Featured Producer Of The Week : J. DILLA

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006), better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. According to his obituary at NPR.org, he "was one of the music industry's most influential hip-hop artists, working for big-name acts like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes and Common.

Renowned producer Pete Rock placed J Dilla on his list of the top five producers of all time, while the editors of About.com ranked him #15 on their list of the Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers. Andy Kellman of Allmusic stated that—by 2004, after being active for well over a decade as a producer—J Dilla had accomplished enough to be considered "an all-time great." J Dilla made the "Elite 8" in the search for The Greatest Hip-Hop Producer of All Time by Vibe. Also, The Source placed him on its list of the 20 greatest producers in the magazine's twenty-year history.

Yancey's career began slowly. He has now become highly regarded, most notably for the production of critically acclaimed albums by Ghostface Killah, Raekwon,Common, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, and Erykah Badu. He was a member of Slum Village and produced their acclaimed debut album Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) and their follow-up Fantastic, Vol. 2.

In the early 2000s, Yancey's career as a solo artist began to improve; A solo album Welcome 2 Detroit was followed by a collaborative album with California producerMadlib, Champion Sound, which catalyzed the careers of both artists. Just as his music was becoming increasingly popular, Yancey died in 2006 of the blood diseaseTTP.

Following J Dilla's death, the hip hop community became centered upon his music and image. Many of the artists with whom Yancey worked performed or recorded tributes, and a large group of followers voiced their support for the late musician. Yancey's music experienced a rebirth as the producer gained many times more listeners than he had during his life, partly due to media exposure. Though several posthumous albums have been released and others are planned, the amount of unreleased recordings by the producer remain somewhat undetermined. Yancey's estate has also been controverted.

In 1992, he met experienced Detroit musician Amp Fiddler, who was impressed by what Jay Dee was able to accomplish with such limited tools. Amp Fiddler let Jay Dee use his MPC, which he learned quickly. In 1995, Jay Dee and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down, and would be the first Detroit hip hop group to sign with a major label (Payday Records) - a deal that was ended after one single when the label folded. That same year he recorded 'Yesteryearz' with 5 Elementz (a group consisting of the late Proof, Thyme and Mudd).

By the mid 1990s Jay Dee was known as a major hip hop prospect, with a string of singles and remix projects, for Janet Jackson, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album and others. The majority of these productions were released without his name recognition, being credited to The Ummah, a production collective composed of Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and later Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Toné!. Under this umbrella, Jay did some of his most big name R&B and hip hop work, churning out original songs and remixes for Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes, Brand New Heavies, Something For the People, trip hop artists Crustation and many others. This all came off the heels of Jay handling the majority of production on The Pharcyde's album Labcabincalifornia, released in the holiday season of 1995. Jay Dee's largest-scale feat came in 1997 when he produced Janet Jackson's Grammy winning single "Got 'til It's Gone" from The Velvet Rope. The song-writing credit and subsequent Grammy were both given to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Performing career

2000 marked the major label debut of Slum Village with Fantastic, Vol. 2, creating a new following for Jay Dee as a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the production collective known as TheSoulquarians (along with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, D'Angelo and James Poyser amongst others) which earned him more recognition and buzz. He subsequently worked with Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, andCommon - contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, Like Water for Chocolate.^]

His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single "Fuck the Police", followed by the album Welcome 2 Detroit, which kicked off U.K. Independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. In 2001, Jay Dee, began using the name "J Dilla" (an attempt to differentiate himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "J.D."), and left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with MCA Records.

2002 saw Dilla producing the entirety of Frank-N-Dank's 48 Hours, as well as a solo album, but neither record was ever released, although the former did eventually surface through bootlegging. When Dilla finished working with Frank-N-Dank on the 48 Hours album, MCA Records requested a record with a larger commercial appeal, and the artists re-recorded the majority of the tracks, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither versions of the album saw the light of day, and Dilla expressed he was disappointed that the music never got out to the fans.

