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[microphone pops]
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PERSON:
One, two, one, two.
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[switch clicks]
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MATS:
We got J Dilla in the house...
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J DILLA: Yes.
MATS: At last.
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J DILLA: Yes.
MATS: It's an honor.
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J DILLA: Yes, man.
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Yo, yo,
I'm so excited right now.
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Everybody
who get material from,
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you know what I'm saying,
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has spoken on this machine
right here.
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It's like words can't explain
it, you know, right now.
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This is wild.
This is wild.
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[sparse electronic music]
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♪ ♪
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MATS: When I hear your sort
of broken-up beats,
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when I hear your atmosphere,
your version of funk,
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I hear almost a new musical
style being born in it.
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J DILLA: First, thanks,
because, um, like,
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I guess that's what
I try to get across,
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you know what I'm saying?
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I just wanted to make sure
that, um, you know,
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if one person can understand,
like, what I'm trying to do,
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um, with this music thing,
and, like, the--
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I call it the weirdness.
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When it comes out,
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I never know
what I'm going to do.
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I just try to--you know,
once I get something going,
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just make the best of it.
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[J Dilla's "Thunder"]
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[crowd cheering]
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[crowd cheering]
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- J Dilla, the...
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- I really...
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SNOOP: I was j
ust
hearing about it,
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and hearing about
the things he was doing,
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and wanted to get with him.
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- Nobody snapped on beats
like Dilla. Nobody.
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PHAT KAT: I knew it was
a sound I never heard before.
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I knew it was different.
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- There's nothing
better than that to me.
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- There's two phases of
Dilla-- the Dilla that the
producers
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and the music community knew.
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DRAKE: There was a time where
I wouldn't listen to anything
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unless it was produced
by Dilla.
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JEFF:
We knew about his genius
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way before the public
got a hold of it.
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KELLEY: All of the songs
that you were dancing to,
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that you were singing to,
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that you never knew
he was in the background.
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ROBERT:
He wasn't the producer
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that's trying to be
in the video.
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He could literally
be in the room
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and you wouldn't know,
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so it kind of made him more of
a underground, dope secret.
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BLACK MILK: He barely
got any interviews,
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barely got video footage,
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so it's like it makes
the mystique even greater.
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- I used to always say, like,
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"Man, motherfuckers is not
going to catch on to this shit
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till we long gone."
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[boost converter whines]
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FRANK: I had no clue that
he was as sick as he was.
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Didn't know about
the blood disorder,
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that death was
so close to him.
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- He is specifically saying,
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"I just want
to finish my work."
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- It's a shame that
he didn't have the recognition
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during his life.
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KELLEY: I think that
people really missed out
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on what his imprint was.
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MARTHA:
I can't talk about him
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without talking
about his music
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because it was very much
his life.
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- My purpose is to
make sure that James' life
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and his life's work
was not in vain.
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JOHN:
Realistically,
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when it comes to
my brother's legacy...
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MC AND CROWD:
Rest in peace, J Dilla!
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[crowd cheering]
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- It don't belong to anyone
but James Dewitt Yancey.
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J DILLA: I'm just
a average kid in Detroit
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nobody--you know,
nobody knows, really.
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[soft dramatic music]
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♪ ♪
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[thump]
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MATS: How much has it meant
for your music making
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the sort of, um, lost hope
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Motown moving
to Los Angeles...
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J DILLA:
Right.
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MATS: The car factories
being abandoned...
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J DILLA:
Mm-hmm.
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MATS: How much has that meant
for your music?
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J DILLA:
Oh, um--
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"Welcome 2 Detroit"]
[J Dilla's
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♪ Welcome to the D, baby ♪
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That is--ooh.
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♪ It's all live down here ♪
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ARCHIVE NARRATOR:
Detroit is the best big city
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in the country.
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♪ What you see is all real ♪
J DILLA:
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ARCHIVE NARRATOR: It's a city
with the widest range
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that you can imagine.
of people
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J DILLA: ♪ J Dilla about
to set it the fuck off ♪
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♪ ♪
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Disappointment is one
of the driving forces
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that keeps me going.
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- We are announcing the
closing of 11 plants.
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ARCHIVE NARRATOR: It is now
called the murder capital
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of the United States.
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ARCHIVE NARRATOR:
Mile after mile of decaying.
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J DILLA:
Jobs being lost,
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so much, you know,
day-to-day life,
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you know, real life.
You know, people--
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homeless situation in Detroit
you know, the
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and the--the crime rate,
you know, is crazy.
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- Like a whole generation
is being wiped out.
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ARCHIVE NARRATOR: The worst
race riots in U. S. history.
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- The neighborhoods collapsed
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the goddamn population left.
because half
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J DILLA: It's like,
to go in the basement
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and do something
that you love to do
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and create something
that's positive
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and that's my only outlet
to take me away
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from all of the crazy stuff.
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- What y'all doing?
- Documentary.
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- Documentary.
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- Yup.
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- I am.
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[laughter]
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[engines chugging]
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[horn honks]
[record scratches]
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[energetic jazz music]
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- Which camera?
PRODUCER: You'll look at me.
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- Look at you?
Okay.
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Frame that.
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We in Detroit City,
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just outside of the
Conant Gardens neighborhood
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close to the Eight Mile.
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I can't come to Detroit
and not be at my mama's house.
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I tell her I'm getting a
hotel, we might have to fight.
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♪ ♪
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Conant Gardens,
it was basically
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a Black, middle-class area--
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Black churches,
schools, businesses.
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It was, um, the Cleavers,
or at least our version of it.
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Big, beautiful homes,
upper-middle-class living
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that's mostly Black folk.
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Real quick,
Dilla's house is right here
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on the corner right here.
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There's a lot of things
that people believe is fact,
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and it adds to his mystique.
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It keeps him, you know,
as a interesting figure.
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I think in any good story,
there's that speculation
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'cause people want to know.
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MATS:
Let's trace your roots. Uh...
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How did you grow up?
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J DILLA:
Music all in the house.
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Uh, Detroit.
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[peaceful hip-hop beat]
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As a--as a youngster...
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FRANK:
I met Dilla in 1986.
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Walking to school,
the first friend I made
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was Dilla's adopted brother.
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And he was like,
"Hey, man.
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You need to meet my brother,
James."
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me and Dilla met.
And that's how
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Became homeboys.
That was it.
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Just kind of bonded
on hip-hop--
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the Whodinis, The Fat Boys,
you know, Salt-N-Pepa.
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I mean, he was always
a different kid
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than the rest of us, right?
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I'll put it to you this way.
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Sixth, seventh grade,
kids carried backpacks.
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Dilla had a briefcase.
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[peaceful jazz music]
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MARTHA: We were nerds,
the whole house,
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a bunch of nerds.
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And James was really smart.
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Like, straight As.
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We're very family-oriented.
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Especially, like,
me and James were,
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that we're not social,
that we're awkward,
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that we're teased
a little bit.
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I don't think James
ever felt okay
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about his awkwardness
or his bashfulness.
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I think that he hated it,
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hated how uncomfortable he was
around people, period.
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JOHN: All these
family gatherings, like,
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that's the first thing
that comes to mind
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and, um, you know,
us watching movies together.
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Like, I'm talking old-school
VHS, you know what I mean?
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The whole VHS collection
in the basement.
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I just remember it was, like,
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a lot of creativity
in our household.
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Honestly, growing up, like,
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really was
a creative household.
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J DILLA:
My father was, um, you know,
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he listened to Jack McDuff
with a mixture of James Brown.
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Then my mother was an opera
singer and going to church.
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And my sister was listening
to whatever was on the radio.
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All of that paid off
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00:07:43,202 --> 00:07:46,242
and all of the music lessons
and the classes
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that my mother and father
forced me to go to.
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MARTHA:
My dad had groups
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00:07:51,953 --> 00:07:54,693
who would come to the house
and sing.
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00:07:54,726 --> 00:07:56,663
And they would go out
and perform.
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Two of the people
worked with my dad
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at Ford Motor Company,
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and then my mom.
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That was the group.
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00:08:03,142 --> 00:08:04,646
He'd had a record contract
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00:08:04,679 --> 00:08:06,917
and he's cut albums.
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00:08:06,950 --> 00:08:11,025
And so they would have, like,
rehearsals at the house.
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So music was constant.
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00:08:13,831 --> 00:08:15,935
J DILLA:
It's like my father
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00:08:15,968 --> 00:08:17,739
was just
getting into the game.
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00:08:17,772 --> 00:08:19,876
Pictures with--show me
pictures with Berry Gordy.
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00:08:19,909 --> 00:08:23,116
And it's--it's crazy.
Like--
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00:08:23,149 --> 00:08:25,955
MAUREEN: The record shop
was James' favorite place.
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00:08:25,988 --> 00:08:28,226
He got a chance to go
every Friday.
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00:08:28,259 --> 00:08:32,200
His dad got off work and would
take him there as a treat.
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00:08:32,234 --> 00:08:34,539
J DILLA:
He used to buy me 45s.
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00:08:34,572 --> 00:08:36,308
And I remember
the first album I bought
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00:08:36,342 --> 00:08:38,881
was Kool & The Gang's
Open Sesame.
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00:08:38,914 --> 00:08:40,818
I remember buying that album
in the store
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00:08:40,851 --> 00:08:43,690
and going home and
putting on Open Sesame.
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And it blew my mind.
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FRANK: At home, he's listening
to jazz and gospel.
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00:08:47,130 --> 00:08:49,168
He's singing gospel.
You know what I'm saying?
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00:08:49,201 --> 00:08:51,305
But when it came down
to us as a crew,
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00:08:51,338 --> 00:08:52,909
it was super, duper hip-hop.
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00:08:52,942 --> 00:08:55,146
Run-D.M.C., Big Daddy Kane,
you know, hip-hop.
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00:08:55,180 --> 00:08:58,554
J DILLA: In Detroit,
hip-hop was very underground,
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00:08:58,587 --> 00:08:59,622
you know what I'm saying?
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00:08:59,656 --> 00:09:01,158
It was looked at as weird.
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00:09:01,192 --> 00:09:04,566
You know, and we were, like,
strange to people.
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00:09:04,599 --> 00:09:07,137
[breezy hip-hop beat]
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00:09:07,170 --> 00:09:09,809
When I got to, like,
13, 14 years old,
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00:09:09,843 --> 00:09:11,980
you know, I got my turntables
for Christmas,
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00:09:12,013 --> 00:09:14,017
which moved to DJing.
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00:09:14,051 --> 00:09:16,322
I used to just
take people's records and,
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00:09:16,355 --> 00:09:18,226
you know,
pause and record,
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00:09:18,259 --> 00:09:20,196
you know, making
little patterns with it
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00:09:20,230 --> 00:09:23,035
like an old car wash record
with a funky drummer.
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00:09:23,069 --> 00:09:25,173
And after a while, you know,
I figured out like, "Damn it.
247
00:09:25,206 --> 00:09:26,843
"Maybe I can, um, you know,
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00:09:26,877 --> 00:09:28,179
make my own little patterns
with these records."
249
00:09:28,212 --> 00:09:29,148
You know what I'm saying?
250
00:09:29,181 --> 00:09:31,185
So started doing
little beats like that.
251
00:09:31,218 --> 00:09:32,622
FRANK:
When we was 13, 14,
252
00:09:32,655 --> 00:09:35,093
he took apart his--
his cassette deck
253
00:09:35,126 --> 00:09:38,934
to be able to do his beats
on his dual cassette.
254
00:09:38,967 --> 00:09:41,172
But he wanted to be able
to slow down the samples
255
00:09:41,205 --> 00:09:43,209
that he was recording from
or speed up the sample,
256
00:09:43,242 --> 00:09:46,115
so he tore down the cassette
and found the screw
257
00:09:46,148 --> 00:09:48,052
that actually controlled that.
258
00:09:48,085 --> 00:09:51,325
I remember coming in,
walking in the door,
259
00:09:51,358 --> 00:09:53,096
and saying, "What happened
to the tape deck?"
260
00:09:53,129 --> 00:09:54,766
Because it was--
the cover was off
261
00:09:54,799 --> 00:09:57,003
and I could just
see all the guts.
262
00:09:57,037 --> 00:09:58,774
And he was like,
"Oh, no. This straight.
263
00:09:58,807 --> 00:10:00,243
I just needed to--
so I can do this."
264
00:10:00,276 --> 00:10:01,345
♪ ♪
265
00:10:01,378 --> 00:10:03,817
"What?
You did what?"
266
00:10:03,851 --> 00:10:07,992
"Yeah, the screw right here,
turn that, speed up, see?"
267
00:10:08,025 --> 00:10:09,829
[imitates music speeding up]
268
00:10:09,863 --> 00:10:12,134
"Now it slow down."
Like...
269
00:10:12,167 --> 00:10:13,402
"Yo, like,
what's wrong with you, bro?"
270
00:10:13,436 --> 00:10:15,406
And that was him.
271
00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,379
Like,
once I lock into a situation,
272
00:10:18,412 --> 00:10:20,250
I'm going to figure it out.
273
00:10:20,283 --> 00:10:22,120
♪ ♪
274
00:10:22,154 --> 00:10:24,057
MAUREEN: At that time,
I knew he was gifted.
275
00:10:24,091 --> 00:10:26,830
But I know so many people
that were gifted
276
00:10:26,863 --> 00:10:28,934
that never, ever
got out the door.
277
00:10:28,967 --> 00:10:31,640
And--and that was my fear.
278
00:10:31,673 --> 00:10:35,113
His dad had been
in music 25 years.
279
00:10:35,146 --> 00:10:37,017
He never made it like that.
280
00:10:37,050 --> 00:10:38,419
J DILLA: I hear my father
talk about it
281
00:10:38,452 --> 00:10:39,789
and I always ask him, like,
282
00:10:39,823 --> 00:10:42,060
sign with someone?
why didn't you
283
00:10:42,093 --> 00:10:43,362
Or why didn't you--
284
00:10:43,396 --> 00:10:45,200
I don't even think
he can explain.
285
00:10:45,233 --> 00:10:47,370
You know, it's just kind of
like one of those situations
286
00:10:47,404 --> 00:10:51,813
where it just never happened,
so I learned from that.
287
00:10:51,847 --> 00:10:53,115
♪ ♪
288
00:10:53,149 --> 00:10:54,986
I can't stop, you know,
not even for myself.
289
00:10:55,019 --> 00:10:58,226
But, you know, I have to--
I have to do this,
290
00:10:58,259 --> 00:10:59,696
you know what I'm saying,
you know,
291
00:10:59,729 --> 00:11:00,898
for my father,
you know what I'm saying?
292
00:11:00,931 --> 00:11:02,167
Get him proud--make him proud
293
00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:03,904
and you know,
for the rest of my family.
294
00:11:08,747 --> 00:11:12,120
- Dilla was a rare
breed of producer
295
00:11:12,153 --> 00:11:18,232
that gave you a human feel
in a technicalorld.
296
00:11:20,036 --> 00:11:21,272
[old-school hip-hop beat]
297
00:11:21,305 --> 00:11:24,177
- I remember being in LA
and I was driving
298
00:11:24,211 --> 00:11:26,750
and it was the first time
that I heard "I Don't Know."
299
00:11:26,783 --> 00:11:29,756
[Slum Village's
"I Don't Know"]
300
00:11:29,789 --> 00:11:36,803
♪ ♪
301
00:11:37,805 --> 00:11:41,145
-
And I thought the collection
of James Brown samples
302
00:11:41,178 --> 00:11:43,282
and the way that
that was put together
303
00:11:43,316 --> 00:11:45,754
was probably one of the
most ingenious things
304
00:11:45,788 --> 00:11:47,123
that I ever heard,
305
00:11:47,157 --> 00:11:49,394
not only in hip-hop,
but in music.
306
00:11:57,778 --> 00:12:00,283
JEFF: And I remember
calling the radio station
307
00:12:00,316 --> 00:12:01,953
and said, "What is this?"
308
00:12:01,987 --> 00:12:02,989
And they were like,
309
00:12:03,022 --> 00:12:05,059
"This is a group
out of Detroit, Slum Village.
310
00:12:05,093 --> 00:12:07,163
But this is J Dilla,
the producer."
311
00:12:07,197 --> 00:12:09,268
And I was like,
"I need that immediately."
