Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 5, 2001-2003)

Welcome to our fifth look at the production career of the legendary, late J Dilla. It has only been three years since his untimely death, but his influence is felt more than perhaps any other time in history. Before I start with the post, I wanted to link up Stones Throw's Rase It Up for Ma Dukes! crossover campaign with Parra with proceeds going to Dilla's mother Maureen Yancey.

2001 saw the release of Dilla's first solo album, 'Welcome to Detroit' as Jay Dee on the excellent UK label BBE. The album's single 'Pause' with vocals by Frank-N-Dank uses a sample from Donald Byrd's 1974 album 'Stepping into Tomorrow' (produced by Larry Mizell) with the track 'Think Twice'. In 2002, Dilla and the other members of the Soulquarians appeared on the ambitious, yet ultimately critically ignored, album 'Electric Cricus' by Common. Two noteworthy non-singles from the album are the Dilla, James Poyser, and ?usetlove produced cuts 'New Wave' and 'Star 69 (PS with Love). 'New Wave' features guest vocals from Stereolab singer Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab was mentioned in Part 4 of our look at Dilla's production output) while 'Star 69' features vocals from fellow Soulquarian Bilal and Prince (yes, that Prince).

In 2003, Dilla's 'Ruff Draft' EP was released by the German label Groove Attack (the EP was later expanded and reissued by Stones Throw). One of the album's standout tracks is 'Wild', which samples 'Cum On Feel the Noize' by classic rock act Slade. Also in 2003, J Dilla and Madlib's project Jaylib saw the light of day with the supergroup's lone album 'Champion Sound'. 'Champion Sound''s single 'The Red' touts beats by Dilla and lyrics by Madlib and utilizes a sample of 'Shine On Straight Arrow' from Cris Williamson's self titled album from 1970.

Check back to this blog for our sixth look at Dilla's career, covering the years 2004 and 2005.

The Lowdown:
Jay Dee 'Pause'
from 'Welcome to Detroit' (2001) (MP3/CD)
Donald Byrd 'Think Twice'
from 'Stepping Into Tomorrow' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Common 'New Wave' and 'Star 69 (PS With Love)'
from 'Electric Circus' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit:'New Wave' and 'Star 69 (PS With Love)'
J Dilla 'Wild'
from 'Ruff Draft' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Slade 'Cum on Feel the Noize'
from 'Sladest' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
Jaylib 'The Red'
from 'Champion Sound' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Cris Williamson 'Shine On Straight Arrow'
from 'Cris Williamson' (1970) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cuts:
Reissue instrumental fever: 'Wild' (Instrumental) and 'The Red' (Instrumental)

Releated Posts:
Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 4, 2000)

Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 4, 2000)

Welcome to part 4 of this blog's look at J Dilla's production career.

2000 saw a string of high profile beats appearing on albums by mainstream artists with, as always, difficult and unusual sample sources. His beat for Busta Rhymes' 'Show Me What You Got' from the album 'Anarchy' featured a sample from the indie band Stereolab's 'Come and Play in the Milky Night' released just a year earlier (check back for the next post in our look at J Dilla for another link between Dilla and Stereolab). Dilla also landed a beat on De La Soul's arguably misguided album 'Art Official Intelligence'. The Dilla produced 'Thru Ya City' samples the Lovin' Spoonful's classic rock hit 'Summer in the City'.

J Dilla also worked extensively with the Soulquarians in 2000. The year saw the release of the Soulquarians produced album 'Like Water for Chocolate' by Common and the hit single 'The Light' that samples Bobby Caldwell's 'Open Your Eyes'. An even bigger hit for the Soulquarians and for Dilla was Erykah Badu's giant hit 'Didn't Cha Know' from her album 'Mama's Gun'. The song samples the relatively unknown act Tarika Blue and the song 'Dreamflower' from their self-titled 1977 album.

Check back for part 5 of our look at Dilla's career including production work for his own emerging career.

The Lowdown:
Busta Rhymes 'Show Me What You Got'
from 'Anarchy' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit:'Show Me What You Got'
Stereolab 'Come and Play in the Milky Night'
from 'Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night' (1999) (MP3/CD)
De La Soul 'Thru Ya City'
from 'Art Official Intelligence' (2000) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Lovin' Spoonful 'Summer in the City'
from 'Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful' (1966) (MP3/CD)
Common 'The Light'
from 'Like Water for Chocolate' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'The Light'
Bobby Caldwell 'Open Your Eyes'
from 'Cat in the Hat' (1982) (MP3/CD not available)
Erykah Badu 'Didn't Cha Know'
from 'Mama's Gun' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Tarika Blue 'Dreamflower'
from 'Tarika Blue' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)