Dilla was signed to a solo deal with MCA Records in 2002 and completed an album in 2003. Although Dilla was known as a producer rather than an MC, he chose to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite producers such as Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz, Waajeed, Quebo Kuntry (J.Benjamin) and others. The album was shelved due to internal changes at the label and MCA folding into Geffen Records.In a 2007 video interview, Dilla's friend DJ House Shoes alluded to the possibility of the MCA album finally seeing an official release through Stones Throw Records in the future. In April 2008, the album, called Pay Jay, began circulating. BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Benji B played songs from it on his April 18 show, saying that the album is coming out, and people on the internet privately shared and discussed the album.

While the record with MCA stalled, Dilla recorded the uncompromising Ruff Draft, released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack. Although the album was little known, it signaled a change in sound and attitude, and his work from this point on was increasingly released through independent record labels. In a 2003 interview with Groove Attack, Dilla talked about this change of direction:

You know, if I had a choice, skip the major labels and just put it out yourself man... Trust me. I tell everybody it's better to do it yourself and let the Indies come after you instead of going in their [direction] and getting a deal and you have to wait, it ain't fun, take it from me. Right now, I'm on MCA but it feels like I'm an unsigned artist still. It's cool, it's a blessing, but damn I'm like, 'When's my shit gonna come out? I'm ready now, what's up?'

Later life

LA-based producer and MC Madlib began collaborating with J Dilla, and the pair formed the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album called Champion Sound in 2003.^[1] J Dilla relocated from Detroit to LA in 2004 and appeared on tour with Jaylib in Spring 2004.

J Dilla's illness and medication caused dramatic weight loss in 2003 onwards, forcing him to publicly confirm speculation about his health in 2004. Despite a slower output of major releases and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his core audience, as evident by unauthorized circulation of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mostly through internet file sharing. Articles in publications URB (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) confirmed rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but these were downplayed by Jay himself. The seriousness of his condition became public in November 2005 when J Dilla toured Europe performing from a wheelchair. It was later revealed that he suffered from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a rare blood disease, and possibly lupus.^[16]

J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, three days after his 32nd birthday and the release of his final album Donuts, at home in Los Angeles, California. According to his mother, Maureen Yancey, the cause was cardiac arrest.

Last Interview: Scratch Magazine

Aqua: What made you choose L.A. over Miami or NYC?

J-Dilla: I thought about New York but in New York the studio would get crowded with a lot of people. In LA, you look outside it’s like palm trees, sunshine and you know a totally different feel working.

You mentioned not having a bunch of people in the studio, do you like to keep it just you and the artist in the studio?
Yeah, I like to keep it to a minimum.

What part of L.A. is it?
West Hollywood.

Do you still keep a crib in Detroit?
Yeah, I still got the crib and then actually all my equipment is out there. I’m looking for a crib now so I can ship my equipment out here.

I’m assuming you got some equipment out in L.A. right?
I got just the basics. AN MPC a couple of turntables and that’s really it.

What equipment did you start with?
I started with the SP-12 then moved to the SP-1200 and then shortly after that the MPC-60, then the MPC-62, then the MPC3000 and I’ve been on the MPC 3000 ever since then. I’ve tried other samplers but the 3000 is best for me for what I like to do.

What about it specifically?
It’s just easier for me to program and I like the node offs and mono pads. I can just do more with it. I guess cause I know it better.

As far as your records are you a big digger?
Yeah man. I’m a record shopping fanatic. I already got a nice stash here and I got a warehouse full of records in Detroit, it’s ridiculous. I lost a lot of records too. Having them in that storage paper, records was getting damp and to go back periodically and check on them is kind of hard.

What would you estimate as far as how many you have?
I’d have to ask somebody, I don’t even know.

How old were you when you started making beats?
I started making beats when “Big Mouth” came out, whatever year that was.