312
00:12:09,301 --> 00:12:10,871
[thump]
[record scratches]
313
00:12:10,905 --> 00:12:13,175
J DILLA: When I started pause
and record beats,
314
00:12:13,209 --> 00:12:15,748
I was also writing rhymes.
315
00:12:15,781 --> 00:12:17,818
I heard about T3 and Baatin.
316
00:12:17,852 --> 00:12:19,121
And they went to
another high school.
317
00:12:19,154 --> 00:12:22,294
So I'm like, "Okay. One day,
we gonna go up and challenge."
318
00:12:22,327 --> 00:12:25,333
But we ended up taking a trip
to a record store
319
00:12:25,366 --> 00:12:27,070
and buying some
breakbeat albums
320
00:12:27,103 --> 00:12:30,076
and it turned into us
321
00:12:30,109 --> 00:12:32,815
seeing the differences
in all three of us
322
00:12:32,848 --> 00:12:34,217
and what we could be as one.
323
00:12:34,251 --> 00:12:35,086
[crowd cheering]
324
00:12:35,119 --> 00:12:38,459
- Make some noise
for Slum Village!
325
00:12:38,493 --> 00:12:40,764
[crowd cheering]
Slum Village!
326
00:12:40,798 --> 00:12:43,169
- My name--
I go by the name of T3.
327
00:12:43,202 --> 00:12:46,342
This is my man, Baatin,
right here.
328
00:12:46,375 --> 00:12:48,814
I've got to introduce
one more man in my group.
329
00:12:48,847 --> 00:12:50,249
[crowd yelling]
You know what I'm saying?
330
00:12:50,283 --> 00:12:52,788
That's my man Jay Dee
right here.
331
00:12:52,822 --> 00:12:55,126
[crowd cheering]
332
00:12:55,159 --> 00:12:58,232
[Slum Village's
"Get Dis Money"]
333
00:12:58,265 --> 00:13:00,336
♪ ♪
334
00:13:00,370 --> 00:13:03,009
TOGETHER:
♪ Hey, hey, hey, h-hey, hey ♪
335
00:13:03,042 --> 00:13:04,011
♪ What you say? ♪
336
00:13:04,044 --> 00:13:05,246
♪ Get this party ♪
337
00:13:05,279 --> 00:13:08,520
- I think that that was
a big change for him,
338
00:13:08,553 --> 00:13:12,227
actually meeting Baatin
and T3.
339
00:13:12,260 --> 00:13:15,801
I absolutely
loved them together.
340
00:13:15,834 --> 00:13:16,836
I did.
341
00:13:16,870 --> 00:13:19,041
[dramatic drum roll]
342
00:13:20,143 --> 00:13:22,414
HOST: Joseph "Amp" Fiddler
is an American keyboardist,
343
00:13:22,447 --> 00:13:24,084
sound designer,
singer/songwriter,
344
00:13:24,117 --> 00:13:26,422
and record producer
from Detroit, Michigan, USA.
345
00:13:26,455 --> 00:13:28,225
He's probably
best known as part
346
00:13:28,259 --> 00:13:30,163
of George Clinton's Parliament
and Funkadelic groups
347
00:13:30,196 --> 00:13:32,400
from 1985 to 1996.
348
00:13:32,434 --> 00:13:34,271
[dramatic electronic music]
349
00:13:34,304 --> 00:13:37,845
So what is probably
missed out in Wikipedia pages
350
00:13:37,878 --> 00:13:40,316
is Amp Fiddler taught
Dilla how to make beats.
351
00:13:40,350 --> 00:13:41,920
AMP:
That is missing, isn't it?
352
00:13:41,953 --> 00:13:44,291
We have to put it there.
353
00:13:44,324 --> 00:13:47,230
He would knock on my door
with Slum Village
354
00:13:47,263 --> 00:13:49,368
and four or five other kids
355
00:13:49,401 --> 00:13:52,842
and ask if he can work
in the basement.
356
00:13:52,875 --> 00:13:55,279
And I said, "So am I
making the beats for you?
357
00:13:55,313 --> 00:13:57,150
Am I producing this or--"
358
00:13:57,183 --> 00:14:01,025
and they said "No,
James can make the beats."
359
00:14:01,058 --> 00:14:03,329
He came in
and played them for me.
360
00:14:03,362 --> 00:14:08,172
And he had created them
with cassette players.
361
00:14:08,205 --> 00:14:11,913
And he just kept dubbing
from one cassette to another
362
00:14:11,946 --> 00:14:13,950
until he got the track done.
363
00:14:13,984 --> 00:14:16,221
And I said, "Damn,
well, if you could do that,
364
00:14:16,255 --> 00:14:18,325
"then I can show you that
365
00:14:18,359 --> 00:14:20,263
"you can take
those same samples
366
00:14:20,296 --> 00:14:24,304
and put them in the MPC and
sample them and make a track."
367
00:14:24,337 --> 00:14:26,442
FRANK:
Amp was kind of the first
368
00:14:26,475 --> 00:14:28,947
where you got kind of
a professional experience.
369
00:14:28,980 --> 00:14:31,553
And also for Dilla,
370
00:14:31,586 --> 00:14:35,159
that's where Dilla really
learned how to use the MPC60.
371
00:14:35,193 --> 00:14:38,900
ROGER: Technology has just
taken a giant leap forward.
372
00:14:38,934 --> 00:14:40,336
Hello, I'm Roger Linn
373
00:14:40,369 --> 00:14:43,342
and this is the MPC60
Midi Production Center.
374
00:14:43,375 --> 00:14:45,614
JEFF:
There's been a bunch of MPCs.
375
00:14:45,647 --> 00:14:49,956
Like,
Dilla was a MPC3000 king.
376
00:14:49,989 --> 00:14:52,561
An MPC is a sampling
drum machine,
377
00:14:52,595 --> 00:14:56,201
so you can put drums in it and
you can program drum beats.
378
00:14:56,235 --> 00:15:01,178
But you also can sample from
live instruments to records
379
00:15:01,211 --> 00:15:04,184
to you saying something
on a microphone
380
00:15:04,217 --> 00:15:07,090
and put it on all of the pads
and rearrange them
381
00:15:07,123 --> 00:15:09,629
and play a completely
different composition.
382
00:15:09,662 --> 00:15:12,501
It's really a band in a box.
383
00:15:12,535 --> 00:15:14,104
J DILLA:
I say don't read books.
384
00:15:14,137 --> 00:15:16,543
When you get equipment,
say, just, learn the machine
385
00:15:16,576 --> 00:15:19,014
and it'll do what
you need it to do.
386
00:15:19,047 --> 00:15:21,953
If I would've read the book,
I don't think
387
00:15:21,986 --> 00:15:23,155
I would be, you know,
388
00:15:23,189 --> 00:15:24,492
on the same path
that I'm on right now.
389
00:15:24,525 --> 00:15:28,099
I think my music might
sound totally different.
390
00:15:28,132 --> 00:15:30,336
AMP:
The first song that we made
391
00:15:30,369 --> 00:15:32,273
was called "Ghost Town
to the Break of Day."
392
00:15:32,307 --> 00:15:34,377
[Slum Village's "Ghost Town
to the Break of Day"]
393
00:15:34,411 --> 00:15:36,415
[old-school hip-hop beat]
394
00:15:36,448 --> 00:15:38,553
TOGETHER: ♪ Ghost town
to the break of day ♪
395
00:15:38,587 --> 00:15:41,125
♪ Ghost town
to the break of day ♪
396
00:15:41,158 --> 00:15:42,127
♪ Get off my jiggity-- ♪
397
00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:43,395
[energetic jazz music]
398
00:15:43,429 --> 00:15:44,999
FRANK: What he did
with the machine,
399
00:15:45,032 --> 00:15:46,268
he shifted timing.
400
00:15:46,301 --> 00:15:47,505
It made it feel different.
401
00:15:47,538 --> 00:15:49,040
- Now I'd like
to talk more about
402
00:15:49,074 --> 00:15:50,544
the Timing Correct feature.
403
00:15:50,577 --> 00:15:53,683
- All of these drum machines
have a autocorrect on it.
404
00:15:53,717 --> 00:15:55,253
I can push a button
405
00:15:55,286 --> 00:15:56,990
and it'll make it perfect.
[angelic choir sings]
406
00:15:57,023 --> 00:15:58,392
There is not a human being
407
00:15:58,425 --> 00:16:00,163
on this Earth that is perfect.
408
00:16:00,196 --> 00:16:03,670
What Dilla did
that made him special
409
00:16:03,703 --> 00:16:08,145
equipment that you can make
is he took a piece of
perfect
410
00:16:08,179 --> 00:16:10,984
and he added a human element
to it.
411
00:16:11,018 --> 00:16:13,155
When you listen to his beat,
412
00:16:13,189 --> 00:16:16,428
you didn't get him pushing
the button to make it perfect.
413
00:16:16,461 --> 00:16:19,301
You got it exactly
how he played it.
414
00:16:19,334 --> 00:16:24,010
You got it exactly how
he wanted you to receive it.
415
00:16:24,044 --> 00:16:25,346
J DILLA: Like, I get that
416
00:16:25,379 --> 00:16:27,450
from listening to
old drummers, Bernard Purdie,
417
00:16:27,483 --> 00:16:29,287
you know, Idris Muhammad.
418
00:16:29,321 --> 00:16:32,427
I mean, like, drummers
like that had funk, soul.
419
00:16:32,460 --> 00:16:36,201
It was like you can hear when
they fucked up, basically,
420
00:16:36,235 --> 00:16:37,705
in rhythm and timing.
421
00:16:37,738 --> 00:16:39,441
It was still funky.
You know what I'm saying?
422
00:16:39,474 --> 00:16:41,178
It's like
they still kept a beat.
423
00:16:41,211 --> 00:16:42,347
It's hard to explain,
424
00:16:42,380 --> 00:16:45,621
but I try to do that
through the MP.
425
00:16:45,654 --> 00:16:48,627
[hi-hat tapping]
426
00:16:48,660 --> 00:16:52,735
♪ ♪
427
00:16:52,768 --> 00:16:56,576
- So that's me playing the
hi-hat in my natural rhythm.
428
00:16:56,609 --> 00:16:59,080
This is the best to my ability
429
00:16:59,114 --> 00:17:01,118
of me playing this hi-hat
on the beat.
430
00:17:01,151 --> 00:17:04,124
[snare and kick playing]
431
00:17:04,157 --> 00:17:11,038
♪ ♪
432
00:17:12,207 --> 00:17:15,714
So if you listen to this...
433
00:17:15,747 --> 00:17:19,789
the kick and the snare
is off a little bit.
434
00:17:19,822 --> 00:17:21,225
It fits.
435
00:17:21,258 --> 00:17:23,229
But it's exactly
how I played it.
436
00:17:23,262 --> 00:17:27,270
But if I wanted to fix it,
if I pick that...
437
00:17:27,303 --> 00:17:29,107
[percussion perfectly on-beat]
438
00:17:29,140 --> 00:17:33,249
But to me, that took
all of the feel out of it.
439
00:17:33,282 --> 00:17:37,357
This is very robotic.
440
00:17:37,390 --> 00:17:41,098
Now, what I love about it
and what he was very good at
441
00:17:41,131 --> 00:17:45,607
is, if this wasn't exactly
where he wanted it to be,
442
00:17:45,641 --> 00:17:48,613
he could erase something
and do it again.
443
00:17:48,647 --> 00:17:51,251
And I think the
people that were
444
00:17:51,285 --> 00:17:54,124
trying to mimic
what Dilla was doing
445
00:17:54,157 --> 00:17:56,261
was looking for the feature.
446
00:17:56,295 --> 00:17:58,800
They were almost looking
for the Dilla button,
447
00:17:58,833 --> 00:18:01,305
and the Dilla
button is inside.
448
00:18:01,338 --> 00:18:04,545
[upbeat hip-hop music]
449
00:18:04,578 --> 00:18:07,183
♪ ♪
450
00:18:07,216 --> 00:18:09,588
- ♪ What the fuck you wanna
do? What the fuck? ♪
451
00:18:09,622 --> 00:18:11,593
♪ What the fuck you wanna do?
Take it out, y'all ♪
452
00:18:11,626 --> 00:18:13,797
♪ Yo, yo,
everybody in the house ♪
453
00:18:13,830 --> 00:18:15,667
♪ Just raise your hands
up in the air ♪
454
00:18:15,701 --> 00:18:18,405
- I just became
obsessed with that sound
455
00:18:18,439 --> 00:18:20,409
and what they was
doing as a group.
456
00:18:20,443 --> 00:18:22,681
And, of course, Dilla was--
how do you explain that?
457
00:18:22,715 --> 00:18:25,787
Like, he was a star.
You know what I'm saying?
458
00:18:25,821 --> 00:18:28,459
In the sense of, like,
ability and skill set,
459
00:18:28,493 --> 00:18:30,396
he was bigger than the group,
460
00:18:30,429 --> 00:18:32,467
bigger than life,
you know what I'm saying,
461
00:18:32,501 --> 00:18:33,803
in terms of what
he was doing musically.
462
00:18:33,837 --> 00:18:35,306
♪ ♪
463
00:18:35,339 --> 00:18:37,711
TOGETHER:
♪ Oh, ah, oh-ah, oh-ah ♪
464
00:18:37,745 --> 00:18:40,216
♪ Oh, ah, oh-ah, oh-ah ♪
465
00:18:40,249 --> 00:18:42,855
Q-TIP: I was on
Lollapalooza tour in '94.
466
00:18:42,888 --> 00:18:46,428
So we started on the tour.
467
00:18:46,461 --> 00:18:49,669
This brother with a crazy,
big afro came by.
468
00:18:49,702 --> 00:18:51,271
It was Amp Fiddler
469
00:18:51,305 --> 00:18:52,675
and he was playing keyboards
for Funkadelic.
470
00:18:52,708 --> 00:18:54,177
And he was just like, "Yo,
471
00:18:54,210 --> 00:18:55,881
"I got this kid
I really want you to hear.
472
00:18:55,914 --> 00:18:58,352
"You're going to love him.
He loves you.
473
00:18:58,385 --> 00:18:59,855
"He looks up to you so much.
474
00:18:59,889 --> 00:19:01,893
I want you to meet him
when we get to Detroit."
475
00:19:01,926 --> 00:19:04,732
- A Tribe Called Quest
are at the top of their game.
476
00:19:04,765 --> 00:19:06,602
Sonically, musically,
477
00:19:06,636 --> 00:19:09,441
they really were kind of
like the group that
478
00:19:09,474 --> 00:19:10,610
a whole generation looked to.
479
00:19:10,644 --> 00:19:12,447
Q-Tip,
I think you have to say,
480
00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,785
is one of the most
innovative hip-hop producers.
481
00:19:14,819 --> 00:19:17,223
Q-TIP: We had like 12 cities
to get to Detroit.
482
00:19:17,256 --> 00:19:18,459
And each day,
he would still come
483
00:19:18,493 --> 00:19:20,597
and say the same thing to me.
[laughter]
484
00:19:20,630 --> 00:19:22,367
Like, "Yo, man.
485
00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:24,237
Detroit's coming up,
dude, like--"
486
00:19:24,270 --> 00:19:25,373
[laughter]
487
00:19:25,406 --> 00:19:27,911
- And then
when the tour stopped here,
488
00:19:27,945 --> 00:19:29,347
he got Dilla some tickets
489
00:19:29,381 --> 00:19:31,251
and they went up
to see the show.
490
00:19:31,284 --> 00:19:32,755
Q-TIP: I remember Dilla
had on some glasses.
491
00:19:32,788 --> 00:19:34,190
And he came on smiling.
492
00:19:34,224 --> 00:19:35,660
The first thing I saw
was his smile.
493
00:19:35,694 --> 00:19:38,500
He was like,
"Oh, man. Oh, man."
494
00:19:38,533 --> 00:19:39,668
I was like,
"Oh, what's up, man?"
495
00:19:39,702 --> 00:19:41,506
He gave me his
tape personally.
496
00:19:41,539 --> 00:19:44,678
FRANK:
That opened up ears to Dilla.
497
00:19:44,712 --> 00:19:46,248
That tape was a tape
498
00:19:46,281 --> 00:19:47,885
that circulated
through the industry.
