Remembering James Dewitt Yancey (aka J Dilla, Jay Dee)

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974-February 10, 2006)

It has been four years since rapper/producer/musician J Dilla released his album Donuts on his birthday, and nearly fours years since he passed away due to complications of the diseases TTP and lupus. But what does this matter? Well, if you're a fan of hip-hop, you're a fan of J Dilla, whether you know it or not. An innovative producer of the highest caliber described as "the producer's producer," he ranks amongst the greatest hip-hop has yet to offer, including Pete Rock, DJ Premier, The Bomb Squad, RZA, Dr. Dre, and Rick Rubin. He produced songs for rappers and r&b singers including: Janet Jackson, A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, Raphael Saadiq, The Pharcyde, Eryka Badu, and Common, to name a few, and often was left uncredited for his work for reasons unknown to me. He was also a member of the Detroit based rap group Slum Village, both rapping and producing with them, before parting ways to work on his own projects.

If you're someone like me; however, you don't needed to be reminded of Dilla's greatness. You most likely experience a bit of it every day or week as you listen to your music collection. People that normally don't listen to hip-hop have certainly heard bits of his tunes as well since some were used in bumps in Adult Swim. Here's a bump paying tribute to him with snippets from Donuts tracks:

Now, I'd like to explain how I was introduced to Dilla. I started off like most, not knowing of him, but certainly knowing his work. Most likely the first songs I've heard from him were for Busta Rhymes. I've always loved Busta and his emphatic rhymes. From there, I think that Dilla-wise, I listened to some Common tracks from his Electric Circus album.

This album was Common's most experimental release, in part due to Dilla's contributions. They were so unique that I began to wonder, ever so slightly, who created them. I looked at the credits of the CD's liner notes, and saw "Jay Dee" included for many of the tracks. In my ignorance, I thought this was the JD known as Jermaine Dupri, who's an incredibly less skilled rapper/producer (this is why Yancey changed his moniker to J Dilla). I managed to know of Dupri's lack of skill since the guy was pretty mainstream, so I was shocked to "learn" this, but eventually forgot about it. As time went by, I discovered him online and was blown away by how much he was involved in. To say the least, he's one of my favorite music artists out there. He has even had a few posthumous albums released, including last year's Jay Stay Paid, which was pretty amazing. Here are a couple of my favorite tracks off it with fan-made videos:

I'm not sure where to go from here, so I'll end this entry with my favorite song by Dilla, "Nothing Like This" (such a fitting title), from Ruff Draft that has another awesomely creative video:

He's just so "astronomicalnomicalnomical"

P.S. - Here's an article that describes Dilla's life and legacy much better than I have:
http://j-dilla.com/biography/

Axe Cop (Webcomic)

One of my friends posted this on his facebook, and now I'm hooked. This is a hilarious comic that, as described, is written by a 5 year old and illustrated by his 29 year old brother named Malachai and Ethan Nicholle, respectively. It's actually pretty well written, which makes me wonder if the kid had any help writing it. I'm not going to attempt to describe it, because that will take away from zaniness of it all. Enjoy the first entry below!

Axe Cop

The Whole World Is Punxsutawney's Bitch

You are now staring into the unflinching gaze of a global tyrant.

Who ever thought the fate of the world would fall into the claws of a dastardly little varmint named Phil on a yearly basis? Almost every year, he's professed an undying love for winter. The statistics don't lie; this fat little rodent has plagued us annually with wintry gloom. It must be stopped.

Song of the Moment - "Montague Terrace (in Blue)" by Scott Walker

A fan-made music video of one my favorite songs. Just listen, dammit.

The little clock's stopped ticking now
We're swallowed in the stomached rue
The only sound to tear the night
Comes from the man upstairs

His bloated belching figure stomps
He may crash through the ceiling soon
The window sees trees cry from cold
And claw the moon

But we know don't we
And we'll dream won't we
Of Montague Terrace in blue

The girl across the hall makes love
Her thoughts lay cold like shattered stone
Her thighs are full of tales to tell
Of all the nights she's known

Your eyes ignite like cold blue fire
The scent of secrets everywhere
A fist filled with illusions
Clutches all our cares

But we know don't we
And we'll dream won't we
Of Montague Terrace in blue all in blue

JAN 06

It's Poetry Appreciation Time!