The Whodini joint?
Yeah, cause I was DJ’ing before that but umm, that song actually made me want to get into production side and started messing around. Then people would go to studios, Metroplex Studios, that was in Detroit. We were like the first hip-hop cats to come in there. It was a little different for them.

When you say we do you mean Slum Village?
Nah, this was actually me and a partner of mine that went to school with me named Chuck. He was actually the MC and I provided the beats.

How far were you into the DJing, were you  in the crib or rocking parties?
I was doing parties and the typical, making beats on the pause and record thing like a lot of cats were doing.

Besides the DJing, did you know what kind of equipment you had to get to start producing?
Nah, I ain’t know nothing man. Fortunately I ran into this cat just walking in the street, literally. This guy named Amp Fiddler. He actually came out in the street and seen me, YG and couple of other cats, we were just walking. Yeah, this guy name Larry and a couple of other cats that just went to high school with us. He just called us out and from that first day he actually showed all of us how a studio works and things like that. He had a little pre-production studio in his crib. He was like whenever you want to, come by the crib. We had cassettes so we could play him some stuff-he was just like “Whenever you want to come by and I got you, if you want to record something or work on the drum machine.” I started going over there messing with beats.

He lived in your neighborhood?
Yeah, a few blocks away from me literally.

I know him as an R&B dude. Was he into hip-hop back then?
Right, right. Nah, he actually sounded like Domino, remember that cat Domino that was singing and rapping a little bit?  He was doing that before I even heard Domino. Before a lot of cats. He was signed to Elektra Records and he would show me the records that never came out. He was kind of like teaching us about how the industry is a little bit. You gotta kinda watch what you do and look at all the paperwork when you signing. We actually got caught up in a lot of crazy deals. Slum…

Did you have somebody holding your hand like, “This is how you freak the SP…”?
Actually, what Amp did, he played some stuff out the MP but he was like, “I’m not going to show you to work it. You gotta learn on your own.” He was like “don’t use a book.” Ever since this day I never read the books to samplers and all of that, I just try to learn them. Except this last drum machine, this Korg drum machine I brought. It was like too complicated. I had to read that shit. A lot of people say Oh, Amp taught you how to work the MP, no not really.

You’ve always been ill at chopping samples, was it because of the equipment you were using?
You know what? It had a lot to do with the time I had in the sampler. You could only sample this much and that’s how it started. I used to listen to records and actually, I wouldn’t say look for mistakes but when I hear mistakes in records it was exciting for me. Like, “Damn, the drummer missed the beat in that shit. The guitar went off key for a second.” I try to do that in my music a little bit, try to have that live feel a little bit to it.

Oh, you mean when your listening to…
An old like Jack McDuff record.

Something that’s done live?
Mmm hmm.

How does a Jay Dee track come together?
I can say lately, I usually don’t say this, but lately it starts with samples because I’ve been really getting into records. I been buying a lot of 45s. Try to get a groove off of 45′s cause it’s like they only press singles. Trying to get a break off that you gotta really be hunting for that shit. What I’ll do is I’ll look for a groove or something to start if off with but then I try to build around it. Try to make something out of it.

I’m at a disadvantage because I haven’t heard Donuts yet but how long had that been in the works?
Actually, I’d say in the last maybe year to the last couple of months. It’s just a compilation of the stuff I thought was a little too much for the MCs. That’s basically what it is, ya know me flipping records that people really don’t know how to rap on but they want to rap on. There’s bunch of that.

Since you mentioned that, let’s say Like Water for Chocolate, your stamp was all over that and it was well received. Then you have Electric Circus, the beats were different but the media, and Common himself, said it was too different. Did that ever bother you?
Ya know it doesn’t bother me because what people don’t understand is like when I…me myself, when I go in the studio, I just try to give the artist what they want. Like Water for Chocolate, we were both looking toward the direction of where he started or what would have been rugged hip-hop at that time. The Electric Circus, he wanted to do something totally different. I would bring him a batch of beats, and he’d just be sitting there, then as soon as I make something crazy as hell, fast uptempo, he’d like, ‘Yeah, let’s use that one.’ I don’t want people to think this is all I’m giving him, I gotta give him what he want. It’s kind of hard to read those reviews knowing that, “Damn, they don’t understand that shit.”