499
00:19:47,918 --> 00:19:50,389
It started their platform,
500
00:19:50,423 --> 00:19:52,427
the platform
outside of Detroit.
501
00:19:57,236 --> 00:19:59,374
[peaceful music]
502
00:19:59,407 --> 00:20:01,411
PHAT KAT:
We in the studio recording.
503
00:20:01,445 --> 00:20:03,415
And he step out of the studio.
504
00:20:03,449 --> 00:20:06,221
And he comes back in like,
"Man,
505
00:20:06,254 --> 00:20:07,390
man, you won't believe
who that was."
506
00:20:07,423 --> 00:20:08,493
I'm like, "Who?"
507
00:20:08,526 --> 00:20:09,495
He's like,
"Man, that was Q-Tip.
508
00:20:09,528 --> 00:20:11,264
You know what I'm saying?
I'm like, "What?"
509
00:20:11,298 --> 00:20:13,235
Q-TIP: I called the house,
his house.
510
00:20:13,268 --> 00:20:15,907
I was like, "Yo, man.
511
00:20:15,941 --> 00:20:17,678
"People got to hear
your shit somehow.
512
00:20:17,711 --> 00:20:21,418
We got to figure something
out. We got to work, man."
513
00:20:21,451 --> 00:20:24,290
- We looked at that shit
like it was a sign.
514
00:20:24,324 --> 00:20:28,666
Like, you know, like
this shit is about to go down.
515
00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:30,570
MAUREEN:
You know, he'd be excited.
516
00:20:30,604 --> 00:20:34,945
But what his excitement was
was simply this--
517
00:20:34,979 --> 00:20:36,381
in his head.
518
00:20:36,415 --> 00:20:38,520
Would not utter a word,
just like--
519
00:20:38,553 --> 00:20:40,423
J DILLA:
Tip got me out to New York,
520
00:20:40,456 --> 00:20:41,959
and he wanted to manage me
521
00:20:41,993 --> 00:20:44,431
but he didn't know
where to even start.
522
00:20:44,464 --> 00:20:46,969
He just was like, "Yo,
I got to get you out here."
523
00:20:47,003 --> 00:20:48,706
I'm going to the studio,
you know,
524
00:20:48,740 --> 00:20:50,944
Pharcyde is down the hall,
Common is in another room,
525
00:20:50,977 --> 00:20:53,282
The Roots, you know, all of
these people I'm listening to.
526
00:20:53,315 --> 00:20:55,854
MARTHA:
It just didn't seem real
527
00:20:55,887 --> 00:20:58,726
because he's still very young.
528
00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,398
What was he, 20 maybe?
20 years old?
529
00:21:01,431 --> 00:21:02,568
J DILLA: Like you know,
530
00:21:02,601 --> 00:21:04,572
he used to ask me opinions
on things.
531
00:21:04,605 --> 00:21:05,874
You know, for me to say that,
you know,
532
00:21:05,907 --> 00:21:07,845
it's kind of weird because,
like I said,
533
00:21:07,878 --> 00:21:11,619
I'm a Tribe Called Quest fan.
You know, every album.
534
00:21:11,652 --> 00:21:14,357
To even get a call back
from that man
535
00:21:14,390 --> 00:21:16,596
you know,
and to be taken serious--
536
00:21:16,629 --> 00:21:17,865
I was there.
537
00:21:17,898 --> 00:21:19,835
See, I tell people
I felt like I was a part
538
00:21:19,869 --> 00:21:24,043
of A Tribe Called Quest.
539
00:21:24,077 --> 00:21:25,614
ALI:
Yeah, he was in our world.
540
00:21:25,647 --> 00:21:27,016
But it was more like
we were in his world
541
00:21:27,049 --> 00:21:28,887
because it was just like,
542
00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:30,657
how does he come in
and do this so quick?
543
00:21:30,690 --> 00:21:31,993
Like, we're sitting here
for hours,
544
00:21:32,026 --> 00:21:33,596
just chopping, doing all this.
545
00:21:33,630 --> 00:21:35,600
And Dilla would just come in
and boop, boop, boop, boop,
546
00:21:35,634 --> 00:21:37,604
boop, boop, boop, boop, boom,
and go back upstairs.
547
00:21:37,638 --> 00:21:38,640
And you're like--
548
00:21:38,673 --> 00:21:41,712
[laughter]
549
00:21:42,581 --> 00:21:44,350
I've been sitting here
for weeks and months
550
00:21:44,384 --> 00:21:47,456
trying to achieve that,
what he just did in minutes.
551
00:21:47,490 --> 00:21:50,462
[jazzy hip-hop beat]
552
00:21:50,497 --> 00:21:51,632
♪ ♪
553
00:21:51,666 --> 00:21:52,901
MIKE: First time
I heard of Dilla beat
554
00:21:52,935 --> 00:21:57,878
was when Tre and The Pharcyde
were in New York
555
00:21:57,911 --> 00:22:01,418
recording with
New York hip-hop producers.
556
00:22:01,451 --> 00:22:02,921
- This is The Pharcyde.
557
00:22:02,955 --> 00:22:05,326
MIKE: Pharcyde's first record
is successful.
558
00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:07,063
They're getting MTV play.
559
00:22:07,096 --> 00:22:09,768
The sophomore album is always
a big album for any group.
560
00:22:09,802 --> 00:22:12,406
And we didn't really
have a producer.
561
00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,514
[soft dramatic music]
562
00:22:15,547 --> 00:22:17,016
So they get in the studio.
563
00:22:17,049 --> 00:22:19,655
And Q-Tip happened to be
working with this young kid
564
00:22:19,688 --> 00:22:20,657
named Jay Dee.
565
00:22:20,690 --> 00:22:22,393
♪ ♪
566
00:22:22,426 --> 00:22:23,930
I remember Tre
from The Pharcyde
567
00:22:23,963 --> 00:22:26,536
calling me and saying,
"Mike, listen to this beat."
568
00:22:26,569 --> 00:22:27,804
And it was the "Runnin'" beat.
569
00:22:27,838 --> 00:22:30,810
[The Pharcyde's "Runnin'"]
570
00:22:30,844 --> 00:22:33,048
[mellow hip-hop beat]
571
00:22:34,718 --> 00:22:37,925
I said,
"Well, come back to LA now.
572
00:22:37,958 --> 00:22:39,495
I think we have our producer."
573
00:22:39,528 --> 00:22:41,398
J DILLA: The Pharcyde,
"Runnin'," that song,
574
00:22:41,431 --> 00:22:44,404
first songs that a major label
that was one of the
575
00:22:44,437 --> 00:22:46,542
gave me an opportunity
to go out
576
00:22:46,576 --> 00:22:48,412
and do what I want to do.
577
00:22:48,445 --> 00:22:53,055
- Dilla took that approach
of grabbing samples
578
00:22:53,088 --> 00:22:55,827
and turned it into
a musical form.
579
00:22:55,860 --> 00:22:57,564
[record scratching]
580
00:22:57,598 --> 00:23:01,438
[mellow jazz music]
581
00:23:01,471 --> 00:23:04,110
He added a little bit
more sophistication
582
00:23:04,143 --> 00:23:06,549
to the music side
of these records.
583
00:23:06,582 --> 00:23:10,857
He added
a really dope landscape
584
00:23:10,890 --> 00:23:15,533
to what the rappers
were rapping off of.
585
00:23:15,567 --> 00:23:17,838
This is Stan Getz.
586
00:23:17,871 --> 00:23:20,577
[mellow jazz music]
587
00:23:20,610 --> 00:23:22,581
So he sampled this part.
588
00:23:22,614 --> 00:23:27,991
♪ ♪
589
00:23:28,025 --> 00:23:29,828
So if you hear lute--
590
00:23:29,862 --> 00:23:32,601
♪ ♪
591
00:23:32,634 --> 00:23:33,603
[light record scratching]
592
00:23:33,636 --> 00:23:36,976
[mellow hip-hop beat]
593
00:23:37,009 --> 00:23:40,517
And that's how he used it.
594
00:23:40,550 --> 00:23:44,625
element is what made it seep
Him adding that musical
over
595
00:23:44,658 --> 00:23:47,631
into all genres of music
and, you know,
596
00:23:47,664 --> 00:23:50,169
that his impact
wasn't just in hip-hop.
597
00:23:50,202 --> 00:23:53,743
His impact was musically
all the way across the board.
598
00:23:53,776 --> 00:23:56,749
[The Singers Unlimited's
"Clair"]
599
00:23:56,782 --> 00:23:59,053
[upbeat whistling]
600
00:23:59,087 --> 00:24:00,757
[mellow music]
601
00:24:00,790 --> 00:24:02,995
This is one of my favorites.
602
00:24:03,028 --> 00:24:06,167
This is The Singers Unlimited,
"Clair."
603
00:24:06,201 --> 00:24:07,938
SINGER:
♪ Hard as I might do ♪
604
00:24:07,971 --> 00:24:10,142
♪ I don't know why ♪
605
00:24:10,175 --> 00:24:13,916
[slowing down] ♪ You get to me
in a way I can't describe ♪
606
00:24:13,950 --> 00:24:17,791
♪ The words mean so little
when you look up and smile ♪
607
00:24:17,824 --> 00:24:20,664
[pitched down] ♪ I don't care
what people say to me ♪
608
00:24:20,697 --> 00:24:22,634
♪ You're more than a child ♪
609
00:24:22,668 --> 00:24:23,770
♪ Oh, Clair ♪
610
00:24:23,803 --> 00:24:25,674
♪ Oh, Clair ♪
611
00:24:25,707 --> 00:24:27,511
♪ Clair ♪
612
00:24:27,544 --> 00:24:28,513
[record scratches]
613
00:24:28,546 --> 00:24:31,151
[hip-hop beat]
614
00:24:31,184 --> 00:24:32,486
♪ Clair ♪
615
00:24:32,521 --> 00:24:33,756
T3:
♪ It's the 788-- ♪
616
00:24:33,790 --> 00:24:36,061
- And then--
and then it's--
617
00:24:36,094 --> 00:24:37,664
SINGER:
♪ Claire ♪
618
00:24:37,698 --> 00:24:39,067
T3: ♪ Don't let
the drama fluctuate ♪
619
00:24:39,100 --> 00:24:40,804
This wasn't even a music
JEFF:
sample.
620
00:24:40,837 --> 00:24:44,243
These are human voices
that he tuned
621
00:24:44,277 --> 00:24:49,253
in a way to create
the music bed for "Players."
622
00:24:49,287 --> 00:24:51,926
And the song is
called "Clair."
623
00:24:51,959 --> 00:24:55,065
Everybody in the world thinks
they're saying "players."
624
00:24:55,099 --> 00:24:56,234
Genius.
625
00:24:56,267 --> 00:24:59,541
He used everything
at his disposal.
626
00:24:59,575 --> 00:25:04,585
That was the joy of it,
of the discovery,
627
00:25:04,618 --> 00:25:07,123
and he did it better
than all of us.
628
00:25:07,156 --> 00:25:10,864
- I ran into Dilla
at Q-Tip's house.
629
00:25:10,897 --> 00:25:14,103
And he was like,
"Dilla's downstairs."
630
00:25:14,137 --> 00:25:15,673
And Dilla was--
I went downstairs.
631
00:25:15,707 --> 00:25:18,846
He was just downstairs
behind the turntable
632
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,119
playing records and messing
just with records, just
around.
633
00:25:22,153 --> 00:25:24,023
[upbeat music]
634
00:25:24,057 --> 00:25:26,595
And then we put together
The Ummah.
635
00:25:26,629 --> 00:25:28,566
Ummah was a collection
of producers.
636
00:25:28,599 --> 00:25:32,006
Ummah came to be
through Kamaal, Q-Tip.
637
00:25:32,039 --> 00:25:34,578
Q-TIP: The Ummah was supposed
to be D'Angelo, myself,
638
00:25:34,611 --> 00:25:37,551
Ali, Raphael Saadiq,
and Dilla.
639
00:25:37,584 --> 00:25:38,886
FRANK: It was a collective.
640
00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:40,089
It would just say
produced by The Ummah,
641
00:25:40,122 --> 00:25:41,859
which could have been
produced by Q-Tip,
642
00:25:41,892 --> 00:25:44,030
or Ali Shaheed, or Dilla.
643
00:25:44,063 --> 00:25:46,836
- It was intentionally
a little bit opaque,
644
00:25:46,869 --> 00:25:49,875
what exactly The Ummah credit
meant.
645
00:25:49,908 --> 00:25:52,146
J DILLA: I just wanted
to be a part of the movement
646
00:25:52,179 --> 00:25:53,616
of what they were doing.
647
00:25:53,649 --> 00:25:55,152
And I say it was
just all exciting.
648
00:25:55,185 --> 00:25:56,756
I was just going
with the flow,
649
00:25:56,789 --> 00:25:58,024
rolling with the punches,
650
00:25:58,058 --> 00:25:59,895
and, you know,
taking it as it came.
651
00:25:59,928 --> 00:26:01,999
EDWIN: After a few 12-inches
had come out,
652
00:26:02,032 --> 00:26:03,569
there's this piece
in Vibe magazine
653
00:26:03,603 --> 00:26:06,174
by Jeff Mao,
known as Chairman Mao.
654
00:26:06,207 --> 00:26:09,882
[energetic electronic music]
655
00:26:09,915 --> 00:26:12,888
That is kind of
the first window
656
00:26:12,921 --> 00:26:16,629
that hip-hop fans, I think,
have into who Jay Dee is.
657
00:26:16,662 --> 00:26:19,601
MIKE: Then all of a sudden,
he's caught up in a wave.
658
00:26:19,635 --> 00:26:21,639
You know,
he's off to the races.
659
00:26:21,672 --> 00:26:24,043
♪ ♪
660
00:26:24,076 --> 00:26:26,014
Fucking genius.
661
00:26:26,047 --> 00:26:27,049
What a fucking--pfft.
662
00:26:27,082 --> 00:26:28,118
♪ ♪
663
00:26:29,020 --> 00:26:33,328
- I first got exposed
to Dilla's music--
664
00:26:33,361 --> 00:26:34,631
yeah, I remember exactly.
665
00:26:34,665 --> 00:26:36,000
I was at my friend's house.
666
00:26:36,034 --> 00:26:38,906
And he played this
Busta Rhyme album.
667
00:26:38,940 --> 00:26:40,944
And the song came on.
668
00:26:40,977 --> 00:26:43,048
"Still Shining" it was called.
"Still Shining."
669
00:26:43,081 --> 00:26:45,787
I was like,
"Wait, what is this?"
670
00:26:45,820 --> 00:26:48,793
[Busta Rhymes'
"Still Shining"]
671
00:26:48,826 --> 00:26:51,799
♪ ♪
672
00:26:51,832 --> 00:26:53,335
- He used to send me a beat CD
and be like,
673
00:26:53,368 --> 00:26:55,640
"These are the beats
that nobody can rhyme to."
674
00:26:55,673 --> 00:26:58,646
And it'll be the most
off-the-wall, left-field,
675
00:26:58,679 --> 00:27:00,249
groundbreaking-sounding beats,
676
00:27:00,282 --> 00:27:03,789
and that was what would
challenge me to write.
677
00:27:03,823 --> 00:27:05,894
That song took me about
a week and a half to write.
678
00:27:05,927 --> 00:27:08,231
I ain't never take that long
to write a song in my life.
679
00:27:08,265 --> 00:27:10,770
♪ Just a moment,
let me take a breather ♪
680
00:27:10,804 --> 00:27:13,341
♪ Got you niggas sweatin' cold
like you caught the fever ♪
681
00:27:13,375 --> 00:27:16,181
- Sound like no other
hip-hop beat I've ever heard
682
00:27:16,214 --> 00:27:18,118
because the chord changes
and how it was moving
683
00:27:18,151 --> 00:27:19,988
and it never really repeated,
684
00:27:20,022 --> 00:27:23,061
almost like a live drummer's
playing, listening to a
rapper.
685
00:27:23,094 --> 00:27:24,798
That's what it felt like.
686
00:27:24,832 --> 00:27:26,669
And then years later,
I got a chance to ask.
