Reminisce With M.I.S.S.: J. Dilla

Whenever I see donuts, I immediately think of J. Dilla. Some things are just strangely synonymous with one another. In my mind; Dilla and donuts should always go together. In fact, eating donuts while spinning J. Dilla’s Donuts album is something that I think everyone should do! The tracks on that album or any other Dilla album are always guaranteed to put me in good mood. J. Dilla’s music always made me feel all warm and tingly inside. He was one of the most respected, loved, and influential hip-hop artists and producers of all time. Many of the artists and producers that we listen to today including Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, and JustBlaze consider him to be their personal favorite producer. In my humble opinion, J. Dilla was nothing short of a musical genius. His use of sampling and hard-hitting beats made him stand out amongst his peers. I grew up listening to artists that he worked with so his sound always remains familiar to me. It brings on a feeling of nostalgia that is bittersweet. I’ve always heard the saying, “The good die young.” In J. Dilla’s case, this happens to be true. However, a talent and star as bright as J. Dilla certainly knows how to say goodbye leaving behind a legacy full of inspiration and plain good ole’ music. Reminisce with M.I.S.S. as we indulge in all of J. Dilla’s glory.

J. Dilla emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan.

J. Dilla or “Jay Dee” was born James Dewitt Yancey in Detroit, Michigan on February 7, 1974. Music would inevitably run through veins as it did through his family. His mother was formally an opera singer and his father was a jazz bassist. It was through his parents that he was able to acquire a vast musical knowledge and began collecting vinyl records at the tender age of two. Although he had a love and respect for all musical genres, Hip-Hop was Dilla’s passion. He formed the rap group Slum Village in high school with classmates T3 and Baatin, while also taking up beatmaking after being inspired by a number of people, most notably Pete Rock of the hip-hop group Pete Rock and C.L. smooth.

J. Dilla had a deep love and appreciation for vinyl records.

He would spend hours alone in his basement, surrounded by records, using only a simple tapedeck to create beats. When he met Detroit musician Amp Fiddler in 1992, he was first introduced to the Akai MPC (Midi/Music Production Center) Sampler. This electronic music instrument is used as a drum machine and has the ability to sample one’s own sounds. With this machine in hand, Dilla made magic! He mastered the MPC drum machine, serving up one of a kind beats that would be become classics among his generation. By the mid 1990s, Dilla had made his way through the Detroit music scene and was well on his way to becoming the producer that everyone wanted to work with. He still made beats in his basement, but also ventured into the studio, producing sounds for the likes of artists such as Erykah Badu, Common, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Janet Jackson among many others. The majority of J. Dilla’s productions were released without his name recognition. He produced a number of tracks under the alias of “The Ummah”. The first time I heard Janet Jackson’s single “Got Till It’s Gone”, I was in awe. Even though he never officially took credit for producing that track, it reeked of J. Dilla’s presence. The “Got Till It’s Gone” EP also featured a remix appropriately entitled “Ummah Jay Dee’s Revenge Mix”. You see with J. Dilla, it was never about the money or the fame. It was always about the music. He didn’t just strive to be the best producer he possibly could be. He strived to make “music” as a whole the best that it could possibly be.

Donuts hit stores on February 7, 2006, which was also Dilla's 32nd birthday.

At the beginning of the millennium, J. Dilla worked on a number of solo and collaborative projects. Although a great portion of his material was never released by a major record label company, he was able to gain notoriety and build a fan base through word of mouth and the internet. Welcome 2 Detroit, Ruff Draft, Champion Sound, Jay Love Japan, and The Shining are a few of the albums that J. Dilla worked on during this time. J. Dilla also started to work on what was probably his most successful and well-known record to date, Donuts. Donuts was raw, edgy, and filled with instrumental tracks so beautiful that lyrics weren’t even needed. The Donuts album was the first time I was introduced to Dionne Warwick’s “You’re Gonna Need Me” that was later sampled for one of my favorite Usher tracks entitled “Throwback”. Other tracks such as “Two can Win and “”Gobstopper” are always guaranateed to bring a big smile on my face

