//Adam Dumper, aka Dumperfoo
For Booking NOVACANCYBOOKING. COM
is a community leader in the Arizona Hip Hop, Art, and Social scene. Having been involved in promotions in Arizona since 1990, beginning at the Grind Night Club. Dumper began as an after-hours DJ and Mural artist there. For a few years Dumper did freelance graphics and logo work for such artists Vanilla Ice, Sugar Ray, Everlast, The Headquarters, Zulu Nation, Hip Step Massive, XIS, and many more from punk rock to hip hop.

Concentrating on his graphic and live painting Dumper hit the Music circuit hard performing and promoting at numerous events from Raves to Concerts in the mid to late 90’s.

In 2002 Dumper teamed up with Keith Nichols, Emerg McVay, Hyder, Catalyst and friends to start his new venture, The Blunt Club. For the past years the Blunt Club has been Arizona’s Hip Hop church, hosting nearly every local live painter, poet, mc, dj, fashion designer, and beyond, supporting the artistic community in a multidimensional format.  The Blunt Club has since been named one of the top “101 hot spots in the U.S” by Spin magazine, as well as AZ’s “Best Hip Hop Night 2003-2006″ by Phoenix New Times and 944 magazine.

In 2003 Dumper founded with Baron Gordon, the Alpha Monster Art Collective, consisting of over 20 members globally. The collective’s goals are to advance each artist, business wise and ethically, give back to the community.Currently Dumper and the Alpha Monster’s perform all over the USA traveling and doing gallery events, to hip hop shows & Festivals , every final Friday at Club 909, First Friday’s downtown at the UM Gallery , and every Thursday at the Blunt Club In Tempe AZ . In 2003 Dumper joined forces becoming a resident artist with the So Cal collective, theAbstract Workshop. In 2005, Dumperfoo has since become a resident artist traveling out to paint live once a month at Abstract Workshop’s major events.

Recently Dumper joined the Pacific Art Collective, and doing gallery shows from San Jose, to Seattle, back to L.A. You can catch Dumper live every Thursday at The Blunt Club in Mesa, AZ or you might just see his paintings hanging in a studio or home near you. You can also check him out at
www.myspace.com/dumperfoo.

More On Dumperfoo:
I’ve painted onstage with at one time or several times..
HAIKU DE TAT, ABSTRACT WORKSHOP COLLECTIVE , TALIB KWELI , SCRATCH , AESOP ROCK & LIF , CROWN CITY ROCKERS , MF DOOM , AFRICA BAMBAATAA , HIERO , SOULS OF MISCHIEF , SAGE FRANCIS , ATMOSPHERE , MR. DIBBS , GRAYSKULL , SCRIBBLE JAM , J.BOOGIE , ANTEDOTE, JOSH MARTINEZ , SLEEP, 2MEX, SHAPESHIFTERS, DULOK, EYERIS ONE, GRIFFIN ONE, STACKS MALONE, BUKUE, UNIFIED SCHOOL DIST, DJ QUEST, Z-MAN, SACRED HOOP, TREK-LIFE, ONE SELF, DJ SAMMY B (JUNGLE BROTHERS), DJ DREZ, Z-TRIP, RADAR, ELEMENT, SANTOS, SCOTTY COATS, DJ COCOE, REBIRTH, DEEP ROOTED, ANTEDOTE, DIGABLE PLANETS, LIVING LEGENDS, HEIRO, ZION I, SCARUB, DJ NEIL ARMSTRONG, ROB SWIFT, ILL INSANITY, SNOOP DOGG, PUBLIC ENEMY, WILDCHILD, PSYCHO REALM, MISTH FAB, ZION I, edIT, BASSNECTAR, PERCEE P, KIDZ IN THE HALL, B.DOLAN, XCLAN, MEDUSA, CUT CHEMIST, BLACK SHAKESPEAR, DJ SHORTKUT, CHICHARONES, & Many , Many , More

FESTIVALS : ROCK THE BELLS (San Bernadino CA. & Concord CA, UM Booth) SCRIBBLE JAM (Um Booth) COMIC CON INT. after parties 2001-2009 (San Diego) , GOOD TIMES FESTIVAL 2007, 2009, EASTER MOON, GEM & JAM, SPEAK YOUR MIND INVASION.

Gallery

….and of course I have my own Dumperfoo piece !!!

I’m pretty sure if I had 4 gallons of coffee, I could freestyle. Actually, maybe not. I’d prolly stop half way through and say “wait, what was I talking about?”