687
00:27:26,702 --> 00:27:28,338
I was like,
"On 'Still Shining,'
688
00:27:28,371 --> 00:27:31,010
did Dilla put the drums
after you laid your verse?"
689
00:27:31,044 --> 00:27:32,714
He was like...
[doing impression] "No, son!"
690
00:27:32,747 --> 00:27:35,118
[laughing]
"The drums was already there!"
691
00:27:35,152 --> 00:27:38,258
- When I wrote the rhyme,
I had to write the rhyme
692
00:27:38,291 --> 00:27:40,830
to the way the drum pattern
was going.
693
00:27:40,864 --> 00:27:43,001
If the part was only two
or three seconds long,
694
00:27:43,034 --> 00:27:45,707
I would have to keep
rewinding that part
695
00:27:45,740 --> 00:27:47,343
until I figured out
how to match
696
00:27:47,376 --> 00:27:49,982
the wordplay pattern
to go exactly
697
00:27:50,015 --> 00:27:52,721
with the production pattern.
698
00:27:52,754 --> 00:27:54,257
- That's even more crazy,
699
00:27:54,290 --> 00:27:56,427
the fact that he did
those drums like that
700
00:27:56,461 --> 00:27:58,398
without a rapper.
701
00:27:58,431 --> 00:28:01,271
Like, that's just--
it just doesn't get better.
702
00:28:01,304 --> 00:28:04,745
You know what I mean?
But Dilla got that done.
703
00:28:04,778 --> 00:28:06,080
Psh.
704
00:28:17,436 --> 00:28:20,275
TONI: And Best Rap album
the Grammy goes to the artist
705
00:28:20,309 --> 00:28:23,148
and to the album producers
the nominations are...
706
00:28:23,181 --> 00:28:25,018
Beats, Rhymes, and Life,
ANNOUNCER:
707
00:28:25,052 --> 00:28:26,454
a Tribe called Quest.
708
00:28:26,487 --> 00:28:29,427
Producer: The Ummah.
709
00:28:29,460 --> 00:28:30,496
[thump]
710
00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:32,199
J DILLA: When I look at it,
it's like, damn.
711
00:28:32,233 --> 00:28:34,270
You know, it's like,
one, two, three, four,
712
00:28:34,303 --> 00:28:36,007
five tracks on a Tribe album.
713
00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,779
You know what I'm saying?
It was unbelievable.
714
00:28:38,813 --> 00:28:40,917
[upbeat music]
715
00:28:40,950 --> 00:28:43,088
♪ ♪
716
00:28:43,121 --> 00:28:46,294
FRANK: After that,
Dilla was working, busy.
717
00:28:46,327 --> 00:28:48,733
His life advanced as
the money advanced.
718
00:28:48,766 --> 00:28:51,872
♪ ♪
719
00:28:51,906 --> 00:28:53,041
[slate claps]
720
00:28:53,074 --> 00:28:54,878
[soft upbeat music]
721
00:28:54,912 --> 00:28:56,782
- Yep.
722
00:28:56,815 --> 00:28:59,320
Dilla was kind of unmanaged
at the time.
723
00:28:59,353 --> 00:29:02,326
And I moonlit for a lawyer
named Micheline Levine
724
00:29:02,359 --> 00:29:03,295
for some years.
725
00:29:03,328 --> 00:29:05,900
Micheline represented
Funkmaster Flex,
726
00:29:05,934 --> 00:29:07,169
Tribe Called Quest,
727
00:29:07,202 --> 00:29:11,077
and so I think Dilla came
to her by way of Q-Tip and
Ali.
728
00:29:11,110 --> 00:29:15,820
Micheline was hired to
handle Dilla's transactions.
729
00:29:15,853 --> 00:29:18,258
That was Micheline's
formal role.
730
00:29:18,291 --> 00:29:20,964
Arty Erk was a lifetime
music-business accountant.
731
00:29:20,997 --> 00:29:23,068
He worked with a number
of Micheline's clients.
732
00:29:23,101 --> 00:29:25,305
He was the one who
was having to think about
733
00:29:25,339 --> 00:29:28,846
you know, saving, structure,
taxes, all of that stuff.
734
00:29:28,879 --> 00:29:30,248
You know, what were the rates?
735
00:29:30,282 --> 00:29:31,819
How do you keep
them consistent?
736
00:29:31,852 --> 00:29:33,321
What's his back-end
participation?
737
00:29:33,355 --> 00:29:35,192
You know, all of the,
kind of, technical details
738
00:29:35,225 --> 00:29:37,831
of negotiating those deals
became more and more important
739
00:29:37,864 --> 00:29:39,367
as he was more
and more in demand.
740
00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,974
There was plenty of money
flowing in.
741
00:29:43,008 --> 00:29:46,982
KELLEY: I first started
covering music in Detroit.
742
00:29:47,016 --> 00:29:50,288
I remember one of the rappers
in D12, Denaun Porter,
743
00:29:50,322 --> 00:29:53,863
telling me this,
that everything changed
744
00:29:53,896 --> 00:29:59,106
when Jay Dee pulled up
in a green Jaguar.
745
00:29:59,140 --> 00:30:01,879
And they were like,
"Oh, wait.
746
00:30:01,912 --> 00:30:03,549
You can make money from this."
747
00:30:03,582 --> 00:30:07,389
[energetic jazz music]
748
00:30:07,423 --> 00:30:09,160
FRANK: In the beginning,
749
00:30:09,193 --> 00:30:11,865
The Ummah,
it was an incredible thing.
750
00:30:11,899 --> 00:30:13,569
It was an accomplishment.
751
00:30:13,602 --> 00:30:14,738
A good little while
we rolled it around
752
00:30:14,771 --> 00:30:17,109
with a license plate that
had "The Ummah" on the back.
753
00:30:17,142 --> 00:30:21,985
SINGER: ♪ It's a party,
let's get it on tonight ♪
754
00:30:22,019 --> 00:30:23,154
♪ That's how we flow ♪
755
00:30:23,188 --> 00:30:25,292
♪ Gonna rock your body ♪
756
00:30:25,325 --> 00:30:27,262
FRANK: For most of those
records that he put out,
757
00:30:27,296 --> 00:30:29,300
a lot of them said The Ummah.
758
00:30:29,333 --> 00:30:31,270
♪ ♪
759
00:30:31,304 --> 00:30:34,243
[soft dramatic music]
760
00:30:34,276 --> 00:30:38,418
J DILLA: The Ummah thing kind
of, you know, covered it up.
761
00:30:38,451 --> 00:30:41,892
You know, and the first couple
of years, it was exciting.
762
00:30:41,925 --> 00:30:43,294
It was still cool.
763
00:30:43,328 --> 00:30:45,432
And you know, The Ummah thing,
I felt like this was
764
00:30:45,465 --> 00:30:47,469
another Tribe Called Quest
on the production,
765
00:30:47,504 --> 00:30:49,340
you know what I'm saying,
instead of J.
766
00:30:49,373 --> 00:30:51,010
So it's like, you know--
767
00:30:51,044 --> 00:30:52,413
RAPHAEL: Certain records
I didn't know that he did.
768
00:30:52,446 --> 00:30:53,348
Because he was pretty--
769
00:30:53,381 --> 00:30:56,187
he's pretty quiet
about what he was doing.
770
00:30:56,220 --> 00:30:58,859
♪ ♪
771
00:30:58,893 --> 00:31:01,030
He really did the work.
772
00:31:01,064 --> 00:31:02,934
The Ummah, at some point,
773
00:31:02,967 --> 00:31:06,875
I think the shadow
was a little large for him.
774
00:31:11,952 --> 00:31:13,556
- We got The Ummah
in the studio.
775
00:31:20,503 --> 00:31:22,206
♪ ♪
776
00:31:22,239 --> 00:31:23,374
HOUSE SHOES:
Everybody in the scene
777
00:31:23,408 --> 00:31:24,443
listened to our fucking
radio show, yo.
778
00:31:24,477 --> 00:31:27,984
It was fucking amazing, yo.
We had all the heat.
779
00:31:28,017 --> 00:31:29,353
♪ ♪
780
00:31:29,386 --> 00:31:32,359
We talked about The Ummah shit
and all that.
781
00:31:32,393 --> 00:31:35,165
So he would be upset about
that shit from time to time.
782
00:31:35,198 --> 00:31:38,104
"Fuck that, my name
ain't on the records."
783
00:31:38,138 --> 00:31:40,041
- It got to the point of
784
00:31:40,075 --> 00:31:42,446
everybody thought Tip
did the beats,
785
00:31:42,479 --> 00:31:43,381
that he rhymed on it,
786
00:31:43,415 --> 00:31:46,354
and everybody thought
the remixes and--
787
00:31:46,387 --> 00:31:48,926
I did interviews and they
asked me questions like,
788
00:31:48,959 --> 00:31:50,663
"Yeah,
so Tip did this and that."
789
00:31:50,696 --> 00:31:52,600
I'm like, "No, I did that,"
you know what I'm saying?
790
00:31:52,634 --> 00:31:54,103
- And he wasn't saying
jack shit.
791
00:31:54,136 --> 00:31:55,673
- So it was like, yeah,
after a while,
792
00:31:55,706 --> 00:31:58,144
it got to be frustrating,
you know what I'm saying?
793
00:31:58,178 --> 00:32:01,484
It just led to tension.
794
00:32:01,518 --> 00:32:04,356
neglecting your solo project
MAUREEN: And you
795
00:32:04,390 --> 00:32:07,229
because you constantly
making the beats,
796
00:32:07,262 --> 00:32:10,368
but you're putting
The Ummah stuff up first.
797
00:32:10,402 --> 00:32:13,374
[A Tribe Called Quest's
"Get A Hold"]
798
00:32:13,408 --> 00:32:15,112
♪ ♪
799
00:32:15,145 --> 00:32:16,648
J DILLA: It kind of
affected me because
800
00:32:16,682 --> 00:32:20,155
I'm like, "Damn, you know,
like, maybe I shouldn't have--
801
00:32:20,188 --> 00:32:21,357
"you know, maybe
I shouldn't have got
802
00:32:21,390 --> 00:32:22,961
involved with
the Tribe album."
803
00:32:22,994 --> 00:32:25,165
But you know,
that was the only way
804
00:32:25,198 --> 00:32:27,504
that I knew how to get heard,
you know what I'm saying,
805
00:32:27,537 --> 00:32:28,539
at that time.
806
00:32:28,572 --> 00:32:30,041
Q-TIP:
♪ The deadly venom ♪
807
00:32:30,075 --> 00:32:31,410
♪ Let me start
from the beginnin' ♪
808
00:32:31,444 --> 00:32:36,020
- His music was to become
a brand, become a staple.
809
00:32:36,053 --> 00:32:38,024
[soft dramatic music]
810
00:32:38,057 --> 00:32:41,999
He felt as though people
needed to know this is me.
811
00:32:42,032 --> 00:32:44,270
I want that credit.
812
00:32:44,303 --> 00:32:47,376
If I want you to come to
my house to buy my goods,
813
00:32:47,409 --> 00:32:50,315
you need to know exactly
where my house is.
814
00:32:50,348 --> 00:32:55,192
And at some point,
I think that became his fight.
815
00:32:55,225 --> 00:32:58,364
♪ ♪
816
00:33:03,308 --> 00:33:06,280
[soft dramatic music]
817
00:33:06,314 --> 00:33:09,621
♪ ♪
818
00:33:09,654 --> 00:33:14,564
- After a while, I said,
"Well, how does it feel?
819
00:33:14,598 --> 00:33:16,568
"Like, you work with all
these people that you love.
820
00:33:16,602 --> 00:33:18,706
And you know,
how do you feel?"
821
00:33:18,739 --> 00:33:21,712
He's like,
"It seems like work now."
822
00:33:21,745 --> 00:33:23,348
♪ ♪
823
00:33:23,381 --> 00:33:24,718
JOHN: The whole fame thing
was definitely
824
00:33:24,751 --> 00:33:26,287
not an attraction to James.
825
00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,091
He's not trying to have
people in his face.
826
00:33:28,124 --> 00:33:30,228
Like, people have invited
him to video shoots
827
00:33:30,262 --> 00:33:31,430
and all kinds of stuff.
828
00:33:31,464 --> 00:33:32,432
He's like
"No, that's all good.
829
00:33:32,466 --> 00:33:33,502
I'd rather stay at home."
830
00:33:33,536 --> 00:33:35,071
FRANK:
He was a private guy.
831
00:33:35,105 --> 00:33:37,309
I like being in my warm,
relaxing bubble
832
00:33:37,342 --> 00:33:39,581
and making beats
and making people happy
833
00:33:39,614 --> 00:33:41,183
and making money that way.
834
00:33:41,217 --> 00:33:45,091
Fame was just a function
of achieving the goal.
835
00:33:45,125 --> 00:33:46,327
It was not the goal.
836
00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,031
MAUREEN: He was
too much of a introvert.
837
00:33:48,064 --> 00:33:50,636
He didn't like taking
pictures, not even for the
family.
838
00:33:50,670 --> 00:33:52,172
♪ ♪
839
00:33:52,206 --> 00:33:55,713
FRANK:
Probably around '97, '98
840
00:33:55,746 --> 00:33:57,617
is when he really was like,
you know what, Frank,
841
00:33:57,650 --> 00:33:59,353
I ain't leaving no more.
842
00:33:59,386 --> 00:34:01,224
They gonna have to
come here and work.
843
00:34:01,257 --> 00:34:05,065
♪ ♪
844
00:34:05,098 --> 00:34:08,137
And before you know it,
everybody was there.
845
00:34:08,171 --> 00:34:10,242
- One by one,
they come to Detroit
846
00:34:10,275 --> 00:34:12,112
to kind of see
what he's doing.
847
00:34:12,145 --> 00:34:13,214
So that includes Common.
848
00:34:13,248 --> 00:34:15,385
It also includes
Black Thought from the Roots.
849
00:34:15,418 --> 00:34:17,222
Busta Rhymes
and other people start
850
00:34:17,256 --> 00:34:19,728
making the trip out there.
851
00:34:19,761 --> 00:34:21,030
- So many people.
852
00:34:21,063 --> 00:34:24,103
MAUREEN: It would be people
lined up all along that fence
853
00:34:24,136 --> 00:34:27,510
and around the front
waiting for Dilla.
854
00:34:27,543 --> 00:34:29,246
Artists called it
"the basement."
855
00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,117
[record whirs]
856
00:34:31,150 --> 00:34:32,419
J DILLA: I'm still
in the basement, you know?
857
00:34:32,452 --> 00:34:34,156
I keep it in the basement.
858
00:34:34,189 --> 00:34:36,795
MATS: I really want to know
how it looks in your basement.
859
00:34:36,828 --> 00:34:38,799
[mellow music]
860
00:34:38,832 --> 00:34:42,105
J DILLA: Posters everywhere
and old records on the wall,
861
00:34:42,139 --> 00:34:43,408
you know, things like that.
862
00:34:43,441 --> 00:34:45,245
Just to give it the--
give it the soul feel.
863
00:34:45,278 --> 00:34:48,318
♪ ♪
864
00:34:48,351 --> 00:34:51,591
So when I go in the basement,
that's all I see.
865
00:34:51,625 --> 00:34:53,762
I just see these records
all over the wall.
866
00:34:53,796 --> 00:34:55,432
So when I go make my music,
I don't know,
867
00:34:55,465 --> 00:34:57,302
it just--
something comes out.
868
00:34:57,336 --> 00:34:59,541
♪ ♪
869
00:34:59,574 --> 00:35:01,277
JONATHAN:
So Dilla was in Detroit.
870
00:35:01,310 --> 00:35:02,814
We were in New York.
871
00:35:02,847 --> 00:35:05,151
Everybody relied heavily on
Micheline for her expertise
872
00:35:05,185 --> 00:35:07,289
and her guidance.
873
00:35:07,322 --> 00:35:10,563
Micheline relied heavily
on Maureen
874
00:35:10,596 --> 00:35:14,804
for managing what was
happening in Detroit.
875
00:35:14,838 --> 00:35:19,179
- I was always mom manager,
always Detroit management.
876
00:35:19,213 --> 00:35:20,716
[laughs]
That was what he called me.
877
00:35:20,750 --> 00:35:22,854
JONATHAN: Because of the
physical distance between us,
878
00:35:22,887 --> 00:35:25,893
it was never entirely clear
what was happening.
