Turntable Tuesdays: In Memory of J Dilla
Chilltown and The Dineen Hull Gallery Honor 11th Death Anniversary of Beloved Hip Hop Producer, J Dilla
"We gotta make music and think, 'If Dilla were alive, would he like this?'" - Kanye West
Words by Justin Raro
Legendary Detroit producer-rapper, James Dewitt Yancey aka Jay Dee aka J Dilla, though not a household name to the general public during his career, built a reputation and body of work that earned praise and adulation of creative icons the likes of Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Q-Tip. From producing Grammy award winning songs to revolutionizing the sonic soundscape of underground hip hop, Dilla quietly accomplished more in terms of quality and recorded output than most artists do in a lifetime. His most notable early work was with his group Slum Village and other popular acts including Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, and Erykah Badu. He shunned the limelight mostly due to his grueling battle with a rare blood disease called TTP and lupus, which he sadly lost in February 2006. Though most of Dilla's acclaim has been achieved posthumously, we aim to celebrate his life that he meticulously dedicated to his craft.
Chilltown Collective, in partnership with Inspired Artist Movement, has been appointed by the Department of Cultural Affairs at HCCC to be the Music Curator of the Turntable Tuesdays programs, complementary to the Dineen Hull Gallery's art exhibition, "Hip Hop Utopia: Culture + Community". Taking place on February 7th from 6pm to 8pm in the Dineen Hull Gallery (71 Sip Ave. 6th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306), For this special night, we have chosen fan favorite DJs, DJ Prestige and Unkle Chip, to host the festivities. We hope to see you there. PEACE!