Some of the best songs from various Heliocentrics 12″ singles have been collected on a Limited Edition Cd (or Mp3 download) available now at the Stones Throw website.  This is your chance to get your hands on the excellent track Distant Star which features Percee P & DOOM.  Guilty Sampson and Vast Aire also make appearances on Fallen Angels, so what are you waiting for?  Go order your copy now!

Details from Stones Throw:

The best songs from Malcom Catto and Heliocentrics 12” singles are compiled here in limited edition CD. Included are tracks such as the DOOM feature “Distant Star” and Guilty Simpson’s “Before I Die” alongside a multitude of offerings that span from deep jazz, deep funk and deep psychedelia on the title track, “Vibration Of The Fallen Angels”.

The collection is presented in a limited edition “mini LP” package which includes a thick cardboard “tip on” sleeve. This album was made primarily for release in Japan; small quantities are being made available for sale in the North American and European markets. CD version includes two bonus tracks (“Dance of Dogons” and “Noise”) not on the digital album.

Buy it here – Link

Legendary rap battle:

From something that started out as a discussion about not having enough unity in music to having a mixtape out in about a month shows how much a small idea can be brought into fruition by a little dedication and hard work. After all of the scrambling and deadlines, the Cali Co-op Vol. 1 mixtape was formed and what we have here is only some of California’s finest talent in one package, mixed by DJ Gabe Real.

Tracklist x Download Link after the jump

1. NOE ft. Oddio – 11, 12 (Prod. by Ro Tone)
2. Noa James – My Bars, My Life – 3:53
3. Speak – Persian Disco – 7:41
4. Skeem Price – Star Struck (prod. by J.bizness) – 9:50
5. Jynxx – J.Y.N.X.X (My Story Chapter II) – 14:07
6. Prophit PAN, Craze, B Boy – I Ain’t Hearin It (prod. by J.Bizness) – 17:48
7. Tomorrow,Yesterday - Ladies Say – 21:37
8. Lagos vs. New York (The Garfield Adams Suite remix) – 24:23
9. Pheo – Turn It Up (prod. by AFTA-1) – 29:23
10. Prophit PAN, Craze, B Boy – 15 Minutes (prod. by J.Bizness) – 32:06
11. Trek Life & Oddisee – Enjoy Yourself – 35:34
12. Reverb, Trek Life, Dvooa – Get This Money – 39:16
13. ELzhi, Willam S., FOCus – My City (prod. by Rick Hughes) – 43:38
14. Magnificent Ruffians & Eno – Krazy (prod. by DJ Gabe Real) – 47:53
15. Percee P – Gritty Bop (DeanLemm Remix) – 51:31

Download: Cali Co-op, Vol. 1

Lions Den has been putting on some quality shows these past few months. The last one with the Beatnuts and Large Pro was cool, but the turnout wasn’t as expected. Unfortunately I got twisted up in that for a minute as I contributed to promo tees for the show that I wasn’t taken care of for. Not to mention names, but I had to deal with shady peops for a minute, so I was hoping to get squared up at this one. Long story short, there’s a loose lip in the crew that almost sunk the ship and set the camps reputation downhill. Thanks to theses cats from Zoolay in making the effort in straightening things out with I and the TEAM so life goes on as usual. Due to fight complications Sadat X couldn’t make the trip either. But here’s the shows recap that night!!

Shert slap landmark since 2003 accompanied with The Chops!!

Percee P forever grindin' for being a og in this ....

Nonstop and his Misses

Medusa also ripped on stage...

The Almighty Hi Definition Jizzm was there promoting Otherwize's release party

Lyraflip from Swim Team stole the mic somehow....

Drodis aka Ether reps for RN$

Ras Kass on the phone with Bishop Lamont

Dibia$e playing his beats on a boombox. Pudgemcee catching wreck off the top. Moonsatellite speaking high definition excursions. DJ Exile rhyming like a madman. Percee P chopping syllables up. Outside the Jay $tay Paid Release Party @ the Grand Star on Tuesday. And inside?

Go to the 1:12 mark for new Dilla + DOOM.
And the album is FIRE.
When J$P drops next Tuesday, cop two of ‘em.

Yeah, it was a fun night.

Damn Percee. Showed up Eminem AND Fat Joe at their best.

Linking up with 247HH, DJ Babu Rhettmatic sent this to me yesterday and I meant to post it but to be honest I was too involved with blasting it through my headphones to do anything else with it. You already know Rhett holds it the fuck down on the 1s & 2s and the artists shown in the image above should be bonus incentives to hitting the jump and enjoying some funk.