That was Common, did you use the same approach with a Badu or D’Angelo?
I try to give them…it’s a little different in that case. Like Badu, she’s very like very demanding type of ya know R&B diva type shit. She actually wanted to come in, help pick the sample, feel a brother out. “Maybe you should freak this, freak this.” It’s a little different with her than a D’Angelo or a Busta Rhymes who would take it as is. They just take it right off the beat tape. It’s a big difference.

Is that tougher in the case of Badu?
Yeah, it just kind of puts you on the spot like, “Damn, I’m really working right now.” It shouldn’t be this hard. We sitting in the studio for a day and half and can’t come up with one solid joint. Where as a Busta or D’Angelo they already got their joints picked.

What do your parents think about your music?
At first it was straight devil music (laughing). Pops wanted to throw my equipment out in the streets. I went through that whole thing a lot cats either go through or went through. They eased up over the years but once it started to pay off, not just financially but how I felt about things, they really eased up. There’s cussing and things like that I don’t real don’t want me to hear but they appreciate it.

His Weapons Of Mass Production

Technic Turntables (1200s)
ProControl (standard module Dilla's was fully expanded)
ProTools TDM / HD Accel 1 (or 2, 3) Not to mention Digi Midi I/O Audio
(2x) Focusrite Red 
MPC 3000
MicroKORG
Motif-Rack ES
Mini Moog Voyager 

*Tons of Vinyl Records (all genres/any & everything)

J Dilla / Jay Dee Discography

Artist/Group Releases

1st Down - A Day Wit The Homiez, 12-inch single (1995) PAY DAY RECORDS Slum Village - Fan-Tas-Tic, 12-inch single (1996)Slum Village - Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1), Album (1996) DONUT BOY RECORDINGS, (1997) SUDDEN IMPACT, (2006) BARAK
Slum Village - We Be Down 12-inch single (1997) SUDDEN IMPACT Jay Dee - Jay Dee Unreleased Remixes, EP (1997) HOUSE SHOES RECORDS
Slum Village - Somethin' For The People, All I Do (Remix) from All I Do 12-inch single (1997) WB J-88 - Look Of Love (Remix) 12-inch single (1999) GROOVE ATTACK Slum Village - Get This Money, 12-inch single (1999) INTERSCOPE
Slum Village - Fantastic Vol. 2, Album (2000) GOODVIBE (2002) CAPITOL (2010) BARAK
Slum Village - Fall In Love (Remix), 12-inch single (2000) GOODVIBE
Slum Village - Cimax/CB4, 12-inch single (2000) GOODVIBE
J-88 - Best Kept Secret, EP (2000) GROOVE ATTACK
Jay Dee - Fuck The Police/Move, feat. Frank N Dank, 12-inch single (2001) UP ABOVE
Jay Dee feat. Frank-N-Dank - Pause, 12-inch single (2001) BBE
Jay Dee - Welcome 2 Detroit, Album (2001) BBE
1st Down - A Day Wit The Homiez, Album (2002) RONNIECASH.COM Jay Dee - Instrumental Series Vol 1, EP (2002) BLING 47
Jay Dee feat. Frank N Dank - Take Dem Clothes Off/Off Ya Chest, 12-inch single (2002) ABB
Jaylib - The Message, from Stones Throw Summer 2002 EP (2002) STONES THROW Jay Dee - Instrumental Series Vol.2: Vintage Album (2003) BLING 47
Jay Dee - Ruff Draft, EP (2003) MUMMY/GROOVE ATTACK
Jaylib - The Red/The Official, 12-inch single (2003) STONES THROW 
Jaylib - Champion Sound, 12-inch single (2003) STONES THROW 
Jaylib - Champion Sound, Album (2003), and Champion Sound Instrumentals (2004) STONES THROW
Jaylib - Raw Addict/Ice, 12-inch single (2003) STONES THROW
Jaylib - McNasty Filth, 12-inch/CD (2004) STONES THROW
Jaylib - Popshit, from Stones Throw 100, EP (2004) STONES THROW
J Dilla - Welcome 2 Detroit Instrumentals (2005) BBE
J Dilla - Donuts: J Rocc's Picks, EP (2005) STONES THROW 
J Dilla - Signs, 7-inch single (2006) STONES THROW
J Dilla - Donuts, Album (2006) STONES THROW
J Dilla - The Shining, Album (2006) BBE
J Dilla - The Shining EP, 12-inch single (2006) BBE
J Dilla - The Shining (Instrumentals) (2006) BBE
Jaylib - No $ No Toke from Chrome Children, Album (2006) STONES THROW
Jaylib - No $ No Toke, 12-inch single (2006) STONES THROW 
J Dilla - Won't Do, EP (2007) BBE
J Dilla - Wild, 12-inch single (2007) STONES THROW
J Dilla - Ruff Draft, Album (2007) STONES THROW
J Dilla - Dirty Crushin, 7-inch single (2007) STONES THROW 
J Dilla - Jay Love Japan, Album (2007) OPERATION UNKNOWN 
Jay Dee - Jay Deelicious: The Delicious Vinyl Years CD/LP (2007) DELICIOUS VINYL 
J Dilla - Donut Shop, EP (2010) SERATO/STONES THROW