I feel like posting a poem by one of my favorite poets, Wallace Stevens, whom I discovered due to my high school Latin teacher name dropping him while we were translating . . . Ovid? Anyway, in my American literature class, we're just getting to modernist writers, and my professor there also name dropped him. I was disappointed to find out that we wouldn't be reading any of his poems, but this has simply led to me reading more of his poems on my own. Here's one that I consider to be my favorite, at least for now.

"The High-Toned Old Christian Woman"

Poetry is the supreme fiction, madame.
Take the moral law and make a nave of it
And from the nave build haunted heave. Thus,
The conscience is converted into palms,
Like windy citherns hankering for hymns.
We agree in principle. That's clear. But take
The opposing law and make a peristyle,
And from the peristyle project a masque
Beyond the planets. Thus, our bawdiness,
Unpurged by epitaph, indulged at last,
Is equally converted into palms,
Squiggling like saxophones. And palm for palm,
Madame, we are where we began. Allow,
Therefore, that in the planetary scene
Your disaffected flagellants, well-stuffed,
Smacking their muzzy bellies in parade,
Proud of such novelties of the sublime,
Suck tink and tank and tunk-a-tunk-tunk
May, merely may, madame, whip from themselves
A jovial hullabaloo among the spheres.
This will make widows wince. But fictive things
Wince as they will. Wink most when widows wince.

Now, I thought I would try to interpret it here, so I postponed finishing this entry, but the truth is I still don't know if I can, so I'll leave it uninterrupted by my squiggling thoughts.

Song of the Moment - "Ambling Alp" by Yeasayer

Such an upbeat song; I lurvs it! I don't care much about the lyrics right now, except for the chorus. The chorus is definitely the best. It's all in the delivery.

Now kid I know I haven't been a perfect man
And I've avoided doing things I know I can
But if I learned one thing the tattoo on my arm
Will burn into my thumb It would be that

You must stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done
Stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done
Stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done

Now Old Man Schlemming was a formidable foe
The Ambling Alp was too at least that's what I'm told
But if you learn one thing then learn this well
In June you must get past yourself
They'll run but they can't hide

You must stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done
Stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done
Stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done

And when those thunder clouds are cryin
(in the sky, in the sky)
And when those fireflies keep shining,
(In your eyes, in your eyes)
Keep your eyes on the shine,
keep your minds on the line,
Keep your feet and slide
(into the sky, into the sky)

Now the world can be an unfair place at times
But your lows will have their compliment of highs
And if anyone should cheat you
Take advantage of or beat you raise your hand
And wear your wounds with pride

You must stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done
Stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done
Stick up for yourself son
Never mind what anybody else done

*This song can be acquired free (legally) for the time being at the band's official site: http://www.amblingalp.com/*

Spur of the Moment - Matt Bonner

After our 131-124 win against the defensively challenged Toronto Raptors, there were many high points to celebrate. Richard Jefferson's 24 points, 8 rebounds, & 7 dishes, and not to mention a couple of dunks. Ginobili's line of 36 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds & 4 blocks. Seriously? 4 blocks? Sounds like we didn't need Theo Ratliff, a respectable Sultan of Swat, if there ever was one in basketball. Then there was George Hill's more than impressive stand-in performance for TP9 with 22 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, and only 2 turnovers. McDyess had 7 points & 10 rebounds while being the only Spur tonight with credible interior D. Even the rookie DeJuan Blair, while hampered by 5 fouls (2 of which being totally, completely, absolutely bogus calls. An 8 year old would cry injustice here), put forth a commendable effort with 6 points & 7 rebounds.

But no, I didn't choose any of them as my favorite performer tonight, against better judgment. I choose the Red Rocket. Or, shall I say, the newly christened "Hoagie Hammer," for his love of sandwiches and--what's this?--a drive to the hole for a jam, and an authoritative one at that!

Damn, that Raptor defense is decidely porous, and not getting one iota of mercy from this "binary toxin"

Hmm, I probably shouldn't try making any more esoteric biology jokes. But seriously, their cytoskeleton has done been had.

Anyway, Bonner also had 18 points, 4 boards, & 2 assists, an impressive line in its own right. But really, all I care about is the dunk. Why, you ask? Sure, he's 6'10", and I'm sure he's had his fair share of dunks in high school and maybe college. But for his 3 seasons and counting as a Spur, his role has been as a 3 point shooter, and I can say that I'm 95% confident that he hasn't even have the gumption to attempt a dunk, much less pull one off. In his own words from his recent Planet Fitness commercial appearance, it was a "wicked awesome" way to help remedy our 2 disappointing losses in Utah & Portland just last week.

GO SPURS GO!