879
00:35:25,926 --> 00:35:27,697
It turns out that
Dilla or Maureen
880
00:35:27,730 --> 00:35:29,801
had done a side deal
with somebody in Detroit,
881
00:35:29,834 --> 00:35:33,842
we'd clean it up, but you
know, at the height of it,
882
00:35:33,876 --> 00:35:36,280
Dilla was probably getting,
883
00:35:36,314 --> 00:35:39,286
I don't know, maybe
$60,000, $75,000 a track,
884
00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:40,690
something like that.
885
00:35:40,723 --> 00:35:43,328
Um, but if you called him
on the first of the month,
886
00:35:43,361 --> 00:35:45,700
uh, you might get a track
for 5 or 10 grand.
887
00:35:45,733 --> 00:35:48,572
So Micheline, Arty, and I
worked very closely together
888
00:35:48,605 --> 00:35:51,177
to kind of
pull the pieces together.
889
00:35:51,210 --> 00:35:54,483
And we did our best to
corral it, take care of it.
890
00:35:54,517 --> 00:35:56,354
But, you know,
it wasn't something
891
00:35:56,387 --> 00:35:58,358
we were completely
in control of.
892
00:35:58,391 --> 00:36:02,867
♪ ♪
893
00:36:02,900 --> 00:36:06,207
EDWIN: Almost parallel to the
same pattern of interest
894
00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:07,643
from Q-Tip, like The Ummah,
895
00:36:07,677 --> 00:36:09,614
you have a similar
kind of pattern
896
00:36:09,647 --> 00:36:11,217
with the Soulquarians.
897
00:36:11,250 --> 00:36:13,889
♪ ♪
898
00:36:13,922 --> 00:36:17,229
Questlove, the drummer
for The Roots, and D'Angelo
899
00:36:17,262 --> 00:36:19,501
get really excited about
what Jay Dee is doing
900
00:36:19,534 --> 00:36:21,638
with the rhythms,
the way he's using samples.
901
00:36:21,671 --> 00:36:23,509
J DILLA: It was so weird
how this happened.
902
00:36:23,542 --> 00:36:25,211
Ahmir knew that
he was, you know,
903
00:36:25,245 --> 00:36:26,648
of course he was Aquarius.
904
00:36:26,681 --> 00:36:28,251
And he knew
James Poyser Aquarius...
905
00:36:28,284 --> 00:36:29,621
INTERVIEWER: Mm-hmm.
J DILLA: And D'Angelo was.
906
00:36:29,654 --> 00:36:30,923
So he thought
that was bizarre.
907
00:36:30,956 --> 00:36:32,359
INTERVIEWER:
That's logical.
908
00:36:32,392 --> 00:36:33,562
- Right,
he thought that was bizarre.
909
00:36:33,595 --> 00:36:35,533
Then when we just happened
to talk one day in a session,
910
00:36:35,566 --> 00:36:37,235
like, he found out
I was Aquarius.
911
00:36:37,269 --> 00:36:38,772
So he was like, whoa.
912
00:36:38,806 --> 00:36:40,241
That was it.
913
00:36:40,275 --> 00:36:42,345
EDWIN: Neo soul is really
a tag, I think,
914
00:36:42,379 --> 00:36:46,487
that was put onto the
output of the Soulquarians.
915
00:36:46,521 --> 00:36:47,924
ROBERT: If you ask me
what neo soul is,
916
00:36:47,957 --> 00:36:50,563
it's Dilla-influenced R&B.
917
00:36:50,596 --> 00:36:52,834
[laughs]
918
00:36:52,867 --> 00:36:55,539
You know what I mean?
It's kind of like smoothed
out,
919
00:36:55,573 --> 00:36:58,377
more hip-hop influenced R&B.
920
00:36:58,411 --> 00:37:00,415
But the hip-hop
they're influenced by
921
00:37:00,448 --> 00:37:02,352
is really from
the J Dilla school.
922
00:37:03,856 --> 00:37:06,260
♪ ♪
923
00:37:06,293 --> 00:37:07,930
- Ah, ha, ha.
There.
924
00:37:07,964 --> 00:37:08,966
- Yeah.
925
00:37:08,999 --> 00:37:11,303
Yeah. Yeah.
926
00:37:11,337 --> 00:37:13,274
♪ ♪
927
00:37:13,307 --> 00:37:15,713
COMMON: Dilla would create
a lot in his basement.
928
00:37:15,746 --> 00:37:16,982
It was this house
where he grew up.
929
00:37:17,015 --> 00:37:19,286
I really enjoyed
going to his house to work
930
00:37:19,319 --> 00:37:20,656
because we have fun.
931
00:37:20,689 --> 00:37:22,994
Dilla would be going
through records.
932
00:37:23,027 --> 00:37:26,300
And it was part of--I just
enjoyed the journey of like,
933
00:37:26,333 --> 00:37:27,737
okay,
what are we gonna get now?
934
00:37:27,770 --> 00:37:29,574
What are we gonna--
what is he gonna create?
935
00:37:29,607 --> 00:37:30,676
What is he gonna come up with?
936
00:37:30,709 --> 00:37:32,312
And it was almost--
937
00:37:32,345 --> 00:37:35,820
it was like
a challenge/fun/inspiration.
938
00:37:35,853 --> 00:37:38,424
So I loved that process.
939
00:37:38,458 --> 00:37:40,696
ROBERT:
This sound was very new.
940
00:37:40,729 --> 00:37:42,800
- I want it to be
something else.
941
00:37:42,834 --> 00:37:43,936
COMMON:
For the what?
942
00:37:43,969 --> 00:37:45,271
- Just for bass to use.
943
00:37:45,305 --> 00:37:46,708
COMMON:
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
944
00:37:46,741 --> 00:37:48,979
ROBERT: And Like Water for
Chocolate was the best version
945
00:37:49,012 --> 00:37:51,283
of that sound.
946
00:37:51,317 --> 00:37:53,856
And it was one of the
first versions of that sound
947
00:37:53,889 --> 00:37:55,993
to really hit the world.
948
00:37:56,026 --> 00:37:58,565
Common and Dilla were
made for each other.
949
00:37:58,599 --> 00:38:00,468
That was a match
made in heaven.
950
00:38:00,503 --> 00:38:01,638
[Common, "The Light"]
951
00:38:01,671 --> 00:38:04,009
MAUREEN:
I love Common's "The Light."
952
00:38:04,042 --> 00:38:08,619
♪ There are times
when you need someone ♪
953
00:38:08,652 --> 00:38:11,725
♪ I will be by your side ♪
954
00:38:11,758 --> 00:38:14,497
Yeah, that one.
955
00:38:14,531 --> 00:38:19,741
BOBBY: ♪ There are times
when you need someone ♪
956
00:38:19,774 --> 00:38:20,876
COMMON:
♪ Yeah ♪
957
00:38:20,910 --> 00:38:23,014
BOBBY:
♪ I will be by your side ♪
958
00:38:23,047 --> 00:38:26,755
COMMON: ♪ What's up?
What's up? ♪
959
00:38:26,788 --> 00:38:30,496
BOBBY: ♪ There is a light
that shines ♪
960
00:38:30,529 --> 00:38:33,334
♪ Special for you and me ♪
961
00:38:33,367 --> 00:38:34,904
COMMON:
♪ Yo, yo ♪
962
00:38:34,938 --> 00:38:37,777
[soft music]
963
00:38:37,810 --> 00:38:40,048
MATS: You're really
the link between, uh,
964
00:38:40,081 --> 00:38:42,052
the high tech stuff,
swampy, technology stuff...
965
00:38:42,085 --> 00:38:43,421
J DILLA:
Yeah.
966
00:38:43,454 --> 00:38:45,058
MATS:
And the neo soul movement.
967
00:38:45,091 --> 00:38:46,460
You're the link.
968
00:38:46,495 --> 00:38:47,930
J DILLA:
Damn. Damn.
969
00:38:47,964 --> 00:38:49,934
That's a big compliment
to hear.
970
00:38:49,968 --> 00:38:52,038
Um, I don't feel like I--
971
00:38:52,072 --> 00:38:55,913
like I, um, originated that,
I guess you could say.
972
00:38:55,946 --> 00:38:58,519
I just--I think that
my little, you know,
973
00:38:58,552 --> 00:39:01,691
weird influences may have
brought something to that,
974
00:39:01,725 --> 00:39:04,697
you know what I'm saying,
to that soul movement.
975
00:39:04,731 --> 00:39:06,801
FRANK:
He was always a shy guy.
976
00:39:06,835 --> 00:39:09,406
As a young kid, he was shy.
977
00:39:09,439 --> 00:39:10,776
You know, he stuttered.
978
00:39:10,809 --> 00:39:12,813
He chose his words wisely
as a young man.
979
00:39:12,847 --> 00:39:17,389
He measured, he was very
tempered in what he did.
980
00:39:17,422 --> 00:39:19,794
He was never the guy
who needed to stand out
981
00:39:19,827 --> 00:39:22,432
and let everybody,
ooh, look at me.
982
00:39:22,465 --> 00:39:23,635
MAUREEN:
I would get upset.
983
00:39:23,669 --> 00:39:24,804
I said you work so hard,
984
00:39:24,837 --> 00:39:25,940
you're helping
all these people.
985
00:39:25,973 --> 00:39:27,677
And you're helping them
get their stuff together.
986
00:39:27,710 --> 00:39:29,514
You know, why haven't you
been offered this?
987
00:39:29,547 --> 00:39:31,851
And he just looked at me,
988
00:39:31,885 --> 00:39:33,956
he said, "Lady"--
989
00:39:33,989 --> 00:39:37,395
which he called me when I get
a little strong, headstrong--
990
00:39:37,429 --> 00:39:39,132
it's a time for everything.
991
00:39:39,166 --> 00:39:41,370
It's a time for everything.
992
00:39:45,445 --> 00:39:48,417
[soft music]
993
00:39:48,451 --> 00:39:50,455
♪ ♪
994
00:39:50,488 --> 00:39:52,760
JOHN:
I know for the MCA deal,
995
00:39:52,793 --> 00:39:54,564
that was his chance
to show his range, really.
996
00:39:54,597 --> 00:39:55,933
That was supposed to be
his, like,
997
00:39:55,966 --> 00:39:58,705
yo, this the big
J Dilla solo album.
998
00:39:58,739 --> 00:40:00,876
KENNY: ♪ You're so precious
like a burst of joy ♪
999
00:40:00,910 --> 00:40:03,982
♪ I heard your boy Jacob
got the best shit ♪
1000
00:40:04,016 --> 00:40:06,453
♪ You so hot,
you make me hot, boy ♪
1001
00:40:06,487 --> 00:40:07,890
♪ And he's got you 'round
the whole watch, boy ♪
1002
00:40:07,924 --> 00:40:10,996
J DILLA: Like, what I want
to do is bring my thing in
1003
00:40:11,030 --> 00:40:13,635
as did Dre, as did Rza,
1004
00:40:13,669 --> 00:40:15,104
as Timbaland,
you know what I'm saying?
1005
00:40:15,138 --> 00:40:17,042
I would like to bring
my own sound.
1006
00:40:17,075 --> 00:40:20,516
KENNY:
♪ The feeling is priceless ♪
1007
00:40:20,549 --> 00:40:22,720
- Dilla had signed
a deal with MCA that
1008
00:40:22,753 --> 00:40:27,462
was an artist deal,
a 12-song producer deal,
1009
00:40:27,496 --> 00:40:28,999
and a label deal.
1010
00:40:29,032 --> 00:40:30,869
EDWIN:
Dilla got a big check.
1011
00:40:30,903 --> 00:40:33,174
Basically what he does with
that big lump sum of money
1012
00:40:33,207 --> 00:40:35,613
that comes is build
a new studio for himself.
1013
00:40:35,646 --> 00:40:37,850
[hip-hop music]
1014
00:40:37,883 --> 00:40:40,756
- Dilla's studio, it's like,
be ready to lay some hot shit,
1015
00:40:40,789 --> 00:40:41,825
or you will not get in.
1016
00:40:41,858 --> 00:40:46,133
- We're in Dilla's studio,
Frank-N-Dank, J Dilla.
1017
00:40:46,166 --> 00:40:48,905
Y'all know how we entertain.
It's the essence.
1018
00:40:48,939 --> 00:40:51,544
- Dilla's house right here
now. This is not a game.
1019
00:40:51,578 --> 00:40:52,913
This is the real deal.
1020
00:40:52,947 --> 00:40:54,517
EDWIN: Right off the bat,
he starts working with
1021
00:40:54,550 --> 00:40:56,186
Frank-N-Dank were
kind of his long term,
1022
00:40:56,220 --> 00:40:57,790
uh, collaborators in Detroit.
1023
00:40:57,823 --> 00:40:59,994
[J Dilla and Frank-N-Dank's
"Take Dem Clothes Off"]
1024
00:41:00,028 --> 00:41:04,036
FRANK-N-DANK:
♪ Yeah, Frank-N-Dank, y'all ♪
1025
00:41:04,069 --> 00:41:05,906
MIKE:
That's all his crew, you know?
1026
00:41:05,939 --> 00:41:07,743
He's spinning off records
and making records
1027
00:41:07,777 --> 00:41:08,945
with his homies.
1028
00:41:08,979 --> 00:41:10,816
♪ ♪
1029
00:41:10,849 --> 00:41:13,689
FRANK: It was T3 and Baatin
from Slum Village and Dilla
1030
00:41:13,722 --> 00:41:15,559
who came up with the idea
that Frank-N-Dank
1031
00:41:15,592 --> 00:41:17,028
should actually
be a rap group.
1032
00:41:17,062 --> 00:41:19,767
Obviously, I'm the Frank half
of Frank-N-Dank.
1033
00:41:19,801 --> 00:41:21,070
Dank is my brother.
1034
00:41:21,103 --> 00:41:23,207
MAUREEN: He told Dank,
tell your mom
1035
00:41:23,240 --> 00:41:25,946
'cause, you know, you're gonna
you gotta quit your job
do this
1036
00:41:25,979 --> 00:41:29,654
and I got you,
and he held his word.
1037
00:41:29,687 --> 00:41:30,956
He took care of them.
1038
00:41:30,989 --> 00:41:32,960
- Exclusive, so make sure
you all get online.
1039
00:41:32,994 --> 00:41:35,766
MAUREEN:
They shared everything.
1040
00:41:35,799 --> 00:41:39,507
You know, it was like,
to be successful,
1041
00:41:39,540 --> 00:41:42,680
his boys were gonna be
successful with him.
1042
00:41:42,713 --> 00:41:44,717
- Do you know about
the rules, nigga,
1043
00:41:44,751 --> 00:41:46,120
that we put on the website?
1044
00:41:46,153 --> 00:41:47,556
The rules of Dilla studios?
1045
00:41:47,590 --> 00:41:48,725
- Oh, that's what they say.
1046
00:41:48,759 --> 00:41:51,130
- Nigga say, don't come late.
1047
00:41:51,163 --> 00:41:52,867
Don't fall in love with
no beats 'cause he will
1048
00:41:52,900 --> 00:41:54,871
cut that motherfucker off
with no ask.
1049
00:41:54,904 --> 00:41:56,975
[laughter]
Click that motherfucker.
1050
00:41:57,008 --> 00:41:59,847
FRANK: We recordin' to his
sound that he was known for.
1051
00:41:59,881 --> 00:42:02,953
But he changed the sound
mid-album,
1052
00:42:02,987 --> 00:42:05,291
like really stripped all the
beats that we had recorded to
1053
00:42:05,324 --> 00:42:07,095
and made new beats
under our vocals.
1054
00:42:07,128 --> 00:42:08,999
♪ ♪
1055
00:42:09,032 --> 00:42:13,107
It was a choice of his.
It was a style change.
1056
00:42:13,140 --> 00:42:15,111
KARRIEM: I think
that's around the time
1057
00:42:15,144 --> 00:42:18,952
he kind of was dealing with
the more electro-sounding
stuff.