MC (Not Producer)

Tami Hert - If You Were Mine (Detroit Demolition Mix) 12-inch single (1997) 550 MUSIC
v/a - Fight Club, feat. Dilla, Nottz & Boogie from Best Kept Secret Mix, Album (2003) BLING 47 Dabrye - Game Over 12-inch single (2004) GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL Wale Oyejide - There's A War Going On 12-inch single (2004) SHAMAN WORK
Wale Oyejide - There's A War Going On from One Day, Everything Changed, Album (2004) SHAMAN WORK Slum Village - Reunion from Detroit Deli, Album (2004) BARAK/CAPITOL
Pete Rock - Niggaz Know from Soul Survivor II, Album (2004) RAPSTER /BBE v/a - Do Your Thang, Stupid from BR Gunna Presents Dirty District Vol. 2, Album (2004) BARAK
Phat Kat - Door from The Undeniable LP New Version, Album (2004) BARAK Lawless Element - Love, 12-inch single (2005) BABYGRANDE
Lawless Element - Love, from Soundvision: In Stereo, Album (2005) BABYGRANDE
Platinum Pied Pipers - Act Like You Know, 12-inch single (2005) UBIQUITY
Platinum Pied Pipers - Shotgun, Act Like You Know, from Triple P, Album (2005) UBIQUITY Sa-Ra - Thrilla, 12-inch single (2005) SOUND IN COLOR
Sa-Ra - Thrilla, from The Hollywood Recordings (2007) BABYGRANDE
Diamond - We Gangstas, from Diamond Mine, Album (2005)Platinum Pied Pipers - Shotgun (Remix) from 12-inch single (2005) UBIQUITY
J Dilla - The $ (Madlib Remix), Make 'Em NV (Madlib Remix) from Hella International 12-inch single (2007) STONES THROW

Production Credits: 1995

Da Enna C - NOW from Throw Ya Hands In Da Air, 12-inch single (1994) UP TOP
Little Indian - One Little Indian, 12-inch single (1995) PREMEDITATED Poe - Fingertips from Hello, Album (1995) WEA/ATLANTIC