J. Dilla formed the hip-hop group Slum Village with schoolmates T3 and Baatin at Pershing High School.

In 2002, J. Dilla started to get really sick. He was diagnosed with lupus and TTP, a rare blood disease that causes a low platelet count. Doctors told him there was no cure or direct treatment. Despite his health problems, he continued to make music with his mother by his side to take care of him. In 2006, his health took a turn for the worse and he was once again hospitalized. He would work on the Donuts album from his hospital bed while letting doctors hear some of the music that he created. He finished all but two songs on the album. Donuts was released on February 7th of that year. J. Dilla died from complications of his disease just three days after that on February 10, 2006. Since his death, fans have come together to mourn his passing and celebrate the life and legacy of one of music’s finest. In May 2006, J Dilla’s mother announced the creation of “The J Dilla Foundation”, which will work to cure lupus and help kids who were musically gifted but had little hope due to poverty. J. Dilla’s music experienced a rebirth after he was gone and there have been countless tribute tracks and concerts by many artists dedicated to this bright star. Just recently, Mochilla announced the release of a limited edition DVD box set of Timeless, the 3 part event honoring producer J. Dilla featuring The Suite For Ma Dukes Orchestra. It’s evident that the force that was J. Dilla touched so many around the world .

J. Dilla's music touched the lives of people all over the world.

At times, I get emotional when I think about J. Dilla and his legacy. He taught me a lot about music and life in general. His passion, love, and dedication to his craft were not only admirable, but inspiring as well. He lived out his dream to make music until it was physically impossible for him to do so anymore. He made others in his field, even those whom he had personally looked up to, want to be better or just as good he was. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we were all as dedicated to something as J. Dilla was dedicated to music?

J. Dilla's legacy continues to live on through his music.

I grew up in a household that constantly played music. I was always surrounded by so much music and my parents’ vinyl records in particular that I kind of took it for granted. Taking trips to my local record shop had become routine to the point that it was beginning to get just a tad bit boring. After listening to a lot of J. Dilla, I felt the urge to dig for records and create a collection of my own. I would carefully read the credits on his albums and search vigorously for the songs that he sampled. I gained a new appreciation for my parents’ albums and the collection that I was starting to build for myself. J. Dilla really did change my life and the lives of so many others as well. I thank him for helping my discover my passion and re-introducing me to my first love which is and will always be music. Happy Birthday J. Dilla!- from everyone here on the M.I.S.S. Crew.

Here’s a quote from one of our M.I.S.S. staff:

“Although there are so many classics – the Dilla track that can always turn my frown upside down is “Won’t Do” from his album The Shining. That beat is so tuff!”

-Randi Hernandez

In loving memory of James Yancey aka J. Dilla. February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006

For more information on J. Dilla, please visit his website at:
http://j-dilla.com/

For more information on The J. Dilla Foundation and The Lupus Foundation of America, please visit the following links:
http://www.jdillafoundation.org/
http://www.lupus.org/

Enjoy some J.Dilla produced tracks!

Videos!

J Dilla’s “Nothing Like This” from the album Ruff Draft

Q-Tip’s “Move” from the album The Renaissance

Erykah Badu’s “Didn’t Cha Know” from the album Mama’s Gun

Suite For Ma Dukes – Miguel Atwood- Ferguson and a 40 piece orchestra Live at The Luckman

Jazz-inflected artist Brittany Bosco is on the come up with the release of her EP Spectrum.

The internet is a big place, with an even bigger amount of content at my disposal anytime I need it. Beyond reading M.I.S.S. (shameless self promotion, whatup!) daily, my first point-and-clicks of the day typically lead me to a host of music blogs so I can listen up on any tracks I might have missed whilst my brain napped for the night. With about one billion blogs covering every genre of music possible, it’s probably easy for an artist to get lost in the interweb shuffle. But when I see a name pop up over and over on several sites, I know the internet is trying to tell me something. In this case, it’s trying to tell me that songstress Brittany Bosco is insanely dope.

Bosco's record is a mix of contemporary electronic influences and throwback instrumental-based jazz sounds.

Bosco: She's just like us (She kills it in Scrabble)

Being an art student has played a major part in Bosco's style.

M.I.S.S. Playlist - A Case Of The Browns

Your Name: Randi Hernandez
Name of the Playlist: A Case of The Browns
Genre: Jazz
Mood: Shitty
Playlist Inspiration: Soo….The Blues is in the jazz category, and my dad likes jazz. His last name is Brown. So I made him a playlist of songs that all contain the word “Brown” in the title. There were A LOT, but it was fun to pick my favorites. Try this music-picking method out, it’s fun! Think of a word and make a playlist of songs with said word! Then you make a drinking game out of it, if you so desire. Or, try searching for your name in a song… There is a song out there in the World music genre called “Randi Randi” which sounds like it has origins in India. Apparently “Randi” means whore in this song/language. Which is totally amazing.