1058
00:42:18,985 --> 00:42:20,556
[Frank-N-Dank's
"Off Ya Chest"]
1059
00:42:20,589 --> 00:42:22,560
FRANK-N-DANK:
♪ Yeah, Frank-N-Dank ♪
1060
00:42:22,593 --> 00:42:24,831
♪ ♪
1061
00:42:24,864 --> 00:42:28,270
♪ Uh, J Dilla ♪
1062
00:42:28,304 --> 00:42:32,580
- People who knew
who Dilla was and his catalog
1063
00:42:32,613 --> 00:42:37,656
has seen him change his style
five or six times.
1064
00:42:37,690 --> 00:42:40,161
People started gravitating
to what he was doing.
1065
00:42:40,194 --> 00:42:44,269
And he was like
"Okay, I'ma make a left turn."
1066
00:42:44,302 --> 00:42:45,606
- It's a one of a kind album.
1067
00:42:45,639 --> 00:42:50,281
It's the only album ever made
with no samples that Dilla
did.
1068
00:42:50,314 --> 00:42:53,120
He played everything.
He had guitars.
1069
00:42:53,154 --> 00:42:54,791
No samples.
1070
00:42:54,824 --> 00:42:59,132
There isn't another Dilla
produced project like that.
1071
00:42:59,166 --> 00:43:01,771
His logic for going
left at the time...
1072
00:43:01,805 --> 00:43:04,042
♪ ♪
1073
00:43:04,075 --> 00:43:06,648
I don't know.
1074
00:43:06,681 --> 00:43:07,950
J DILLA: I'm just trying
to always bring
1075
00:43:07,983 --> 00:43:09,687
something new,
and I think that's been a--
1076
00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:11,023
kind of a problem with me.
1077
00:43:11,056 --> 00:43:13,728
Because I'm always
trying to do something
1078
00:43:13,762 --> 00:43:15,031
like I've never done before.
1079
00:43:15,064 --> 00:43:17,001
That's where my head is at
every day.
1080
00:43:17,035 --> 00:43:20,609
It's like, I try to do
what I didn't do yesterday.
1081
00:43:20,642 --> 00:43:23,247
♪ ♪
1082
00:43:25,686 --> 00:43:28,224
- They hated 'em.
[laughs]
1083
00:43:28,257 --> 00:43:30,061
Like, I recall
at the time that
1084
00:43:30,094 --> 00:43:32,165
just nobody knew
what to do with it.
1085
00:43:32,198 --> 00:43:33,935
[pensive music]
1086
00:43:33,969 --> 00:43:36,808
It wasn't
a very commercial record.
1087
00:43:36,841 --> 00:43:38,778
♪ ♪
1088
00:43:38,812 --> 00:43:42,786
- At the time,
it was the worst possible shit
1089
00:43:42,820 --> 00:43:45,692
that we could go through.
1090
00:43:45,726 --> 00:43:48,932
It caused rifts.
1091
00:43:48,965 --> 00:43:53,942
- The MCA thing
broke that core.
1092
00:43:53,975 --> 00:43:58,852
FRANK: After that,
I didn't see him as often.
1093
00:43:58,885 --> 00:44:00,656
J DILLA:
The labels...
1094
00:44:00,689 --> 00:44:02,225
they were more commercial,
you know what I'm saying,
1095
00:44:02,258 --> 00:44:03,528
commercial things.
1096
00:44:03,562 --> 00:44:05,966
But when it's a situation like
that where it's just politic
1097
00:44:05,999 --> 00:44:10,074
or there's too many people
involved or whatever,
1098
00:44:10,107 --> 00:44:12,245
it always waters down
the music.
1099
00:44:12,278 --> 00:44:14,884
Um, it waters down,
you know, how I feel about,
1100
00:44:14,917 --> 00:44:16,721
you know, my energy
working on a project.
1101
00:44:16,754 --> 00:44:20,863
It's like a lot of factors
that take away from--
1102
00:44:20,896 --> 00:44:23,133
from, you know,
the true authentic shit.
1103
00:44:23,167 --> 00:44:25,873
It definitely takes away
from the soul of it.
1104
00:44:25,906 --> 00:44:29,714
- MCA was having their own
challenges at the time.
1105
00:44:29,747 --> 00:44:32,352
There was no real sponsor
anymore left at the label
1106
00:44:32,385 --> 00:44:34,322
to support it.
1107
00:44:38,732 --> 00:44:41,838
It was kind of
the end of the road.
1108
00:44:48,183 --> 00:44:50,889
J DILLA: I just got out
of the MCA deal,
1109
00:44:50,923 --> 00:44:53,294
just literally a month ago.
1110
00:44:53,327 --> 00:44:54,262
Just signed a release.
1111
00:44:54,296 --> 00:44:56,300
Been asking for a release
for over a year.
1112
00:44:56,333 --> 00:45:00,742
- After that point, Dilla got
the most artistic freedom
1113
00:45:00,776 --> 00:45:02,713
he probably had
in his whole career.
1114
00:45:02,746 --> 00:45:05,017
You know, he was free.
He was an independent artist.
1115
00:45:05,051 --> 00:45:06,888
He could do what he want.
J DILLA: I make CDs.
1116
00:45:06,921 --> 00:45:08,290
INTERVIEWER: Mm-hmm.
J DILLA: Um, I put like two--
1117
00:45:08,324 --> 00:45:11,330
I call them two batches
per CD, 24 beats per CD.
1118
00:45:11,363 --> 00:45:13,835
And it's like last year,
I did five bars.
1119
00:45:15,906 --> 00:45:17,408
BLACK MILK:
That's his greatest work, man,
1120
00:45:17,442 --> 00:45:22,218
like his greatest shit is on,
to me, is on the beat tapes.
1121
00:45:22,252 --> 00:45:24,055
[percussive music]
1122
00:45:24,089 --> 00:45:26,059
JEFF: I still have
some of the CDs that he wrote
1123
00:45:26,093 --> 00:45:28,330
his name on and he just
handed it to me.
1124
00:45:28,364 --> 00:45:30,736
He just did.
1125
00:45:30,769 --> 00:45:32,405
And you just so happened
to be there.
1126
00:45:32,438 --> 00:45:34,042
And he's just like, here.
1127
00:45:34,075 --> 00:45:35,812
You know,
here's some beats I did.
1128
00:45:35,846 --> 00:45:38,484
The reason why
we are still finding stuff
1129
00:45:38,518 --> 00:45:41,824
is he was giving it away.
1130
00:45:41,858 --> 00:45:45,231
He was putting it out there
by any means necessary.
1131
00:45:45,264 --> 00:45:46,433
- I have to stop doing that
because I did that last year.
1132
00:45:46,466 --> 00:45:47,803
INTERVIEWER:
We talked about that shit.
1133
00:45:47,836 --> 00:45:49,139
- Yeah, and that's
how the bootlegs--
1134
00:45:49,172 --> 00:45:50,374
INTERVIEWER: That's why I'm
not giving you a tape right
now.
1135
00:45:50,408 --> 00:45:51,511
- Right, that shit is crazy.
1136
00:45:51,544 --> 00:45:53,080
JEFF:
Even till today,
1137
00:45:53,113 --> 00:45:55,986
you can discover music
and beat tapes that he did
1138
00:45:56,019 --> 00:45:59,092
that no one still
has ever used.
1139
00:45:59,125 --> 00:46:02,298
You know,
if this is someone who
1140
00:46:02,332 --> 00:46:06,239
arguably could make
five to ten beats a day,
1141
00:46:06,273 --> 00:46:08,243
if you just add that up
in a year,
1142
00:46:08,277 --> 00:46:13,955
have we heard one year
of Dilla beats?
1143
00:46:13,989 --> 00:46:16,093
What if we only heard a year?
1144
00:46:16,126 --> 00:46:18,531
What about the other
12, 15 years?
1145
00:46:18,565 --> 00:46:21,103
- J Dilla's
setting it off. Uh!
1146
00:46:21,136 --> 00:46:24,275
FRANK: So around 2002,
maybe early 2003,
1147
00:46:24,309 --> 00:46:26,113
he had went on a trip.
1148
00:46:26,146 --> 00:46:30,488
Uh, him and Dank went to
Europe for a DJ, uh, tour.
1149
00:46:30,522 --> 00:46:32,960
- [speaking language]
1150
00:46:37,836 --> 00:46:39,840
- J Dilla!
1151
00:46:41,009 --> 00:46:42,278
INTERVIEWER:
I love you guys.
1152
00:46:42,312 --> 00:46:43,280
[smooches]
1153
00:46:43,314 --> 00:46:46,119
[mellow music]
1154
00:46:46,153 --> 00:46:49,225
♪ ♪
1155
00:46:53,434 --> 00:46:55,371
MATS:
We got J Dilla in the house...
1156
00:46:55,404 --> 00:46:57,576
J DILLA: Yeah. Yes.
MATS: At last. It's an honor.
1157
00:46:57,609 --> 00:46:59,012
J DILLA:
Yes, man.
1158
00:46:59,045 --> 00:47:01,149
Yo, yo,
I'm so excited right now.
1159
00:47:01,183 --> 00:47:02,586
I'm having a ball out here,
period.
1160
00:47:02,619 --> 00:47:05,057
From the basement of Detroit
1161
00:47:05,091 --> 00:47:08,531
to be out here and to have
people accept this music.
1162
00:47:08,565 --> 00:47:11,571
And these crazy ideas
that I have,
1163
00:47:11,604 --> 00:47:14,042
it's--it's unbelievable to me.
1164
00:47:14,075 --> 00:47:16,013
You know,
it's like it's unreal.
1165
00:47:16,046 --> 00:47:17,415
It's really unreal.
1166
00:47:17,448 --> 00:47:20,421
♪ ♪
1167
00:47:20,454 --> 00:47:22,125
MATS: This is a classic.
Thanks a lot.
1168
00:47:22,158 --> 00:47:23,995
J DILLA: Thank you, thank you.
Oh, thank you.
1169
00:47:24,029 --> 00:47:25,866
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
1170
00:47:25,899 --> 00:47:27,903
Thank you, man.
Beautiful.
1171
00:47:27,936 --> 00:47:29,573
[switch clicks]
1172
00:47:29,607 --> 00:47:32,445
♪ ♪
1173
00:47:32,478 --> 00:47:36,186
- When he got back,
he wasn't feeling well.
1174
00:47:36,219 --> 00:47:38,457
He thought he had
gotten sick from food
1175
00:47:38,490 --> 00:47:40,929
he had eaten in Europe
on the tour.
1176
00:47:40,962 --> 00:47:42,432
MAUREEN:
He spit up a couple of times.
1177
00:47:42,465 --> 00:47:44,436
And he said, "I think
I better go to the hospital.
1178
00:47:44,469 --> 00:47:47,609
I'm really not feeling well."
He must have been really weak.
1179
00:47:47,643 --> 00:47:49,212
Took him in right away
to examine him,
1180
00:47:49,245 --> 00:47:51,083
but then after they did
his platelet count,
1181
00:47:51,116 --> 00:47:52,351
the lab work came back.
1182
00:47:52,385 --> 00:47:53,955
And then that's when
they said,
1183
00:47:53,988 --> 00:47:55,357
we're gonna have
to call the doctor.
1184
00:47:55,391 --> 00:47:57,963
Come to the back.
Come to the back now.
1185
00:47:57,996 --> 00:48:00,334
They had a specialist
on the way already.
1186
00:48:00,367 --> 00:48:03,073
They had already called.
We didn't even know it.
1187
00:48:03,107 --> 00:48:06,079
[soft music]
1188
00:48:06,113 --> 00:48:07,950
♪ ♪
1189
00:48:07,983 --> 00:48:11,089
He ended up in that hospital
staying a couple of months.
1190
00:48:11,123 --> 00:48:13,895
Uh, his kidneys were failing
during that time.
1191
00:48:13,928 --> 00:48:16,501
We were told
not to tell people.
1192
00:48:16,534 --> 00:48:20,341
But Frank and Dank, they knew,
and they were there.
1193
00:48:20,374 --> 00:48:23,480
They were there every day
just like I was.
1194
00:48:23,515 --> 00:48:27,088
Me and Mr. Yancy,
Frank and Dank.
1195
00:48:27,121 --> 00:48:30,127
- At the time,
I thought it was...
1196
00:48:30,161 --> 00:48:33,100
just him not taking care of
himself, not eating properly.
1197
00:48:33,133 --> 00:48:35,505
I know how he gets when he
making music, when he working.
1198
00:48:35,539 --> 00:48:38,110
You know, he could
bust his head open.
1199
00:48:38,143 --> 00:48:39,479
As long as he can still
see the buttons,
1200
00:48:39,513 --> 00:48:41,984
he gonna keep working.
1201
00:48:42,018 --> 00:48:45,224
♪ ♪
1202
00:48:45,257 --> 00:48:49,399
MAUREEN: TTP was what they
officially said it was.
1203
00:48:49,432 --> 00:48:53,975
of blood disorder.
That's a type
1204
00:48:54,008 --> 00:48:56,379
KELLEY: It's something that
kind of looks like leukemia.
1205
00:48:56,413 --> 00:48:59,285
And it was killing him.
1206
00:48:59,319 --> 00:49:01,356
Like, his blood was
literally killing him.
1207
00:49:01,389 --> 00:49:04,530
And he spent a lot of time
in and out of hospitals.
1208
00:49:04,563 --> 00:49:07,970
And his body was really
just betraying him.
1209
00:49:08,003 --> 00:49:09,405
MARTHA: Back and forth,
losing weight,
1210
00:49:09,439 --> 00:49:12,378
gaining weight,
in and out of the hospital,
1211
00:49:12,411 --> 00:49:14,415
never knowing
exactly how long.
1212
00:49:14,449 --> 00:49:17,054
MAUREEN: He would be there
two months and we'd go home.
1213
00:49:17,088 --> 00:49:19,560
Maybe a week later, we'd be
on our way to the hospital.
1214
00:49:19,593 --> 00:49:22,533
Things just kept
not getting better.
1215
00:49:22,566 --> 00:49:24,670
Dialysis almost every day.
1216
00:49:24,703 --> 00:49:26,239
He was in so much pain.
1217
00:49:26,273 --> 00:49:28,711
He begged me to take him off
of the machine.
1218
00:49:28,745 --> 00:49:29,747
"Please take me--
1219
00:49:29,780 --> 00:49:31,316
"get them to take--
tell them to take it off.
1220
00:49:31,349 --> 00:49:32,686
I can't--"
he couldn't take the pain.
1221
00:49:32,719 --> 00:49:34,289
It was so horrible.
1222
00:49:34,322 --> 00:49:38,698
He was so--his body
was getting so frail.
1223
00:49:38,731 --> 00:49:42,138
♪ ♪
1224
00:49:42,171 --> 00:49:44,577
And I would be
trying to be strong
1225
00:49:44,610 --> 00:49:46,313
and say it's almost over.
1226
00:49:46,346 --> 00:49:48,317
Just wait almost--
almost another hour.
1227
00:49:48,350 --> 00:49:50,722
He'd say, "Mama, please.
Please take me off."
1228
00:49:50,755 --> 00:49:53,193
♪ ♪
1229
00:49:53,227 --> 00:49:54,730
MARTHA: I think a part
of his personality
1230
00:49:54,763 --> 00:49:58,705
that never wanted anybody
to know how much it hurt.
1231
00:49:58,738 --> 00:50:02,445
And he never really
did express that.
1232
00:50:02,478 --> 00:50:06,186
♪ ♪
1233
00:50:06,219 --> 00:50:08,323
MAUREEN:
Common called me one night
1234
00:50:08,357 --> 00:50:10,294
after he had got out
of the hospital.
1235
00:50:10,327 --> 00:50:12,164
And he said
"Ma, you think if maybe
1236
00:50:12,198 --> 00:50:14,068
"he had a change of scenery,
1237
00:50:14,102 --> 00:50:16,707
he might feel
a little better?"
1238
00:50:21,116 --> 00:50:24,088
[mellow music]
1239
00:50:24,122 --> 00:50:26,259
♪ ♪
1240
00:50:26,293 --> 00:50:27,729
JOHN: When he moved to Cali,
that was--
1241
00:50:27,763 --> 00:50:29,567
it was very at peace with him,
you know,
1242
00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:32,338
when he lived with Common
in, um, in California.
1243
00:50:32,371 --> 00:50:34,475
remember this, when we was in
COMMON: Tell me if you
the, um...
