About the artist
J Dilla, born James Dewitt Yancey in Detroit, Michigan, was a producer and rapper widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern hip-hop production. Emerging from Detroit's underground scene in the 1990s, he first built a reputation through production work for The Pharcyde, De La Soul, and Busta Rhymes before co-founding the group Slum Village alongside T3 and Baatin. His warm, off-kilter drum programming and loose, human feel became a signature sound that reshaped how producers approached rhythm and sampling.
Dilla's influence extended well beyond Slum Village. As part of The Ummah alongside Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, he shaped the sound of late-1990s A Tribe Called Quest, and as a member of the Soulquarians collective he worked alongside artists such as D'Angelo and ?uestlove, contributing to some of the era's most celebrated soul and hip-hop records. His production style, characterized by intentionally imprecise timing and rich sampling, influenced a generation of producers who followed.
His instrumental album «Donuts», released around the time of his death in 2006, is regarded as a landmark work in instrumental hip-hop and a deeply personal artistic statement. Tracks such as «Won't Do» and «Workinonit» remain central to his catalogue, and his legacy continues to shape production techniques across hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music.
Popular tracks
- 1
So Far to Go
en - 2
Won’t Do
Een - 3
Don’t Cry
en - 4
Workinonit
en - 5
Time: The Donut of the Heart
en - 6
Stop
en - 7
Baby
Een - 8
Last Donut of the Night
en - 9
Lightworks
en - 10
E=MC²
Een - 11
Fuck the Police
Een - 12
Waves
en - 13
Welcome to the Show
en - 14
Donuts (Outro)
en - 15
Hi.
en - 16
Think Twice
en - 17
Two Can Win
en - 18
Anti-American Graffiti
en - 19
Bye.
en - 20
U-Love
en - 21
Come Get It
Een - 22
One for Ghost
en - 23
Mash
en
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Discography
Dillagence 2
2026
Phroduced By J Dilla
2025
Stem Player
2023
Welcome 2 Detroit (The 20th Anniversary Edition)
2021
J Dilla’s Delights, Vol. 1
2017
Motor City
2017
Jay Dee’s Ma Dukes Collection
2016
The Sickness
2016
Jay Dee a.k.a. King Dilla
2016
The Middle Finger
2016
Back To The Crib
2016
The King of Beats
2016
The Diary (Instrumentals)
2016
The Diary
2016
Jay Love Japan (Deluxe Edition) + Bonus 7″
2016
Dillatronic
2015
The King of Beats (Batch #1)
2015
Lost Tapes, Reels + More
2015
The King of Beats, Vol. 1
2015
The King of Beats (Batch #4)
2015
The King of Beats (Batch #3)
2015
The King of Beats (Batch #2)
2015
Give Them What They Want
2014
Rebirth of Detroit (Instrumentals)
2014
Diamonds & Ice
2013
Anthem / Trucks
2013
The Lost Scrolls Vol. 1
2013
Dillatroit
2012
Rebirth of Detroit
2012
Donut Shop
2010
Jay Stay Paid
2009
Dillanthology 3: Dilla’s Production
2009
Sniperlite
2008
Dillagence
2007
Jay Love Japan
2007
Ruff Draft Beats
2007
Ruff Draft [2007 Re-issue]
2007
Jay Deelicious 95-98: The Delicious Vinyl Years (Originals, Remixes & Rarities)
2007
The Shining (Instrumentals)
2006
The Shining
2006
Donuts: The E.P. (J. Rocc’s Picks)
2006
The King of Beats, Vol. 2: Lost Scrolls
2006
Donuts
2006
Donuts 45
2006
Pandemonium / Louder
2006
Jay Dee V.3
2005
Ruff Draft
2003
Vol. 2: Vintage
2003
Vol. 1: Unreleased
2002
Off Ya Chest / Take Dem Clothes Off
2002
Fuck The Police
2001
Welcome 2 Detroit
2001
Welcome 2 Detroit (Instrumentals)
2001
Pause / Track
2001
Pause
2001
Me And My Man / Love (A Thing Of The Past)
2000
Everybody Get Up! / Give It Up II
2000
Jay Dee Unreleased EP
1997
J Dilla Presents