Nina Simone

It’s safe to say that the staff at M.I.S.S are fans of the fabulous Nina Simone. She embodies the spirit of what this publication represents. An eclectic array of talents, cultural activism, passion, and perseverance. In fact when I asked M.I.S.S Lexx (a huge fan) she told me that

In the 1960’s, no black woman performing artist was more gangsta than Nina Simone. She wrote about stuff that even a man would be a little reluctant to talk about. She said things about white-people that limited her time on TV & Radio but she was always true to herself, her emotions and her passion.

A bit of background on Simone, she was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in North Carolina, she was one of eight children in a poor family in 1933. She began to play the piano at age three. Her mother was a strict Methodist preacher who also worked as a maid. Her father worked as a handyman. Upon her mother’s employer hearing the young child’s talents they decided to fund her piano lessons. Simone’s continuing education was locally funded by the community due to the interest in her promising talent. At the age of 17 she moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she encountered blatant racism while applying for a scholarship at a local college. After she passed her test admirably yet didn’t receive the scholarship the examiner told her it was “because you are black,” the rejection thus fueled her enthusiasm for the Civil Rights Movement that was about to erupt in the United States.

As any strong and willful woman would do, Simone decided to use her talents to teach others while funding her studies as a classical pianist at New York City’s highly regarded institution, Juilliard School of Music. Even though her talent was obvious to those around her when she applied once again in Philadelphia at The Curtis Institute she was rejected to which she attributed to her being black and a woman. Random fact: Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick, and crew were frowned upon and made to stay in separate rooms designated for men and women while staying at The Barclay, a hotel located adjacent to The Curtis Institute. So much for being the place that The Constitution and Bill of Rights was written and signed!

In order to further fund herself she performed in Atlantic City under the name, Nina Simone. Here she built a small but loyal fan base with her mixture of jazz, blues, and classical piano. Nina was brilliant, but her brilliance was a troubled one. She struggled with bipolar disorder and her music was driven by passion, emotion, and anger. On stage she could be exuberant and suddenly enter a melancholy state and her voice would even go to baritone lows. Her first “protest” song was “Mississippi Goddamn,” a response to the four little girls being burned in a church in Birmingham, Alabama. Her ex-husband said in an interview that she was very upset, “pounding away at her piano for two hours,” a song was born. Simone was and is regarded as the “High Priestess of Soul” because of the attention she commanded when she was on stage. In one night she would give you singing, dancing, monologue, and has been noted for using silence as a musical element. Her performances were not just concerts, but happenings, very much a representation of the Pop movement going on in New York.

High Priestess of Soul

Today many artists attribute Nina Simone as a music, cultural, and style icon. Traces of her jazz/R&B/funk/soul influence can be found in the works of Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, and Cat Power, among many others. Many have sampled her, and even acts like David Bowie and Marilyn Manson have covered her songs. There are so many independent and socially conscious female performers around today; think Erykah Badu, M.I.A., Santigold, and Jill Scott whom have Nina Simone to credit for setting a high standard of being culturally aware and delivering a performance with lasting impact.

Here are some of our favorite tracks, hope you enjoy!

The track “Funkier Than A Mosquitos Tweeter” is a funky mix of intense tribal sounds and such passion is in her voice. A must listen.

In this video, “Ain’t Got No…I’ve Got A Life,” Nina looks absolutely beautiful with her hair wrapped, giant earrings, and yellow halter dress that compliments her dark skin. Even though she talks about what she doesn’t have, this song addresses appreciating the things you do have, like life and your body, which don’t cost money. The live version comes in clear and the sound is great the combination of the drumming and piano are amazing.

“My Baby Just Cares For Me” a sweet personal favorite.

Kanye West meets Etta James

“You make me smile with my heart…”

What happens when a jazz legend meets a hip-hop artist/producer?