It’s a 30 minute mix with some Funk shit (not the P-Funk, but Funky Soul shit) & some classic & new Hip Hop shit.  It’s something to get your James Brown on.  Go ahead & share with your friends….and please feel free to post it up on your music blogs as well.  Hope you like it…enjoy! – Rhettmatic

Tracklist + Download link after the jump…

1. Duck & Cover – Orgone
2. Brass In Africa – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
3. Ghost Walk – The Budos Band
4. Super Strut 1 – The Kashmere Stage Band
5. I Wish – The Kashmere Stage Band
6. Reverse Pt. 2.5 – Percee P
7. Day At The Races – Jurassic 5
8. Give It Up Or Turn It Loose – James Brown
9. Special Category/Rapp Cats Pt. 3 – The Roe-O-Tation/Quasimoto
10. The Wrath Of Kane – Big Daddy Kane
11. Jingling Baby Rmx – LL Cool J
12. Walking Into Sunshine – Central Line
13. Melting Pot – Booker T & The MGs
14. Keep On Dancing – Alvin Cash
15. Dance For Me – Queen Latifah

DOWNLOAD: DJ Rhettmatic – Pure Funkmode

South Bronx native Party Arty (D.I.T.C. + Ghetto Dwellas) passed away today (12/4/08) from undisclosed health complications.  Party Arty always had one of the grimiest/gruffiest/dirtiest voice in the game, he was featured on many of Show & AG’s albums through the 90’s, Big L’s first joint on the track “Da Graveyard” which also featured Hova, Finesse and L, and on all of the D.I.T.C(Diggin In The Crates) records throughout the years.  Below is a truly classic two part video he released along with his Ghetto Dwella partner D-Flow, but for real HipHop has lost a true talent with his passing. 

Arty shines on the brutally honest “A Look at My Life” which was released a few years back by Showbiz on the D.I.T.C. compilation album “Street Talk”  

Lord Finesse v Percee P g g get it

-brain

perceep, originally uploaded by sizzled.

So, anyone who’s ever met Percee P probably has a story about him trying to sell them his cd. Being the nerd that I am, I actually showed love and copped this joint for the 10 beans or whatever he was asking at the time.

My personal favourite Percee P story came courtesy of my main man Yeshua DaPOed straight out of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.

Yesh told me that they did a 2-3 day tour in the Tristate with Percee P and everyone was mad tight, chilling,etc. He sees Percee P a week later at a show and the dude goes right into his hustle and tries to sell him his album like he had no idea who Yesh was..lol.

The Rhyme Inspector Percee P talks about his early days selling music on the streets after a recent show in Santa Cruz.

Underground legend/wandering nomad Percee P says a few words while in Santa Cruz. If you do not know who Percee P is, YOU ARE NOT HIP-HOP. Props to Rob.

As a founding member of Surrey’s Diversion Tactics crew, Jazz T has more than proven himself over the years as both a talented DJ and an astute producer. From the dusty-fingered beats of DT’s debut 2002 album “Pubs, Drunks And Hip-Hop” to the unapologetically raw tracks heard on T’s new solo project “All City Kings”, the former UK ITF DJ champion has consistently remained faithful to the true-school Hip-Hop blueprint he first discovered back in the 80s. This unwavering approach to his craft has led to Jazz working with a diverse selection of like-minded individuals, from Bronx-bred underground icon Percee P to gifted homegrown mic-wrecker Kashmere.

Currently keeping busy supplying the beats at London’s respected open-mic event End Of The Weak, Jazz T recently tore himself away from sifting through old sci-fi soundtracks for new sample material to talk about his new album, production techniques, and future plans.

It’s been six years since the release of the first Diversion Tactics album “Pubs, Drunks And Hip-Hop”. What are your thoughts looking back on that project?

We didn’t initially intend on doing an album at all. We’d dropped the original Diversion Tactics EP and had got together a tour with J-Zone and one of the guys who booked us for a show was Rob Luis from Tru Thoughts. Our manager passed him a copy of the EP and he was really interested in our music. Rob wanted to put us out as one of the first Zebra Traffic releases, and he already knew me from doing cuts on Mark B’s first EP with MCM and Big Ted.

After the tour we had a proper meeting with Rob and he told us that, at the time, he wasn’t really up for doing just 12″ singles and EPs, he wanted us to do a whole album. So we really had to get it together. Fortunately, me, a guy called Optiv, who was from a drum & bass crew called Cause For Concern, and Zygote had all been making a lot of beats together for quite a long period of time. So we gave the beats to Chubby, Barron ACJ and Squeaky and then talked about the direction of the tracks.

