While a certain few refer to him as “Jay Dee”, the rest of the world knew him as J Dilla.Yancey rose to prominence in the mid-90’s with the group Slum Village, in which he served as producer and emcee. He also worked with big names such as A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Busta Rhymes, and Erykah Badu, helping to create some of the most masterful works of music, both urban and in general. With an innate ability to preserve the essence of an artist’s sound while adding his own touch, Yancey would eventually become known as one of Hip-Hop’s most influential artists.Born in Detroit, Michigan, Dillda reportedly had perfect pitch before he could even speak. He fell in love with a wide array of music as a youth, particularly Hip-Hop. He embarked on his journey as a producer as a teenager, using a tape deck until he was introduced to the Akai MPC. He would eventually sign to Payday Records with rapper Phat Kat, but the duo would go on to release only one demo.In 1996, Dilla formed Slum Village with friends Baatin and T3. Their style and artistry caught the attention of Q-Tip, the frontman for New York supergroup A Tribe Called Quest. Along with fellow Tribe member Ali Shaheed Muhammad, the three would go on to form The Ummah, whom many of Dilla’s demos and remixes are credited to. Employing various styles and changing how producers sampled, Dilla’s influence spread quickly throughout the world and beyond Hip-Hop.
While the radio has been dominated by Trap, R&B, and even the likes of Afrobeat and Reggaeton, the Hip-Hop subgenre known as Lo-Fi has risen as an ambassador for the underground scene. Platforms such as Soundcloud and Bandcamp have served as vehicles for producers from all over the world to share their art with the rest of us, no matter how unknown they may be.Although there is an infinite number of artists and producers that partake in the underground Hip-Hop scene, it seems as though the vast majority drift towards the same style. No matter how abstract or how many elements are added, it all goes back to one man: James Yancey.
