met veteran Detroit producer Amp Fiddler who let Yancey use his equipment to make beats. Only three years later, Dilla had production credits on over a third of the Pharcyde's sophomore album 'Labcabincalifornia'.
'Labcabincalifornia''s most notable single was the sublimely low-key Dilla produced 'Runnin''. Though it was largely ignored at the time of it's release, 'Runnin'' is one the Pharcyde's undisputed classics, thanks in large part to the way Dilla flipped samples from 'Saudade Vam Correndo' by Stan Getz and Luiz Bonfa. The brazilian samba sample adds a hazy touch that works perfectly with Pharcyde's laid-back West Coast style. Dilla also produced the album's first single, 'Drop', which appears on the b-side of 'Runnin'', making for a double loaded and infinitely necessary vinyl single.
One of the most oddball footnotes in Yancey's career, circulated widely the day after his untimely death in 2006 via email, is his beat for modern rock artist Poe. 'Fingertips' from Poe's 'Hello' features a deep and echoey drum track from Dilla, matched with a distant big band sample.
In 1996, Amp Fiddler would introduce Yancey to Q-Tip, leading to production for A Tribe Called Quest's 'Beats, Rhymes, and Life' and the formation of the Ummah. Keep it locked here as I look at more of Dilla's history in a future installment of his Producer Profile on this blog.
The Lowdown:
The Pharcyde 'Runnin'' and 'Drop'
from 'Labcabincalifornia' (1995) (MP3/CD)
Stan Getz and Luiz Bonfa 'Saudade Vem Correndo'
from 'Jazz Samba Encore!' (1963) (MP3/CD)
Poe 'Fingertips'
from 'Hello' (1995) (MP3/CD)
BONUS CUT:
'Runnin'' by the Pharcyde was remade in 2003 by Mýa and the Pharcyde and retitled
'Fallen', which failed to break the top 40. I hope Dilla got his money for this one.
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