Production Credits: 1996

5-Elementz - Whutchawant, Feed Back, Rockshows, Party Groove, Janet Jacme, E.G.O., Don't Stop, Searchin from The, Album Time Forgot cassette (1996) THAT WAS ENTERTAINMENT
A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again, Get A Hold, Keeping It Moving, Stressed Out, Word Play from Beat, Rhymes, & Life, Album (1996) JIVE RECORDS AZ - When The Cheering Stops from NFL Jams (1996) CASTLEBusta Rhymes - Keep It Movin', Still Shinin' from The Coming, Album (1996) ELEKTRA
Busta Rhymes - Woo-Hah!! (Jay-Dee Bounce Remix), Woo-Hah!! (Jay-Dee Other Shit Remix), 12-inch (1996) ELEKTRA
Busta Rhymes - It's a Party (Ummah Remix), Ill Vibe (Ummah Remix), 12-inch single (1996) ELEKTRA
De La Soul - Stakes Is High from Stakes Is High, Album (1996) TOMMY BOY
De La Soul - Stakes Is High (Remix) from Itzsoweezee , 12-inch single (1996) TOMMY BOY
Mad Skillz - It's Going Down, The Jam from From Where??? (1996) BIG BEAT Kieth Murray - The Rhyme (Remix), Dangerous Ground from Enigma (1996) JIVE
Natives Of Da Underground - Pack Da Hous/Brotha's Juss Don't Know/Whatcha Gonna Do?, 12-inch single (1996) ALR
Phife Dawg - Game Day from NFL Jams (1996) CASTLE
Proof - Da Science from Detroit Hip Hop Volume 1 (1996) MODERN TRIBE Proof - Vibe Session from Anywhere, 12-inch single (1996) HIP HOP SHOP
Tha Pharcyde - Runnin', Bullshit, Splatittorium, Somethin' That Means Somethin', Drop, Y? from Labcabincalifornia, Album (1996) DELICIOUS VINYL

Production Credits: 1997

5-Elementz - Sun Flower from Yester Years, EP (1997) THAT WAS ENTERTAINMENT
A Tribe Called Quest - Get A Hold, Mardi Gras At Midnight from Jam, EP (1997) JIVE RECORDS Brand New Heavies - Sometimes (Ummah Remix) from Sometimes , 12-inch single (1997) DELICIOUS VINYL
Busta Rhymes - So Hardcore from When Disaster Strikes, Album (1997) ELEKTRA
Mint Condition - Let Me Be The One (Ummah Remix), 12-inch single (1997) PERSPECTIVE
Crustation - Purple (ATCQ Edit), 12-inch single (1997) ZOMBA
Janet Jackson - Got Til It's Gone (Ummah Jay Dee Revenge Mix), 12-inch single (1997) VIRGIN
Something for the People - All I Do (Jay Dee's Sh**! Mix) feat. Phife Dawg 12-inch single WARNER BROS
T Da Pimp - Why You Lookin Hard?/We Know We Rockit, 12-inch single (1997) PENMP Tha Pharcyde - She Said (Remix), 12-inch single (1997) DELICIOUS VINYL
Tha Pharcyde - Runnin (Remix), Y? (Remix) from Drop, 12-inch single (1997) DELICIOUS VINYL
Truz - True Dawgs/Routes To Hell, 12-inch single (1997) AD FAM

Production Credits: 1998

A Tribe Called Quest - 4 Moms, Against The World, Busta's Lament, Da Booty, Find A Way, His Name Is Mutty Ranks, Start It Up, Steppin' It Up from The Love Movement, Album (1998) JIVE RECORDS
A Tribe Called Quest - That Shit from Funkmaster Flex Vol. 3, Album (1998) LOUD RECORDS
Bizarre - Butterfly from Attack of the Wierdos, EP (1998) FEDERATION
Mood - Secrets Of The Sand (Remix) from Snake Backs , 12-inch single (1998) BLUNT
N'Dea Davenport - Bullshittin (Remix) from N'Dea Davenport, Album (1998) V2