The song “My Funny Valentine” was recorded on over 1,300 albums and performed by over 600 artists.   However, it was Etta James’ rendition appearing on the 1995 album Time After Time that Kanye West chose to sample for his song  “Addiction” – which was on his 2005 album Late Registration. While both songs tackle clearly different subject matters, they have both become fan favorites. I have love and respect for each song; I can’t pick a favorite. Do you have a favorite version?

Click the DivShare icon to download these tracks!

A Tribe Called Quest

Back in the days on the boulevard of Linden, they used to kick routines and the presence was fitting. It was Phife, Shaheed, and Q-tip the Abstract. The rhymes were so romping that we must be taken back.  Reminisce with M.I.S.S. as we go on a quest with the one and only A Tribe Called Quest.

The moment I fell in love with hip-hop was the day I purchased my first A Tribe Called Quest album. I remember being captivated by the smooth voice of Q-Tip, the wit and playfulness of Phife Dawg’s rhymes, and the laid-back beats of producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. This rap group was unlike any other rap group I had heard before. Their positive energy, intelligent rhymes, and mellow sound would greatly influence and enhance my music collection for years to come.

A Tribe Called Quest was formed in 1985 and consisted of rappers Q-Tip (Kamaal Ibn John Fareed), Phife Dawg (Malik Taylor), and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member of the group, rapper Jarobi White left after the first album. The group met in high school and first went under the name of QUEST, until later given the prefix “A Tribe Called” by their high school buddies, The Jungle Brothers. Tribe along with the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul formed a collective unit that became known as The Native Tongues. The Native Tongues shared similar styles of abstract, positive-minded, and afrocentric lyricism that created growing buzz within the music community. People began to pay attention and in 1989, A Tribe Called Quest landed a recording contract with Jive Records.

Bonita Applebum Was The First Single Released By A Tribe Called Quest

“Do I love you? Do I lust for you? Am I sinner because I do the two? Can you let me know right now please…Bonita Applebum?”

“Bonita Applebum” (which happens to have been my ringtone for the past year) was the first single released by A Tribe Called Quest from their debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. It’s been rumored to be about a real girl from the group’s high school and surprisingly not about me. Just kidding! The single showcased Q-Tip’s smooth, spoken word style of lyricism over electric sampling courtesy of the psychedelic soul/funk band Rotary Connection. Electric sampling and the group’s ability to incorporate jazz into their music helped them stand out amongst their counterparts. They offered an alternative to the then widely popular “gangster rap” genre by addressing topics such as industry politics, consumerism, and date rape, while still promoting positivity. People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm was certified gold and also featured other memorable hits such as “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo” and “Can I Kick It?” The album was well-received critically, but had little mainstream appeal.

The Low End Theory Was The Second Album Released By A Tribe Called Quest

It wasn’t until the release of their sophomore effort The Low End Theory, considered by some to be one of the greatest rap albums of all time, that A Tribe Called Quest were well on their to becoming legends and hip-hop royalty. The Low End Theory was credited with linking hip-hop and jazz together in a way that was truly unique and never done before. “Check the Rhime” and “Jazz (We’ve Got)” were commercial successes from this album. The formula, the layout, and even the album cover art were so dope! From that album and moving forward, Tribe would forever become synonymous with a red-and-green body-painted female form on black background. The mysterious and sexy woman would also follow A Tribe Called Quest onto their third album cover, Midnight Marauders. On this album, the woman on the cover takes the role as the “Midnight Marauders Tour Guide”. In a robotic voice, the woman explains the title and introduces the album to us as a sort of program that we are being led through. Here are two excerpts:

Hello. This is your Midnight Marauder program. I’m on the front of your cover. I will be enhancing your cassettes and CDs with certain facts that you may find beneficial. The average bounce meter for your Midnight Marauder program will be in the area of 95 b.p.m. We hope that you will find our presentation precise, base heavy, and just right. Thanks.

Seven times out of ten, we listen to our music at night. Thus spawned the title of this program. The word “maraud” means to loot. In this case, we maraud for ears.

