J Dilla Tickets

J DILLA IN CONCERT:

Despite his untimely death in 2006, J Dilla remains one of the most respected hip hop producers of all time, beloved for his ultra-smooth instrumental samples set to bumping back beats. Jay Dee produced, rapped, and remixed for huge names like Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul, and he left an indelible mark on the genre in the process. Sadly, he was taken from this world far too soon, leaving fans and collaborators to wonder how much more great music he could have made. The DC Loves Dilla Tribute seeks to make sense out of the tragedy, bringing together luminaries like Talib Kweli and The Pharcyde to compose and freestyle verses over J Dilla's legendary instrumentals. In addition to honoring the late great producer's legacy with a night of superlative hip hop, the DC Loves Dilla Tribute also benefits  The J Dilla Foundation, which promotes music programs for inner-city schools.

BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:

James Dewitt Yancey was born in Detroit, MI in 1974 to musical parents -- his mother was an opera singer and his father was a jazz bassist. His musical upbringing led him to begin compiling mix tapes in high school as part of the rap group Slum Village. As the group picked up steam, J Dilla also became an in-demand producer and remixer for big name artists like Janet Jackson, Common, and Erykah Badu. He made solo debut in 2001 with the album Welcome 2 Detroit, an impressive first effort that showcased his virtuosic production capabilities and impressive rapping skills. In the mid-'00s he began developing symptoms from a rare blood disorder known as TTP. Hospitalized but undaunted, he relied on friends from his record label to provide him with the recording equipment to complete his final album Donuts. The labor of love was released in 2006 on his 32nd birthday, just three days before the disease claimed his life. Soon after, his mother founded The J Dilla Foundation to support music programs at inner-city schools, an endeavor she sees an extension of the late producer’s message of sharing love through music. Since his passing, the DC Loves Dilla Tribute has paid respect to J Dilla's inimitable talents each year by bringing together collaborators and devotees to celebrate his music and support his namesake charity.