1244
00:50:34,510 --> 00:50:36,112
JOHN: He was taking,
you know--he was taking,
1245
00:50:36,146 --> 00:50:37,516
you know,
protein and stuff
1246
00:50:37,549 --> 00:50:38,585
just to kind of
put the weight back.
1247
00:50:38,618 --> 00:50:41,323
'Cause he had been in
the hospital for so long.
1248
00:50:41,356 --> 00:50:43,227
But like, he was good,
like, you know what I mean?
1249
00:50:43,260 --> 00:50:45,331
He was back.
1250
00:50:45,364 --> 00:50:46,500
That was probably
the most peaceful
1251
00:50:46,534 --> 00:50:48,805
he'd ever been in his life.
1252
00:50:48,838 --> 00:50:56,086
♪ ♪
1253
00:50:57,054 --> 00:51:00,495
FRANK:
Donuts
was a return
to the old school,
1254
00:51:00,528 --> 00:51:02,766
kind of format
of chopping and sampling,
1255
00:51:02,799 --> 00:51:04,503
kind of grimy, kind of dirty.
1256
00:51:04,536 --> 00:51:08,076
- It's meant to be
a '70s, '80s kind
1257
00:51:08,110 --> 00:51:09,345
of old school mixtape.
1258
00:51:09,379 --> 00:51:11,349
'Cause back in the day,
when him and Frank
1259
00:51:11,383 --> 00:51:12,485
and all of them were younger,
1260
00:51:12,519 --> 00:51:13,821
my brother
was making mixtapes,
1261
00:51:13,855 --> 00:51:15,759
like soul mix tapes
on cassette and stuff.
1262
00:51:15,792 --> 00:51:19,299
So that's all Donuts is.
It's just like a soul mixtape.
1263
00:51:19,332 --> 00:51:21,804
COMMON: He did Donuts while
we were at the house.
1264
00:51:21,837 --> 00:51:24,710
And a lot of it, you know,
some of it obviously
1265
00:51:24,743 --> 00:51:27,415
he did while he was
in the hospital.
1266
00:51:29,586 --> 00:51:31,189
JOHN: When I went to see him
at the hospital,
1267
00:51:31,222 --> 00:51:32,693
and I remember a certain--
1268
00:51:32,726 --> 00:51:34,663
like, some of his toys
like, being in the room,
1269
00:51:34,697 --> 00:51:37,803
you know what I mean,
some of his machine.
1270
00:51:37,836 --> 00:51:43,413
MAUREEN: His disease seemed to
give him arthritic symptoms,
1271
00:51:43,447 --> 00:51:46,419
hands, and pain.
1272
00:51:46,453 --> 00:51:49,292
Those were his tools that he
worked with all those years.
1273
00:51:49,325 --> 00:51:51,196
So yes, they were suffering
1274
00:51:51,229 --> 00:51:54,402
'cause they were not doing
what they were used to doing.
1275
00:51:57,208 --> 00:51:59,278
But he was not gonna stop.
1276
00:52:03,487 --> 00:52:06,459
[soft music]
1277
00:52:06,494 --> 00:52:08,598
♪ ♪
1278
00:52:08,631 --> 00:52:12,271
- He would never share
how ill he was.
1279
00:52:12,305 --> 00:52:14,710
'Cause he didn't want
to stress anybody.
1280
00:52:14,743 --> 00:52:18,483
But James and I knew that his
time was numbered, you know,
1281
00:52:18,518 --> 00:52:20,855
was limited.
1282
00:52:20,889 --> 00:52:23,360
He had been suffering with
the illness for two years
1283
00:52:23,393 --> 00:52:24,863
before he got to California.
1284
00:52:24,897 --> 00:52:27,168
The doctors did
a tremendous job
1285
00:52:27,201 --> 00:52:30,207
in bringing in doctors
from, you know, Boston,
1286
00:52:30,240 --> 00:52:32,879
and across the states
to consult
1287
00:52:32,913 --> 00:52:36,353
and to find out how to either
conquer this illness
1288
00:52:36,386 --> 00:52:40,595
or stabilize it, and, uh,
they were challenged.
1289
00:52:40,628 --> 00:52:44,837
♪ ♪
1290
00:52:44,870 --> 00:52:47,709
Actually, it was Lupus.
1291
00:52:47,743 --> 00:52:50,214
They never looked for that.
1292
00:52:50,247 --> 00:52:55,792
♪ ♪
1293
00:52:55,825 --> 00:52:58,330
FRANK: Had no clue
he was in a wheelchair.
1294
00:52:58,363 --> 00:53:01,369
Had no clue he had lost
as much weight as he had lost.
1295
00:53:01,403 --> 00:53:03,908
Had no idea it was
as serious as it was
1296
00:53:03,941 --> 00:53:06,814
until he rolled off the plane
1297
00:53:06,847 --> 00:53:09,285
in London to start that tour.
1298
00:53:09,318 --> 00:53:12,291
[cheers and applause]
1299
00:53:12,324 --> 00:53:16,667
♪ ♪
1300
00:53:16,701 --> 00:53:19,540
And we was filming.
We had the camera.
1301
00:53:19,573 --> 00:53:21,744
So the conversation was,
hey, I got this camera, man.
1302
00:53:21,777 --> 00:53:23,013
You want me to film?
1303
00:53:23,046 --> 00:53:24,783
If you don't want me to film,
you know what I'm saying.
1304
00:53:24,817 --> 00:53:27,689
And he said,
"No, Frank, go ahead.
1305
00:53:27,723 --> 00:53:30,360
Do your thing, bro.
It's all good."
1306
00:53:30,394 --> 00:53:31,931
Okay.
1307
00:53:31,964 --> 00:53:36,941
And still not understanding
the gravity of it.
1308
00:53:36,974 --> 00:53:38,376
- Yo.
1309
00:53:38,410 --> 00:53:41,249
It's a blessing to be
out here right now.
1310
00:53:41,282 --> 00:53:43,588
Really, this celebration--
1311
00:53:43,621 --> 00:53:46,594
- It's what it is, y'all.
- From the D, I'm like, fuck
it.
1312
00:53:46,627 --> 00:53:48,898
I want to see my peoples.
1313
00:53:48,931 --> 00:53:51,804
So make some noise
if you feelin' me out there.
1314
00:53:51,837 --> 00:53:54,275
[all cheering]
1315
00:53:54,308 --> 00:53:56,413
- He even brought his moms
to see y'all.
1316
00:53:56,446 --> 00:53:58,518
Make some motherfucking noise!
1317
00:53:58,551 --> 00:54:01,524
[cheers and applause]
1318
00:54:03,460 --> 00:54:05,431
MAUREEN: I was able
to be there all the time,
1319
00:54:05,464 --> 00:54:08,437
which made it better for him.
1320
00:54:08,470 --> 00:54:10,742
During that time, he was
in and out of consciousness.
1321
00:54:10,775 --> 00:54:13,848
And I'm sitting there,
1322
00:54:13,881 --> 00:54:19,827
and he's...
talking to his maker.
1323
00:54:19,860 --> 00:54:22,298
Hear the same prayer over.
1324
00:54:22,331 --> 00:54:24,302
But I know he's not conscious.
1325
00:54:24,335 --> 00:54:26,005
And that scared me.
1326
00:54:26,039 --> 00:54:29,445
He is specifically saying...
1327
00:54:31,584 --> 00:54:37,829
"I just--
I just want to finish my work.
1328
00:54:40,502 --> 00:54:43,574
Just let me finish my work."
1329
00:54:51,957 --> 00:54:53,895
[J Dilla's "U-Love"]
1330
00:54:53,928 --> 00:54:55,832
JERRY: ♪ Just because... ♪
J DILLA: ♪ Yeah ♪
1331
00:54:55,865 --> 00:54:58,871
[vocals echoing
and reverberating]
1332
00:54:58,905 --> 00:55:00,575
MAUREEN: They did
the record release party
1333
00:55:00,608 --> 00:55:03,480
around the corner
on La Brea and Beverly.
1334
00:55:03,514 --> 00:55:06,019
And he says "No, Mom,
I'm a little tired today.
1335
00:55:06,052 --> 00:55:07,622
"I'm just not gonna go.
1336
00:55:07,656 --> 00:55:10,495
Just you go.
You go for both of us."
1337
00:55:10,528 --> 00:55:12,799
FRANK:
Donuts was J Dilla.
1338
00:55:12,833 --> 00:55:14,503
There wasn't any Ummah.
1339
00:55:14,536 --> 00:55:16,774
There wasn't any Soulquarians.
1340
00:55:16,807 --> 00:55:18,945
There wasn't any--any of that.
1341
00:55:18,978 --> 00:55:20,949
It was him.
1342
00:55:20,982 --> 00:55:23,554
JERRY:
♪ I love you ♪
1343
00:55:23,588 --> 00:55:27,361
FRANK: The album came out
on the seventh,
1344
00:55:27,394 --> 00:55:28,463
which was his birthday.
1345
00:55:28,498 --> 00:55:30,334
JERRY:
♪ Really love you ♪
1346
00:55:32,806 --> 00:55:35,745
- And he passed away
on the 10th.
1347
00:55:35,778 --> 00:55:38,918
[soft music]
1348
00:55:38,951 --> 00:55:41,389
MAUREEN: He had a doctor's
appointment that morning.
1349
00:55:41,422 --> 00:55:42,391
Got James up.
1350
00:55:42,424 --> 00:55:44,830
I bathed him and dressed him.
1351
00:55:44,863 --> 00:55:47,669
I said, James, you got about
20 minutes before time for us
1352
00:55:47,702 --> 00:55:50,575
to leave to go
to the doctor's appointment.
1353
00:55:50,608 --> 00:55:52,779
I said, um,
you want to lay down
1354
00:55:52,812 --> 00:55:55,585
for a 20-minute nap,
or, you know, want to leave?
1355
00:55:55,618 --> 00:55:58,991
He said, "I'll lay down.
I'll take that nap."
1356
00:55:59,025 --> 00:56:00,695
And I said, okay.
1357
00:56:00,728 --> 00:56:02,966
♪ ♪
1358
00:56:02,999 --> 00:56:08,076
About 15 minutes later,
I said, okay, James.
1359
00:56:08,109 --> 00:56:11,684
It's time to go.
1360
00:56:11,717 --> 00:56:13,453
And I said it twice.
1361
00:56:13,486 --> 00:56:16,860
And he was like--
seemed like he was so ti--
1362
00:56:16,894 --> 00:56:18,531
seemed like he was tired
or something.
1363
00:56:18,564 --> 00:56:21,002
I said, James.
1364
00:56:21,035 --> 00:56:22,872
And he was like--barely moved.
1365
00:56:22,906 --> 00:56:25,745
♪ ♪
1366
00:56:25,778 --> 00:56:28,718
So we get in the car, and...
1367
00:56:28,751 --> 00:56:30,722
♪ ♪
1368
00:56:30,755 --> 00:56:33,728
I'm wondering why
he's, like, leaning.
1369
00:56:33,761 --> 00:56:36,934
And I put my arms around him.
1370
00:56:36,967 --> 00:56:41,142
And, uh, I'm talking to him.
1371
00:56:41,175 --> 00:56:46,854
And he gave me this breath,
1372
00:56:46,887 --> 00:56:50,695
and falls on my arm--
falls in my arm.
1373
00:56:52,899 --> 00:56:55,137
And that was it.
1374
00:56:55,170 --> 00:57:02,418
♪ ♪
1375
00:57:07,529 --> 00:57:09,800
And I was like...
1376
00:57:13,039 --> 00:57:15,612
I don't know what I was like.
1377
00:57:15,645 --> 00:57:18,718
I don't remember breathing.
1378
00:57:21,924 --> 00:57:24,061
Couldn't believe it.
1379
00:57:24,095 --> 00:57:26,834
It was--
I didn't want to believe it.
1380
00:57:29,706 --> 00:57:34,148
But I felt blessed still
'cause I was there with him.
1381
00:57:36,520 --> 00:57:38,924
I brought him into the world,
and then now he was--
1382
00:57:38,958 --> 00:57:42,431
and he was in my arms
when he left.
1383
00:57:44,803 --> 00:57:46,774
[voice breaking]
And, um...
1384
00:57:50,682 --> 00:57:52,519
FRANK:
Took the phone.
1385
00:57:52,552 --> 00:57:53,888
Hello?
1386
00:57:53,921 --> 00:57:58,531
And it was Maureen,
his mother.
1387
00:57:58,564 --> 00:58:01,704
And she just said, "Frankie,
you know, he passed away.
1388
00:58:01,737 --> 00:58:04,175
He's gone."
1389
00:58:05,845 --> 00:58:08,918
And...
1390
00:58:08,951 --> 00:58:11,557
It was sad, man.
It was, you know, unexpected.
1391
00:58:11,590 --> 00:58:15,565
And definitely not what I had
thought or envisioned
1392
00:58:15,598 --> 00:58:18,938
or planned on or any of that.
1393
00:58:18,971 --> 00:58:21,510
- Whew, sorry.
1394
00:58:21,543 --> 00:58:27,689
♪ ♪
1395
00:58:27,722 --> 00:58:29,626
Wow.
1396
00:58:36,039 --> 00:58:37,876
JONATHAN:
We could have done something
1397
00:58:37,909 --> 00:58:41,617
really special for Dilla
1398
00:58:41,650 --> 00:58:44,890
and in his memory with all of
the material that was there,
1399
00:58:44,923 --> 00:58:47,996
something that really
represented his legacy.
1400
00:58:48,029 --> 00:58:49,365
DAUGHTER:
This my daddy.
1401
00:58:49,398 --> 00:58:53,841
- If it hadn't become about
all this, like, nasty
infighting.
1402
00:58:53,874 --> 00:58:55,110
- Initially,
when I saw the will,
1403
00:58:55,143 --> 00:58:58,984
it struck me as, um,
being very simple,
1404
00:58:59,018 --> 00:59:01,155
very spare, bare bones.
1405
00:59:01,189 --> 00:59:03,259
The documents that were
filed with the court,
1406
00:59:03,293 --> 00:59:05,832
you can see at the top,
the Google search terms
1407
00:59:05,865 --> 00:59:08,571
that were used
to find this template.
1408
00:59:11,309 --> 00:59:13,748
There was simply the naming
of the three executors
1409
00:59:13,781 --> 00:59:15,918
and the naming
of the four heirs.
1410
00:59:15,952 --> 00:59:18,123
His mother Maureen,
his brother John,
1411
00:59:18,156 --> 00:59:22,131
and his two daughters
Ja'Mya and Ty'Monae.
1412
00:59:22,164 --> 00:59:26,005
Arty Erk is the primary
executor of the estate.
1413
00:59:26,038 --> 00:59:27,842
♪ ♪
1414
00:59:27,876 --> 00:59:30,982
So he was chosen
to be the person
1415
00:59:31,015 --> 00:59:34,155
to oversee
the distribution of assets,
1416
00:59:34,188 --> 00:59:36,660
the handling of paying debts,
1417
00:59:36,693 --> 00:59:40,735
and figuring out
how to run Dilla's business.
1418
00:59:40,768 --> 00:59:42,872
KELLEY: The beauty
and the problem of J Dilla
1419
00:59:42,906 --> 00:59:45,611
is that he loved making music.
1420
00:59:45,645 --> 00:59:48,049
He was very good
at making music.
1421
00:59:48,082 --> 00:59:50,755
But he probably wasn't
the best businessman.
1422
00:59:50,788 --> 00:59:53,326
- It's common enough for there
to be outstanding debts
1423
00:59:53,359 --> 00:59:56,165
when an artist dies,
so much so that
1424
00:59:56,199 --> 00:59:58,771
the law actually says
you have to pay off those
debts
1425
00:59:58,804 --> 01:00:00,641
before the heirs
can get anything
1426
01:00:00,675 --> 01:00:03,046
that they've been left
in the will.
1427
01:00:03,079 --> 01:00:04,883
At the time of Dilla's death,
1428
01:00:04,916 --> 01:00:08,323
Arty Erk valued
the entire estate at $400,000.
1429
01:00:08,356 --> 01:00:10,628
There were some
outstanding debts.
1430
01:00:10,661 --> 01:00:15,303
There was a $500,000 tax bill
owed to the IRS.