We’d already been doing a lot of shows together so we had a strong chemistry as a group, but I’d say the whole album was kinda thrown together, but I think that gave the project a real spontaneous feel. I think when you plan too much it can take away from the natural vibe of the music you’re making. We never actually thought we’d ever have the chance to record an album, so a lot of energy went into “Pubs, Drunks And Hip-Hop”.

At what point did you make the transition from being a DJ to considering yourself a producer?

I started DJ-ing when I was 15-years-old. I originally lived in Watford, then I moved to Birmingham, then I came to Surrey. I had a couple of mates at school who had turntables, not Technics or anything, they were just straight-up hi-fi decks, but I got into DJ-ing through that.

I soon started doing pause-button tapes and multi-tracking using a couple of cassette decks, which is really when I’d say I first started trying to produce. At the time samplers and studios were extremely expensive, so I really had to work with the equipment I had. I’d say I was about 16-years-old when I actually started thinking like a producer in my head with the intention of going somewhere with the music.

How would you say your production style has developed over the years?

The Diversion Tactics album was the result of fifteen years of being into Hip-Hop, so the sound of the album reflected the music we came up listening to. But if you listen to tracks like “Hong Kong” and “Yanking Off”, you can also hear the beginnings of the music we’re making now.

In terms of the beats, we’re still using breaks and always will use breaks. On occasion we’ll sample Zygote drumming, but we’re still using that live drum sound that you’ll find on an old break. We were heavy on the jazz tip on the first Diversion Tactics album, whereas now we’re sampling stuff from anywhere.

Obviously my production techniques have become more advanced, but we’re still working within that boom-bap true-school sound. We’ve got a lot better as producers and engineers and we’re able to do a lot more, so that’s apparent in our sound now. But the motivation behind the music is still the same.

You just mentioned that you’ll always sample from breaks in your music – how much is digging for old vinyl still a part of what you do?

Digging is still a very large part of what I do. Basically, whenever I see a record shop, I’m in there. I actually work in a record shop in Guildford, so I’m surrounded by records four days a week anyway (laughs). We’re lucky enough in Guildford to have two collectors record stores, which I spend a lot of time in, so we’re kinda spoiled. If there’s something that I know I want and I want it quickly, then I’ll buy it off the internet. But the excitement of actually digging for records and finding stuff no-one else has is still a big part of it for me.

Where do you stand on the debate surrounding producers downloading material to sample from the internet rather than going out and digging for it the traditional way?

A lot of people just haven’t got the patience nowadays. A friend of mine who makes drum & bass was telling me the other day how he’s just downloaded thirty gigs worth of samples. I’m of the attitude that I’ll always dig, so personally I don’t download stuff to sample. I’ll always sample from either live instruments that we’ve recorded or breaks that we’ve found. I won’t limit myself from only sampling from vinyl though, because if you find something on CD that’s worth sampling you should do. But at the end of the day, if you’ve got skills, whether or not you’re able to go out and dig shouldn’t really hold you back.

Is there a particular idea or concept behind your new album “All City Kings”?

Well, a lot of people don’t really know who I am and I’ve never really pushed for people to know me on a certain level. I’m not the type of person to boast about what I’m doing, so I’ve always kinda been in the background doing my thing. I felt that maybe it was time for people to know a bit more about Jazz T and for me to develop myself more as an artist.

I wanted to use the new album to showcase the artists I’ve worked with in the past, either through producing or touring as a show DJ. So that’s why you hear everyone on the album from Percee P and Tim Dog to Kashmere.

“All City Kings” was a way of me showing what I’ve achieved in my career so far while also making a tight Hip-Hop album and defining myself as an artist in my own right as opposed to just being known as a DJ.

How much input did you have on the lyrical direction of each track?

To be honest, I just let everyone do their own thing really. I felt that the tone and sound of the project had already been set by the beats I’d chosen to use. Because I’d already worked with everyone on the album previously, I was confident that I could let them all do their thing and it would come out the way I was hoping it would.

Considering the mainstream popularity of Hip-Hop today, have you even been tempted to take your music in a more commercial direction?

I make music because I love music, but at the same time I also make records to sell records. Now, in terms of me making something that’s formulated to appeal to the masses, it just wouldn’t work. When it comes to making pop stuff that the masses love, that’s a skill in itself, so even if I tried to produce those type of records I really don’t think that I could do it.

Although a lot of people knock the more commercial stuff, to make something that appeals to everyone across the board does take something. So I don’t think that’s a direction I could ever go in, not just because it’s not something I believe in, but also because it’s a skill I don’t think I have.

Plus, I think producers who do flit between whatever’s trendy at a particular time cut their shelf-life as they end-up not really standing for anything, as they alienate their original fans and the newer fans are only interested for a short time until the next trend comes along.

