Numerous J Dilla Tributes & Benefits Happening This Month on Six Year Anniversary of Revered Artist's Death

Posted by Billyjam

Super Bowl isn't the only event happening today. On a more bittersweet note around the same time as the Giants/Patriots game over in the UK is a big J Dilla fundraising tribute party - just one of numerous events scheduled this month, on both sides of the Atlantic, that will honor the greatly revered late hip-hop producer and emcee who died six years ago around this time (Feb 10th, 2006) following a battle with lupus. Fittingly money raised at the British Dilla event today, which is titled J Dilla Changed My Life and will be held at Scala in London, will be donated to both Lupus UK and the J Dilla Foundation with all the DJs performing for free to benefit both causes. Also in the house today will be Ma Dukes - the mother of the late great artist born  James Dewitt Yancey and was also known as Jay Dee (not to be confused with an early 90's European house music act of same name). For more exact details on today's London event, that will be hosted by Phat Kat, visit the official Facebook event page.

Other J Dilla tribute events this month include ones in Detroit, LA, Baltimore, San Francisco, and New York where on Feb 19th at the Brooklyn Bowl the sixth annual Donuts Are Forever celebration will start at 8pm and will feature such talents as DJ Neil Armstrong, Prince Paul, and the hip-hop group Tanya Morgan. Of this NYC accidentally annual event Derreck "Dee Phunk" Johnson,  a partner in Rare Form - the event's organizer, said, "We never went into this planning for it to be an annual series. The original Donuts Are Forever in 2007 was a commemoration of the first anniversary of his passing.  But when we witnessed the turnout, we were dumbfounded.  We were fans and we knew there were a ton of other fans out there...but just seeing the physical manifestation of that love blew us away.  And five years later...here we are on number six." Details.

The LA Dilla event, with Ali Shaheed Muhammad (ATCQ) and Maseo (De La Soul), happened last night February 4th at Boombox. But others have still yet to take place including the big one in Detroit, which was J Dilla's birthplace. Hence the Detroit Dilla Day event will be of extra significance. It will be held on the actual anniversary of Dilla's death: Friday February 10th at The Fillmore in downtown Detroit with Busta Rhymes headlining. On February 18th Guilty Simpson will be among those honoring Dilla's legacy at Baltimore's Dilla's 6th Annual Forever Shining Tribute & Fundraiser at Ottobar with DJ sets from DJ Harvey Dent, Ronnie Don, DJ Mills, DJ Roddy Rod and DJ Two Tone Jones. On Thursday, Feb 9th at 10pm at SOM Bar in San Francisco, will be Turn It Up SF Dilla Tribute event with 100% of the door going to the J Dilla Foundation. The event is being hosted by Fran Boogie and will feature sets been spun by DJ Shortkut, Mr E, and Harlow. Should be a good night!

And on April 17th - Record Store Day 2012 - Amoeba Music and other record stores around the globe will be getting the BBE released, limited edition 7" Dilla single featuring on one side Common (“E=MC2" on 7" format for first time) who, in an interview with XXL magazine, called the late artist, "One of the most important musicians of our time. When we think of John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye, J Dilla will be going down along that history line of greatness." Indeed!