1431
01:00:15,337 --> 01:00:20,213
And there was an outstanding
loan for almost $320,000.
1432
01:00:20,247 --> 01:00:25,190
- You can imagine going back
to the chaos that was ensuing
1433
01:00:25,223 --> 01:00:29,098
around things happening on the
side through various managers
1434
01:00:29,131 --> 01:00:31,837
and directly with Maureen
and directly with Dilla
1435
01:00:31,870 --> 01:00:36,814
that taxes weren't always paid
on all of those transactions.
1436
01:00:36,847 --> 01:00:38,316
[pensive music]
1437
01:00:38,349 --> 01:00:40,955
LAUREN: So before
the heirs can get paid,
1438
01:00:40,988 --> 01:00:43,126
the estate needs to pay off
its tax bill.
1439
01:00:43,159 --> 01:00:44,930
And so in order to do that,
1440
01:00:44,963 --> 01:00:48,102
it needs to take an inventory
of everything that it has.
1441
01:00:48,136 --> 01:00:50,975
And that means wrangling all
the songs that are out there
1442
01:00:51,008 --> 01:00:53,079
so that they can be monetized.
1443
01:00:53,112 --> 01:00:57,120
- There were all kinds
of illicit uses
1444
01:00:57,154 --> 01:00:59,860
of Dilla's material
everywhere.
1445
01:00:59,893 --> 01:01:02,097
KELLY:
I mean, there are musicians
1446
01:01:02,130 --> 01:01:04,101
who are probably making music
1447
01:01:04,134 --> 01:01:06,372
that don't know they're
making music to a Dilla beat.
1448
01:01:06,405 --> 01:01:08,009
You know,
what do you do with that?
1449
01:01:08,042 --> 01:01:10,413
What's the legality
when it comes to that even,
1450
01:01:10,447 --> 01:01:12,719
especially when
some musicians will say,
1451
01:01:12,752 --> 01:01:14,221
"Well, he gave this to me.
1452
01:01:14,255 --> 01:01:15,758
"This was a gift
that he gave to me,
1453
01:01:15,791 --> 01:01:17,729
just told me to do
something with it."
1454
01:01:17,762 --> 01:01:20,367
- So in court documents,
Arty says
1455
01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:23,373
there's a staggering number
of copyright infringements,
1456
01:01:23,406 --> 01:01:25,912
there's tons of legal expense
associated with it,
1457
01:01:25,945 --> 01:01:27,314
and it dilutes the brand.
1458
01:01:27,347 --> 01:01:29,418
Arty also says
in a court document
1459
01:01:29,451 --> 01:01:33,426
including copyright
infringement by a beneficiary,
1460
01:01:33,459 --> 01:01:35,998
Maureen Yancey.
1461
01:01:36,032 --> 01:01:41,042
- They dare to tell me
that I don't have the right
1462
01:01:41,075 --> 01:01:42,411
to do certain things.
1463
01:01:42,444 --> 01:01:44,415
But they can do it,
do what they want.
1464
01:01:44,448 --> 01:01:46,185
But I shouldn't be doing it
1465
01:01:46,219 --> 01:01:47,755
unless I get permission
from them.
1466
01:01:47,789 --> 01:01:48,891
And that's not--
that's, you know,
1467
01:01:48,924 --> 01:01:50,160
I didn't get permission
to have 'em.
1468
01:01:50,193 --> 01:01:51,897
So it can come this way.
1469
01:01:51,930 --> 01:01:54,034
JONATHAN: Maureen would,
you know, here and there,
1470
01:01:54,068 --> 01:01:57,441
sell things on the side,
you know, to make an album,
1471
01:01:57,474 --> 01:01:59,445
you know,
sell beats to an artist.
1472
01:01:59,478 --> 01:02:01,315
Arty and Micheline
were furious.
1473
01:02:01,349 --> 01:02:06,325
MAUREEN: I'm a Detroiter,
a proud Detroiter.
1474
01:02:06,359 --> 01:02:09,031
So yes, I will stay in there
and I will fight.
1475
01:02:09,064 --> 01:02:11,035
I'm not gonna let anybody
put my son down,
1476
01:02:11,068 --> 01:02:13,874
what I do for him down,
or anybody else.
1477
01:02:13,908 --> 01:02:17,481
Because I'm here to lift up
his music, his legacy.
1478
01:02:17,515 --> 01:02:18,884
JOHN:
My mom's intention
1479
01:02:18,918 --> 01:02:20,153
was always to work
with the estate.
1480
01:02:20,186 --> 01:02:24,428
But it was more like, if y'all
gonna be doing all this stuff,
1481
01:02:24,461 --> 01:02:26,465
but you not taking care
of his family,
1482
01:02:26,500 --> 01:02:28,469
then it's like,
what's--what's the point?
1483
01:02:28,504 --> 01:02:31,175
♪ ♪
1484
01:02:31,208 --> 01:02:33,179
- We took out this full page
ad in Billboard
1485
01:02:33,212 --> 01:02:36,820
that basically said, there's
a lot of unauthorized material
1486
01:02:36,853 --> 01:02:38,323
running around.
1487
01:02:38,356 --> 01:02:42,799
If you are not talking to
Arty Erk or Micheline Levine,
1488
01:02:42,832 --> 01:02:44,903
you are not talking
to Dilla's legacy
1489
01:02:44,936 --> 01:02:49,478
and you are stealing money
from his children.
1490
01:02:49,512 --> 01:02:53,353
- Around 2008,
the family gets frustrated
1491
01:02:53,386 --> 01:02:57,194
with the way Arty and
Micheline are handling the
estate.
1492
01:02:57,227 --> 01:03:01,536
They feel that the executors
are spending too much time
1493
01:03:01,570 --> 01:03:05,511
on suing people
when there are other ways
1494
01:03:05,544 --> 01:03:08,216
that the estate
could be generating income.
1495
01:03:08,249 --> 01:03:10,153
The family files a petition
with the court
1496
01:03:10,186 --> 01:03:12,859
asking to have
Arty and Micheline removed.
1497
01:03:12,892 --> 01:03:17,334
In 2009, Arty and Micheline
ultimately step down.
1498
01:03:17,367 --> 01:03:20,273
JONATHAN: I think it's unfair
to accuse Micheline
1499
01:03:20,307 --> 01:03:23,847
or Arty or me or anyone else
of being insensitive
1500
01:03:23,881 --> 01:03:26,218
because they were
really just trying to do
1501
01:03:26,252 --> 01:03:28,489
what they were asked to do.
1502
01:03:28,524 --> 01:03:30,995
♪ ♪
1503
01:03:31,028 --> 01:03:35,136
Had Dilla wanted Maureen
to be the keeper of the
legacy,
1504
01:03:35,170 --> 01:03:38,009
he had the opportunity
to do so.
1505
01:03:38,042 --> 01:03:39,178
I guess that,
at the end of the day,
1506
01:03:39,211 --> 01:03:42,552
is really the source
of the conflict.
1507
01:03:42,585 --> 01:03:45,390
And that must be terrible
to live with.
1508
01:03:45,423 --> 01:03:48,797
♪ ♪
1509
01:03:52,270 --> 01:03:54,909
LAUREN: The thing that's
challenging about a will,
1510
01:03:54,943 --> 01:03:58,149
in terms of how it relates
to an artist's legacy,
1511
01:03:58,182 --> 01:04:02,424
is that the legal language in
it is rigid and it's simple.
1512
01:04:02,457 --> 01:04:05,430
It's kind of
not the right tool to use
1513
01:04:05,463 --> 01:04:09,171
to address how to handle an
artist's legacy going forward.
1514
01:04:09,204 --> 01:04:12,044
It's not sophisticated
or nuanced enough.
1515
01:04:16,085 --> 01:04:18,056
- The decedent.
1516
01:04:18,089 --> 01:04:21,563
I mean, for whatever
tiny little legacy I have,
1517
01:04:21,596 --> 01:04:23,132
I want to decide.
1518
01:04:23,166 --> 01:04:25,437
- It is not the court's
1519
01:04:25,470 --> 01:04:29,044
or attorney's decisions
1520
01:04:29,078 --> 01:04:34,589
to decide what his heirs do
with what he left.
1521
01:04:34,622 --> 01:04:37,461
LAUREN: According
to 2021 court documents,
1522
01:04:37,495 --> 01:04:40,935
Dilla's estate was valued
at $1.2 million.
1523
01:04:40,968 --> 01:04:43,372
And given he was
such a prolific artist
1524
01:04:43,406 --> 01:04:46,513
in his lifetime with
such a vast body of work,
1525
01:04:46,546 --> 01:04:48,316
one could wonder, you know,
1526
01:04:48,349 --> 01:04:50,353
how much more this estate
could have been worth
1527
01:04:50,386 --> 01:04:52,090
had all of his affairs
been in order
1528
01:04:52,124 --> 01:04:54,496
and it had been
managed differently.
1529
01:04:54,529 --> 01:05:00,073
♪ ♪
1530
01:05:00,106 --> 01:05:02,210
JEFF:
There's a commerce part of it
1531
01:05:02,244 --> 01:05:04,983
that this is the great J Dilla
1532
01:05:05,016 --> 01:05:07,955
and all of his work
needs to be put out.
1533
01:05:07,989 --> 01:05:11,061
And we should receive some
kind of compensation for it.
1534
01:05:11,095 --> 01:05:16,238
But that's not how J Dilla
went about his art.
1535
01:05:16,272 --> 01:05:19,478
[J Dilla's "Don't Cry"]
1536
01:05:19,512 --> 01:05:22,250
HOUSE SHOES: He was one of the
great creatives of all time.
1537
01:05:22,284 --> 01:05:24,254
He was sent here
to do the work.
1538
01:05:24,288 --> 01:05:25,658
And he did the work.
1539
01:05:25,691 --> 01:05:29,198
And I ain't heard anybody
better than Jay Dee.
1540
01:05:29,231 --> 01:05:30,668
SINGER:
Unbelievable, baby girl.
1541
01:05:30,701 --> 01:05:33,339
SINGER:
♪ I can't stand ♪
1542
01:05:33,372 --> 01:05:36,245
♪ To see you cry ♪
1543
01:05:36,278 --> 01:05:39,619
THE ESCORTS:
♪ I can't stand to see ♪
1544
01:05:39,652 --> 01:05:43,259
- His work
that seems so big now,
1545
01:05:43,292 --> 01:05:46,098
it was always
that quality of work.
1546
01:05:46,132 --> 01:05:50,541
THE ESCORTS:
♪ To see you cry ♪
1547
01:05:50,574 --> 01:05:53,446
- Donuts was a legacy for him.
1548
01:05:53,479 --> 01:05:55,150
[J Dilla's
"Last Donut of the Night"]
1549
01:05:55,183 --> 01:05:57,387
SINGER:
L-L-Ladies and gentlemen.
1550
01:05:57,420 --> 01:05:59,692
L-L-L-Ladies and gentlemen.
1551
01:05:59,726 --> 01:06:01,028
[voice reversing, echoing]
1552
01:06:01,061 --> 01:06:04,001
EDWIN: I mean, Donuts is
kind of the ultimate example
1553
01:06:04,034 --> 01:06:08,677
of that tantalizing potential,
unfulfilled quality.
1554
01:06:08,710 --> 01:06:13,386
[J Dilla's "Gobstopper"]
1555
01:06:13,419 --> 01:06:16,325
- The Donuts album,
I look at that as like, uh,
1556
01:06:16,358 --> 01:06:20,701
the exclamation point,
him once again doing something
1557
01:06:20,734 --> 01:06:23,272
that was going to change
the course of the way
1558
01:06:23,306 --> 01:06:26,478
a lot of artists
looked at music.
1559
01:06:26,513 --> 01:06:30,320
[J Dilla's "Stop!"]
1560
01:06:30,353 --> 01:06:33,426
DIONNE: ♪ Mm,
you're gonna want me back ♪
1561
01:06:33,459 --> 01:06:35,698
J DILLA:
♪ It's dat--it's dat real ♪
1562
01:06:35,731 --> 01:06:38,469
FRANK: Donuts holds that--
that folklore.
1563
01:06:38,504 --> 01:06:41,676
That was what dropped
when he left us.
1564
01:06:41,710 --> 01:06:43,714
You know,
I don't listen to Donuts.
1565
01:06:43,747 --> 01:06:46,352
It's eerie for me,
the song titles,
1566
01:06:46,385 --> 01:06:49,592
and the way he set it up,
it's like a letter.
1567
01:06:49,626 --> 01:06:50,761
[J Dilla's "Waves"]
1568
01:06:50,794 --> 01:06:54,201
- Sometimes I can just listen
through it and no tears.
1569
01:06:54,234 --> 01:06:56,205
Sometimes I listen through it,
some tears come out.
1570
01:06:56,238 --> 01:07:00,748
♪ ♪
1571
01:07:00,781 --> 01:07:03,352
He's literally saying,
preparing us,
1572
01:07:03,386 --> 01:07:05,758
like, if you listen to
the album, it's like, peace,
1573
01:07:05,791 --> 01:07:07,628
you know what I
mean, with love.
1574
01:07:07,662 --> 01:07:10,768
[upbeat hip-hop music]
1575
01:07:10,801 --> 01:07:12,738
FRANK:
His records touch people.
1576
01:07:12,772 --> 01:07:15,176
- Hip-hop and life, that's
what J Dilla means to me.
1577
01:07:15,210 --> 01:07:16,345
- I bleed Dilla.
1578
01:07:16,378 --> 01:07:18,584
FRANK: It's far reaching,
from him getting streets
1579
01:07:18,617 --> 01:07:21,088
named after him in France
1580
01:07:21,121 --> 01:07:24,629
to, you know,
murals all over the world,
1581
01:07:24,662 --> 01:07:28,469
and probably a bigger artist
than he's ever been.
1582
01:07:28,503 --> 01:07:30,106
CROWD:
♪ Can't keep running away ♪
1583
01:07:30,139 --> 01:07:31,408
- That's right, pow down.
1584
01:07:31,442 --> 01:07:33,079
One more time!
1585
01:07:33,112 --> 01:07:37,420
CROWD:
♪ Can't keep running away ♪
1586
01:07:37,454 --> 01:07:41,095
- His love for so many styles
of music and his ability to
1587
01:07:41,128 --> 01:07:43,667
make them all his own,
1588
01:07:43,700 --> 01:07:47,508
put 'em in his MPC,
which is his musical
playground,
1589
01:07:47,541 --> 01:07:51,415
and influence the world
from there.
1590
01:07:51,448 --> 01:07:53,687
MARTHA:
I just hope that, um,
1591
01:07:53,720 --> 01:07:55,691
people know that when they do
listen to his music,
1592
01:07:55,724 --> 01:07:59,364
that he put everything in it.
1593
01:07:59,398 --> 01:08:02,571
Everything.
1594
01:08:02,605 --> 01:08:04,676
- Yeah, his life
had controversy.
1595
01:08:04,709 --> 01:08:08,550
Yeah, he had things
in his life that got sticky.
1596
01:08:08,583 --> 01:08:12,257
But I don't know that he
would want it any other way
1597
01:08:12,290 --> 01:08:14,127
than let the music stand tall.
1598
01:08:14,161 --> 01:08:17,267
And I think, man, what are
we talking about right now?
1599
01:08:17,300 --> 01:08:19,137
SPEAKER: On behalf of the
Smithsonian's National Museum
1600
01:08:19,171 --> 01:08:20,808
of African-American
History and Culture
1601
01:08:20,841 --> 01:08:24,247
and from the bottom
of my heart,
1602
01:08:24,281 --> 01:08:27,655
we want to thank you for
sharing your son's legacy
1603
01:08:27,688 --> 01:08:32,565
with us and for trusting us
to share it with the world.
1604
01:08:32,598 --> 01:08:35,571
[cheers and applause]
1605
01:08:35,604 --> 01:08:40,748
♪ ♪
1606
01:08:40,781 --> 01:08:42,585
J DILLA:
I know I won't be around
1607
01:08:42,618 --> 01:08:44,722
to do it forever, but, um,
1608
01:08:44,756 --> 01:08:46,860
you know,
while I am here, you know,
1609
01:08:46,893 --> 01:08:49,164
I just want to make my mark.