What advice would you give to young producers getting into the game today?

I’d definitely suggest that they take the time to study music and listen to what’s come before them as that can only have a positive effect on their own production. I also think any young producer should spend some time digging, looking for breaks and old records, not necessarily to limit themselves to only sampling from vinyl, but just to have that experience. Also, as a producer you really need to have a picture in your head of what you want the end result of a track to sound like. It’s no good going into making a track with absolutely no idea of where you want to go with the music.

An obvious question here, but if you could produce your ultimate posse cut, which artists would you want to collaborate with?

I won’t mention any of my own guys as they’re obvious choices, so we’ll leave them out for the time being (laughs). But I’d definitely have Bionic of London Posse on there, Kool G. Rap, Godfather Don, Freddie Foxxx, Roots Manuva, EPMD and MF Doom. I think that’d be a nice little line-up.

So what’s next for Jazz T?

The plan with Diversion Tactics has always been to do another album and we’re now about halfway through recording the new project. It’s sounding nice and I’m really happy with it. All the tracks are done so now Chubby’s just working on the lyrics. We were trying to get the album out this year, but then Chubb started writing for another Bobba Fresh project, so we’re looking at next year now.

Me and Zygote are doing a project with Kashmere, which as a piece of music is some next level business. We’re also doing a Boot compilation, as a lot of the singles that came out on the label have never been released on CD. So we’re putting out an album that will include previously released Boot tracks from artists like Robot Boy and HUG, plus some unreleased stuff from Kashmere, Verb T and Louie G.

So right now, I’m definitely staying very busy.

Ryan Proctor

With Beati Paoli on the road, you’d think they have nothing better to do than drink beerz and add tags/images to my posts but they do neither.

PERCEE P – PERSEVERANCE (Stones Throw 2007)
Percee P is (apparently) a legend among real hip-hoppers (a group that probably doesn’t include me) but this is his first solo album EVERRRR. He debuted over 15 years ago but all of his appearances were as a guest on various other MC’s tracks. This is how he became familiar to REAL hip-hoppers and finally, 50 years later, he gets his shot at an album, with beats provided by none other than Stones Throw’s resident superstar, Madlib. Percee doesn’t let the opportunity go to waste, offering clever rhymes with a forceful style, making him more interesting than previous Stones Throw MCs like MED or Wildchild. Madlib isn’t at his very best on the album but the beats will please his fans, including myself. The main problem with PERSEVERANCE is the clash of styles. As usual, Madlib’s beats are spaced out, trippy, dusty, and wacky, while Percee P’s delivery is brash and straightforward. I’m not saying it doesn’t work but basically you get an album of very good rhymes and solid beats that lose a little in the combination. Still, it’s a must-have for any Madlib/Stones Throw fan. Grade: B

MADLIB, BEAT KONDUCTA VOL. 3-4 IN INDIA (Stones Throw 2007)
Did you ever hear that BOMBAY THE HARD WAY album from the 90z? It was a collection of funky film score music from 1970s Bollywood films with some very minor tweaking and “remixing” by Dan the Automator? Think of this as the 2007 update. Madlib makes a full CD of beats sampling Indian records. The results are decent but strictly for background music. There are a lot of beats but they aren’t consistently interesting and lack variety. The album might serve as a good sleep aid but using it in this way may result in hazy, smoke-filled dreams taking place in Indian palace dungeons. For Madlib fanatix only. Grade: C

DENNIS WILSON – PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE LEGACY EDITION (Sony Legacy 2008)
PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE has been out of print for several years, which is why I illegally downloaded it a few years ago. At first I was really turned off by Wilson’s vocals, which are anything BUT the silky smooth and angelic tones of a Beach Boy. In fact, at times he sounds like a SOUTH PARK parody of a cheesy hard rock singer. On a subsequent listen, I paid more attention to the overall sound and realized how beautiful the arrangements were. Soon, I was over the cheesy vocals and absorbing the big picture, which happens to be the true heir to the Beach Boys 1960s/early 70s work. The lyrics are simple and quaint, the melodies are beautiful, and the arrangements are lush and thick with emotion. PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE was released 30 years ago but the new edition includes the long-lost BAMBU album that Wilson abandoned. This album was begun by Dennis shortly after P.O.B. but he basically lost interest and it sat unfinished . . . and then he died. Finally, his collaborators from the era have put a few finishing touches on it and here it is! And it’s almost as good as P.O.B.! The only area in which it falls short is the cohesiveness. Some tracks probably would have been trimmed for the ‘real’ release that never happened. The material is a little more uptempo but really more of the same in a very good way. EXTRA CREDIT: Dennis recorded POB while the other Beach Boys (minus Carl) were at the Maharishi Institute in Fairfield, Iowa recording M.I.U. ALBUM. You should compare POB to MIU and cry/laugh. Grade: A+

kicknz

Percee P – 2 Brothers from the gutter

Feel free to ignore the music video which features pictures of Percee P apparently falling asleep (0:25).

