J Dilla

J Dilla
J Dilla in 2004
Background information
Birth name	James Dewitt Yancey
Also known as	Jay Dee Dilla Dilla Dawg
Born	(1974-02-07)February 7, 1974 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	February 10, 2006(2006-02-10) (aged 32) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Instrumental hip hop[1] progressive soul[2] electronic[3] jazz[4] lo-fi hip hop[5]
Occupations	Record producer drummer rapper songwriter
Discography	Albums production
Years active	1993–2006
Labels	Delicious Vinyl BBE Pay Jay MCA Stones Throw Bling 47 ✓Look Records
Formerly of	Jaylib Slum Village Soulquarians The Ummah

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006),^[6][7] better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer and rapper. He emerged during the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, as a member of the group Slum Village. He was also a member of the Soulquarians, a musical collective active during the late 1990s and early 2000s.^[8]

Yancey died at the age of 32 from a combination of TTP and lupus. Although his life was short, he is considered one of the most influential producers in hip hop and popular music.^[9] J Dilla's music raised the artistic level of hip-hop production in Detroit.^[10] According to The Guardian, "His affinity for crafting lengthy, melodic loops peppered with breakbeats and vocal samples took instrumental hip-hop into new, more musically complex realms."^[11] In particular, his approach to drum programming, with its loose, or "drunk" style that experimented with non-standard quantization, has been influential on producers and drummers.