Lightworks - Chris "Preach" Smith

Today is the fifth anniversary of James 'J-Dilla' Yancey's passing.
As I write this, at 3 in the morning, I've got a couple of tracks from
'Donuts', the album he worked on from his hospital bed towards the
end, playing in the background. The knee-jerk reaction to the
eventual outpouring of love for Dilla will more than likely be summed
up in a two word question: "What for?" To that my answer would be,
'listen for the lights within the music.' Because in the time span from
1992 with his first entry into hip hop with 1st Down until 2006, Dilla
created music that shone a light towards where hip-hop could and
would go with regards to its evolution. And when you look back on it
now, you have to sit back in amazement not only at the amount of
beats he created but how many popular tracks he was behind.

How do you write about someone who has put his finger on a
generation of listeners like Dilla has? What he's done in life and
death has been to illustrate an artist's dream; that their work
becomes an eternal eulogy that all can relate to and even add to
if they wish. As 'Waves' plays, my mind goes to those artists he
had worked with. Busta Rhymes' first solo album would not have
caught anyone's attention without the carnival-like joy of 'Woo-
Haa(Got You All in Check). Bilal wouldn't have become the
musical maestro he is today without Dilla. Slum Village, Guilty
Simpson and Black Milk are household names all because of
Dilla. Detroit is that much more relevant in hip hop due to his
work. Maybe that's what Dilla was here for, ultimately. Because
today, someone is going to listen to his music for the first time.
They'll hear the life that vibrates in every instrumental and it
will touch them deeply. And his tracks may become permanent
fixtures in the soundtrack of their lives. That is the best tribute
anyone can give Dilla today and here on out.

Rest In Power James Yancey.