Even better though is the Murs/Mike Tyson’s Punch Out vid.

Footage of the legendary Bronx emcee performing on HipHopDelight.Com.

“A Day At The Races” / “The Exclusive”

“Skills Mastered” / “I’m Just That Bad”

“The Man To Praise”

1.

El hip-hop tiene un largo historial de mitologías póstumas. Desde las exhumaciones mercenarias de la industria de las figuras de Tupac Shakur y Biggie, hasta la adoración popular de héroes locales como DJ Screw en Texas y Mac Dre en la zona de la bahía de San Francisco, su relación con la mortalidad va de lo complejo a lo conflictivo, de lo sincero a lo ridículamente oportunista. El 10 de febrero de 2006, sin embargo, es seguro decir que la cultura perdió a uno de sus más formidables talentos. Después de una larga batalla contra una enfermedad autoinmune crónica, el lupus, James Dewitt Yancey, tambien conocido como Jay Dee o J Dilla, falleció en su casa de Los Ángeles a la edad de 32 años. Tres años después, es más claro que nunca que este joven productor concretó algo que muy pocos músicos consiguen, dejando no solo un catalogo innovador y atemporal, sino toda una generación inspirada por su intrincado e idiosincrásico trabajo. Mientras artistas como Sa-Ra Creative Partners y Flying Lotus llevan adelante la antorcha de Dilla, el fue igualmente reverenciado en vida por incontables figuras como Pharrell Williams del dúo de productores The Neptunes, y contó también con Kanye West y Just Blaze entre sus mayores seguidores. A pesar de esto, cultivaba un perfil bajo dentro del frecuentemente agresivo y excesivo mundo de la música urbana contemporánea. En lugar de relajarse debajo del reflector, Dilla era siempre más feliz dejando que sus beats hablaran por el. Y como hablaban. Fue un niño tímido creciendo en una casa llena de música en Detroit. Su tardía relación con la escena hip-hop independiente de la ciudad daría forma a su vida. Después de rapear y hacer música en un rudimentario estudio, fue gracias al apadrinamiento del productor local Amp Fiddler que Dilla llegaría a entender todo su potencial. Para 1993, Dilla y su amigo MC Phat Kat editaron su primer vinilo con el nombre de 1st Down. En adición a esto, tambien produjo un LP llamado The Album That Time Forgot para 5 Elementz, un grupo que incluía al fallecido MC Proof, una figuro fundamental para el hip-hop de Detroit. Durante la segunda mitad de los 90, produciendo baja el pseudónimo de Jay Dee, continuó concentrándose en el trabajo de estudio, gradualmente alzándose entre los rangos y creando música para nombres reconocibles al instante como Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, D’Angelo y Erykah Badu. Combinando una técnica adelantada con un gran conocimiento de la historia del hip-hop, su estética calzaba a la perfección con los fraseos distintivos de esos MCs y las aterciopeladas voces del neo-soul. La presencia de Dilla era tal que inclusive los que no estaban familiarizados con su nombre o el alcance de su obra conoceran aunque sea alguno de los trabajos de este período, a la cabeza un remix estelar para el tema de Janet Jackson “Got Till It’s Gone”, “Stakes Is High” el tercer LP de De La Soul y una gran parte de Labcabincalifornia, el disco de 1995 de The Pharcyde, que incluía el clásico “Runnin.” Fue, sin embargo, como Slum Village, el grupo que formó con sus amigos de infancia Baatin y T3 en la Persing High School, que el don de Dilla comenzó a brillar. Mientras que la membresía le permitía salir de detrás de las bandejas y tomar comando del micrófono – una faceta de su carrera que continuaría explorando en el cd de 2001 Welcome 2 Detroit y en la colaboración junto a Madlib de 2003 Champion Sound – también le daba el control creativo y la libertad necesaria para convertirse en el tipo de artista instrumental por lo cual lo conocemos hoy en día.

2.

