J Dilla – Music’s Prodigal Son

The 90s proved to be a decade of exceptional depth and success for Dilla. He continued to sharpen his skills, working with artists as varied in the musical lexicon as Janet Jackson, the Brand New Heavies, and Crustation (a trip-hop outfit consisting of three producers from Bristol). 1997 was to be the height of Dilla’s commercial success, producing Janet Jackson’s Got Til It’s Gone (my favorite Janet cut) from her Velvet Rope album. Though it was his production that created the beautifully human vibe of the track, the recognition would go to producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (as well as the subsequent Grammy. What follows is what’s been rumored to be his “revenge” mix of the track).

As well as creating melodiously mind-expanding tracks for the likes of Janet Jackson, Dilla remained loyal to the group format, spawning another musical outfit with Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed, and Raphael Saadiq – a musical collective known as The Ummah.

Dilla was never silent and never shy. He expanded his talents to more than just finding the intricate beauty of certain tracks. He wanted to show his rhyming skills matched up with anyone in the underground, certainly surpassing anyone in the mainstream. In 2000 Slum Village released its first album with a major record label – initially A&M Records until being housed under Goodvibe Recordings. The album was entitled Fantastic, Vol. 2 [1].