A final, farewell will be said to former Tribe Called Quest producer/MC Jay Dee, aka J Dilla, who passed away Friday (February 10th) of kidney failure due to complications arising from lupus. The co-founding member of Slum Village was only 32 years old.
A viewing for J Dilla, born James Yancey, will be held today (February 13th) at the Forest Lawn Mortuary, followed by a funeral Tuesday (February 14th) in the Recessional Hall, according to AHH.com.
A memorial concert is also being planned.
Jay Dee's manager Tim Maynor said, “He was the best ever, and very underappreciated. Dilla was very reserved, quiet, all he wanted to do was make beats, make music. It wasn't about the glitz and glory. He wasn't doing it for the spotlight at all. He's a dinosaur who will be missed.”
J Dilla’s latest album, Donuts, was just released last week, and he was preparing to drop another disc, The Shining, in April.
During a European tour in December, knee problems forced Jay to perform in a wheelchair. When his manager suggested he postpone the outing, the producer said it was something he had to do. "Maybe he knew something we didn't," Maynor told MTV.
Many agree that during his life Dilla was not given sufficient credit for the enormous sonic contributions he made to hip-hop music.
RJ Rice, founder of Slum's label, Barak Records, said, "He was a trendsetter, the soul sound [in hip-hop] is really Jay Dee. I don't know if he'll ever get credit for it or not, most people just copied him."
"He produced my first demo, said D12's Proof. "As a producer, he is one of the most influential producers ever, even up to Kanye West or Just Blaze. Jay Dee had a signature sound that a lot of people were influenced by. People will never understand his genius. It's a shame that he didn't get the light of a Dr. Dre or Timbaland or Neptunes, but he took more of a jazz-musician approach to the whole game. He was truly a mastermind."
"I am devastated at the world's loss of a musical genius of Charlie Parker proportions," Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots said. "Too often we bestow the 'greatest' title upon those who have the attention of the press and the charts and radio. I am fortunate to have known this man. He inspires me to perfect my craft in every way. Dilla was and will always be my hero."
Jay Dee will be sorely missed in hip-hop, and may his leagacy live on.
RIP.
A viewing for J Dilla, born James Yancey, will be held today (February 13th) at the Forest Lawn Mortuary, followed by a funeral Tuesday (February 14th) in the Recessional Hall, according to AHH.com.
A memorial concert is also being planned.
Jay Dee's manager Tim Maynor said, “He was the best ever, and very underappreciated. Dilla was very reserved, quiet, all he wanted to do was make beats, make music. It wasn't about the glitz and glory. He wasn't doing it for the spotlight at all. He's a dinosaur who will be missed.”
J Dilla’s latest album, Donuts, was just released last week, and he was preparing to drop another disc, The Shining, in April.
During a European tour in December, knee problems forced Jay to perform in a wheelchair. When his manager suggested he postpone the outing, the producer said it was something he had to do. "Maybe he knew something we didn't," Maynor told MTV.
Many agree that during his life Dilla was not given sufficient credit for the enormous sonic contributions he made to hip-hop music.
RJ Rice, founder of Slum's label, Barak Records, said, "He was a trendsetter, the soul sound [in hip-hop] is really Jay Dee. I don't know if he'll ever get credit for it or not, most people just copied him."
"He produced my first demo, said D12's Proof. "As a producer, he is one of the most influential producers ever, even up to Kanye West or Just Blaze. Jay Dee had a signature sound that a lot of people were influenced by. People will never understand his genius. It's a shame that he didn't get the light of a Dr. Dre or Timbaland or Neptunes, but he took more of a jazz-musician approach to the whole game. He was truly a mastermind."
"I am devastated at the world's loss of a musical genius of Charlie Parker proportions," Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots said. "Too often we bestow the 'greatest' title upon those who have the attention of the press and the charts and radio. I am fortunate to have known this man. He inspires me to perfect my craft in every way. Dilla was and will always be my hero."
Jay Dee will be sorely missed in hip-hop, and may his leagacy live on.
RIP.