Los álbumes de Slum Village, The Underground Fantastic Vol.1 (1997) y el atrasado pero eventualmente editado vol.2 (2000), proveyeron espacios ideales para que el sonido típico de Dilla se luciera. En una época donde la música urbana sufría una reinvención futurista constante, gracias a los lejanos beats y sintetizadores metálicos empleados por gente como Timbaland y The Neptunes, el trabajo de Dilla era la mismo tiempo atemporal y contradictorio. Muy influenciado por el estilo de pioneros como DJ Premier y Pete Rock, la materia prima era granosa y con abundancia de bajo, como su hubiese sido descubierta al fondo de un oscuro y polvoriento sótano. La forma en que estos sampleos eran ensamblados, cortados y unidos, a pesar del origen, le daban un brillo decididamente contemporáneo. Dilla fusionaba la moderno y lo inventivo con una accesibilidad orgánica única. Este carácter accesible se extendía a su vida personal y su relación con otros artistas también. Inclusive después de que Dilla se mudara a Los Ángeles, mantuvo una relación cercana con Detroit y tomaba cualquier oportunidad accesible para representar a su ciudad. Trabajando con Frank N Dank, Platinum Pied Pipers y Common (una relación que alcanzaría su pico con el álbum de 2000 Like Water For Chocolate) esta vibración familiar y de amistad eran fundamentales para su visión. Un deseo de rodearse con mentes afines era tambien evidente por su afiliación al Soulquarians Collective – junto a Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, James Poyser, Erykah Badu, ?uestlove, D’Angelo, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq y Bilal – y el grupo de productores The Ummah, junto a Q-Tip y Ali Shaheed Muhammad de A Tribe Called Quest. Como si tuviera que probar las credenciales de su ciudad de origen, en 2001 Dilla editó en dos versiones, instrumental y cantada, su debut solista Welcome 2 Detroit en el sello ingles BBE. Como uno podría esperar, este fue un asunto completamente relacionado con la ciudad motor, presentando contribuciones vocales de Phat Kat, Beej, Frank N Dank, Elzhi y el mismo Dilla. Desafortunadamente pocas partes vocales estaban a la altura de la producción. Sin embargo, los interludios musicales “Think Twice” y “BBE (Big Boota Express)” son para señalar; el primero una reelaboración de un track de Donald Byrd con el mismo nombre, acentuando un aspecto de la producción sónica de Dilla, y el segundo una, versión del clásico de Kraftwerk “Trans Europe Express” que, en retrospectiva, actúa como un significativo adelanto de sus ultimas producciones. Alrededor de este período, sello un acuerdo con MCA Records para grabar como solista, llevándolo a separase de Slum Village. Fue en este punto que cambió su seudónimo Jay Dee para evitar confusiones con otro de los pruductores del sello, Jermaine Dupri. Haciendo un quiebre con lo oido en Welcome 2 Detroit, el plan de Dilla era rimar sobre instrumentales producidos por otros, entre ellos Madlib, Pete Rock y Kanye West. Desafortunadamente, todo el proyecto se descarto cuando MCA sufrió cambios de personal.

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Como una reacción ante esta desilusión. Dilla tomó un paso típicamente contrario. En 2003, lanzó The Ruff Draft EP en el sello aleman Mummy/Groove Attack. Para alguien designado a establecerse en las ligas mayores del hip-hop estadounidense, esta decisión podría haber sido vista como un suicidio virtual: voluntariamente cortando todas las uniones y editando un mini álbum en un sello europeo y en edición limitada, que pocas personas importantes para la industria notarían. Evidentemente Dilla no pensaba de esta forma, y lo vio como una oportunidad para confundir las expectativas y entregar la clase de trabajo que realmente representaría quien era. Todo grabado en menos de una semana, Ruff Draft hizo exactamente eso. De muchas formas un disco confrontacional, originalmente distribuido solo en vinilo, combinaba una estilo liviano con una actitud ecléctica y experimental, explorando un sonido nuevo y corroído, que debía en iguales proporciones a la música industrial el, el synthpop y la electrónica más elitista. Como lo prometía la introducción que recitaba, “You wanna bounce in your whip with that real live shit Sounds like it’s coming straight from the motherfuckin’ cassette, y’all,” una calidad difusa y lo-fi, intencionalmente enmascara toda la música. Implicita en la proclama  hay una declaración alternativa sobre lo que el hip-hop realmente es. A pesar de que la edición original de seis tracks esta más cerca de la electrónica avant garde que del street rap contemporáneo. Un intento de expandirse y llegar a otras comunidades musicales también puede ser visto en las colaboraciones de Dilla, como los remixes hechos para el Track “As Serious As Your Life” de Four Tet, editados en el mismo año que Ruff Draft, o su contribución vocal al track de Dabrye “Game Over”. Mientras que tracks como “Make’em NV” hacían explicita su desilusión con la maquinaria hip-hop, y la mayoría de las rimas son obscuras, todavía se pueden encontrar momentos realmente lúdicos, específicamente en la sublime “Nothing Like This” y en el gratuitamente lascivo funk de “Crushin’ (Yeeeea!)”. Sin dudas un punto de quiebre estilístico, este EP también acentuó el creciente compromiso de Dilla con los sellos independientes. Esto fue evidente cuando se unió con el sello de Peanutt Butter Wolf, Stones Throw para grabar Champion Sound, editado en 2003. Una colaboración con el productor y MC Madlib (Otis Jackson Jr.) donde cada uno rima sobre los tracks instrumentales producidos por el otro, junto a colaboraciones de Talib Kweli, Guilty Simpson y Percee P, la mayor parte del disco fue grabado con ambos viviendo a miles de kilómetros de distancia, literalmente. Por esa razón, Dilla y Madlib trabajaron separados, enviándose pistas de una ciudad a otra, como lo ilustra la introducción instrumental del disco “LA to Detroit”.