Phife Dawg And Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Midnight Marauders was certified platinum and proved to be a critical and commercial success for the group. Many of the artists that we love today such as Kanye West and Pharrell have stated that hearing the album, first inspired them to make music. Hits such as “Award Tour” and “Oh My God” instantly became classics. In the song “Electric Relaxation”, Q-tip wooed the ladies within the first few lines of the track by stating,

“Honey, check it out. You got me mesmerized with your black hair and your phat ass thighs. Street Poetry is my everyday, but yo I gotta stop when you trot my way…”

Rapper Q-Tip From A Tribe Called Quest Released Three Solo Albums

A Tribe Called Quest released two more albums before they split and went off into solo ventures. Beats, Rhymes, and Life and The Love Movement both featuring production by the late-great J. Dilla, spawned greats hits such as “Once Again“, “Stressed Out“, and “Find A Way“. Phife Dawg recorded a solo album, but has kept a relatively low profile due to a battle with diabetes and kidney failure. Ali Shaheed Muhammad teamed up with two other artists from former groups, Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Toné!, and Dawn Robinson of En Vogue to create super group Lucy Pearl. They had a big hit in 2000 entitled “Dance Tonight”. Unfortunately, they split soon after that. Rapper Q-Tip has kept himself busy by releasing three solo albums entitled Amplified, Kamaal the Abstract, and most recently The Renaissance in 2008. In 2007, the group was formally honored at the 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors.

“Bonita Applebum”

“Check The Rhime”

“Jazz (We’ve Got) & Buggin’ Out”

“Find a Way”

visit Recordstoreday.com

Girls, put your records on…

This Saturday, April 18th, 2009, is Record Store Day and wax dealers everywhere are celebrating with live in stores and giveaways. If there’s a record store near you, you’re invited to the celebration! Visit the Record Store Day website HERE to see what’s going on this Saturday near you!

Record Store Day was founded in 2007 as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally.

This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on. Metallica officially kicked off Record Store Day at Rasputin Music in San Francisco on April 19, 2008 and Record Store Day is now celebrated the third Saturday every April.

This Saturday, give your local record store some love by buying a record or two! And since it’s Jazz Appreciation Month, why not a jazz album?

I recommend:

The LP reissue of Rubaiyat Of Dorothy Ashby by Dorothy Ashby

The LP reissue of Rubaiyat Of Dorothy Ashby by Dorothy Ashby

Incredible work from amazing jazz harpist, Dorothy Ashby. This album is a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full back. It is easily one of Ashby’s greatest.

Listen to a track off that album below. Along with her beautiful harping, we experience Ashby’s warm voice on this track as well.

After the jump, we put you on to a Record Store Day 45 Record Giveaway by one of our favorite labels, Daptone Records (of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings fame), at a dig near you!

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We Got The Beat: Little Dragon

New to me but perhaps not to you, Little Dragon hails from Gothenburg, Sweden and has had my ear listening since I was introduced to their song “Constant Surprises”. Vocalist Yukimi Nagano’s smooth soulful stylings are backed by her close high school friends Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrick Källgren (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards). Their electro-pop-jazz-soul-sounds are surely an aural treat and you won’t be disappointed.

For the summer 2008 collection Mama takes you back to the Roaring 20’s when smoke-filled speakeasys and jazz clubs were the place to get a cocktail during Prohibition.  A time when flappers were chopping their hair into bobs and hiking their skirts up and showing their ankles – so scandalous! Mama celebrates this exciting period and gives it a contemporary twist.  The Mama’s Joint Look Book is laid out like a silent film and was shot at Milk Bar in San Francisco to give it that “secret spot�? feel. You can view the Look Book here.  Sit back, relax and turn the listen to all that jazz.  

More pics and credits after the jump . . .

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Jazz is love — in my book. It’s hard to go a day without indulging myself in the intense sounds of Miles Davis and sultry lyrics of Billie Holiday . So this month I’m excited to have an excuse to celebrate one of my greatest inspirations.

Jazz Appreciation Month , created to be observed every April, is a celebration that encourages people to attend jazz concerts, listen to jazz recordings, support jazz programs, and simply enjoy the music’s verve, pulse, and power.

In 1942, Viola Smith, a veteran drummer with 17 years of professional paradiddles under her belt, sent shock waves through the readership of Down Beat by extolling the existence of "hep girls," female jazz musicians "who could sit in any jam session and hold their own." A firestorm of letters-to-the-editor ensued, passionately debating the topic: Can women play jazz ?

Ladies: Pour yourselves a glass of wine or brew a cup of tea, sit back, relax (you deserve it!) and celebrate Women in Jazz.

Don’t know where to start? How about HERE!

Info: PBS.org & Images: smithsonianjazz.org