J. Dilla Tribute...Remembering a Legend..

J Dilla aka Jay Dee is considered to be one of the greatest producers of all time. In my opinion, he actually didn't get enough credit commercially, but had the respect of many music-heads, producers, and artists. In addition, to being a producer, J Dilla was a talented emcee as well.

You probably distinctly remember him from the group Slum Village, which hailed from Detroit, Michigan. After his tenure with Slum Village, J Dilla went solo and got even more into his production. He commonly worked with artists within The Soulquarians movement, in which he was the founding member. Some of the artists within this collective was Common, Erykah Badu, D' Angelo, Talib Kweli, and Bilal, just to name a few. He actually had a major production role on one of my favorite Common albums Like Water For Chocolate.

Sadly, the talented producer passed away in early 2006 in the arms of his mother known as Ma Dukes. He suffered from an incurable blood disease and Lupus. His last albums released were "Donuts" and "The Shining" released in 2006.

Today, I would just like to recognize the talented producer and his legacy. For those of you who are unfamiliar with J Dilla, then take a look at this collection of tribute videos below. I also posted the video "Won't Do" from his album "The Shining." J Dilla is truly missed in the Hip-Hop community and his legacy will continue to thrive. Enjoy the videos and good-bye to a legend!