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A pesar de esto, el resultado es más cohesivo de lo que este tipo de colaboraciones generalmente permiten. Mientras que las rimas de Dilla ocasionalmente caen lejos de lo brillante, suenan mucho mejor que en Welcom 2 Detroit, y para este punto su producción estaba en llamas. Con Madlib, un Mc mucho más seguro y versátil, los tracks donde viaja sobre los beats de Dilla son por mucho los más satisfactorios, particularmente “React” y “Strip Club”, ambos a cargo del alter ego de Jackson, Quasimoto. Estridente, extraño y de otro mundo, este disco muestra que a pesar de sus naturalezas esencialmente opuestas, los estilos de ambos productores vienen de un lugar simular y complementario. Es difícil imaginar un mejor par. Alrededor de esta época, los problemas de salud de Dilla’s comenzaron manifestarse, su excesivo ritmo de trabajo solo empeoro las cosas. Inmediatamente después de Champion Sound fue completado decidió mudarse a Los Angeles para bien de su carrera y su salud. Solo los más cercanos a el sabian el verdadero alcance de su enfermedad hasta que, en una entrevista frecuentemente citada del número de marzo de 2004 de Urb Magazine, hizo referencia a un colapso debido a una falla renal. “Nunca estuve tan enfermo en mi vida. Nunca estuve en un hospital. Lo que sucedió fue que le doctro me dijo que había lesionado mi riñon debido al stress y por no comer correctamente. Habia días en los cuales no comía pore star encerrado en el sotano trabajando. Inclusive después de estar en el hospital durante tanto tiempo, tube que pelear con los doctores para ir a casa! Porque estar lejos de la música estaba comenzando a afectarme.”

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Tristemente, esta trayectoria hacia abajo continuaría, con Dilla confinado a una silla de ruedas durante la mayor parte de su tour europeo de 2005. De manera similar, su utlimo y mejor álbum, DONUTS, sería construido en su mayoría en una cama de hospital. Su madre, Maureen Yancey, llevando los equipos a la habitación de su hijo para que pudiera seguir haciendo lo que más amaba. Escuchandolo con esto en mente le brinda a contenido de DONUTS una cualidad profundamente visceral y emotiva. De sus 31 tracks, pocos duran más de un minuto indicando la falla en la resistencia del artista, y dando un sentido real de un hombre luchando para llevar a cabo la mayor cantidad de ideas posibles antes de que sea demasiado tarde. Significados ocultos aparte, la atmosfera de la música es deslumbrante, fluctuando entre la dura e intensa “Wokinonit” a los tipicos y abrasivos grooves empapados de soul que fueron marca registrada de los primeros trabajos de Dilla. Hay también momentos de belleza trascendental, incluyendo “Waves,” “Don’t Cry” y “Dilla Says Go” que sugieren el alcance de paz interior, quizás inclusive un optimismo cauteloso. Típicamente, los bloques utilizados para construir DONUTS son omnivoros, mezclando lo desconocido con lo común. Como tal, DONUTS puede parecer esquizofrénico y a medio terminar en una primera escucha, sus samples coratdos de forma precaria, sus melodías y beats interrumpiendo el track anterior. Sin embargo, este no es el caso, el perfeccionismo de Dilla siempre estubo en el centro de su atractivo. Dadas las circunstancias que rodearon su creación, es más razonable asumir que este disco de infinitas pistas es exactamente lo que tenía en la cabeza – un asombroso, atractivo auto-epitafio. Después de todo, como la vida de su compositor, estas canciones pueden ser cortas pero aún hacen cosas extraordinarias.