Production Credits: 1999

5 Ela - You Ain't Fresh, Ain't No Love from 5-E Pt. 3 (1999) THAT WAS ENTERTAINMENT Brand New Heavies - Saturday Night (Jay Dee Remix) from Saturday Night, 12-inch single (1999) DELICIOUS VINYL
Heavy D - Listen from Heavy, Album (1999) UNIVERSAL
Macy Gray - I Try (Remix), 12-inch single (1999) EPIC
Nine Yards - Always Find A Way (Remix) 12-inch single (1999) VIRGIN
Phat Kat - Dedication To The Suckers 12-inch single (1999) HOUSE SHOES RECORDINGS
Phife Dawg - Bend Ova/Thought U Wuz Nic, 12-inch single (1999) GROOVE ATTACK
Que D - Underestimated, Supa Shit, Kilo, Cash Flow, Michelle, Rock Box, Don't Stop from Quite Delicious cassette (1999) and Que D Limited Edition, Album (2003) ROYAL FLYNESS Q-Tip - 11 tracks from Amplified, Album (1999) ARISTA
Q-Tip - 11 tracks from Amplified (Instrumental Version) (1999) ARISTA - PROMO The Roots - Dynamite from Things Fall Apart, Album (1999) MCA
The Roots - New Year's @ Jay Dee's from You Got Me CD single (1999) MCA
Zooco - Butterfly from Glow-Mellow-Flow, Album (1999) COLUMBIA JAPAN

Production Credits: 2000

Black Star - Little Brother from The Hurricane (Soundtrack), Album (2000) MCA
Brand New Heavies - Sometimes (Remix), Saturday Night (Remix) from Trunk Funk Classics, Album (2000) DELICIOUS VINYL
Busta Rhymes - Enjoy Da Ride, Live It Up, Show Me What You Got from Anarchy, Album (2000) ELEKTRA
Common - 10 tracks from Like Water For Chocolate, Album (2000) MCA
Common - 10 tracks from Like Water For Chocolate Instrumentals (2000) MCA
Common - The Light, 12-inch single (2000) MCA–UKCommon - The Light (Remix) from Bamboozled Soundtrack, Album (2000) MOTOWN
De La Soul - Thru Ya City from Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, Album (2000) TOMMY BOY
Erykah Badu - Cleva, My Life, Didn't Cha Know, Kiss Me On My Neck from Mama's Gun, Album (2000) MOTOWN
Erykah Badu - Didn't Cha Know, single (2001) MOTOWN
Erykah Badu - Cleva, 12-inch single (2001) MOTOWN–PROMO
Frank N Dank - Me & My Man, 12-inch single (2000) MCNASTY
Frank N Dank - Everybody Get Up, 12-inch single (2000) MCNASTY
Guru - Certified from Guru's Jazzmatazz Street Soul, Album (2000) VIRGIN
Innerzone Orchestra - People Make The World Go Round (J-88 Mix), 12-inch single (2000) PLANET E
Phife Dawg - Bend Ova, 4 Horseman from Ventilation: Da LP, Album (2000) GROOVE ATTACK
Phife Dawg - Ya Heard Me from Definition of Ill, Album (2000) Royce Da 5'9 - Let's Grow from Lyricist Lounge Volume 2, Album (2000) RAWKUS
Spacek - Eve (Remix), 12-inch single (2000) BLUE

Production Credits: 2001

Bahamadia - One-4-Teen (Remix) from Summer Sampler, Album (2001) GOODVIBE
Bilal - Reminisce from 1st Born Second, Album (2001) INTERSCOPE
Busta Rhymes - Genesis, Make It Hurt from Genesis, Album (2001) ELEKTRA
Chino XL - Don't Say A Word from I Told You So, Album (2001) METRO RECORDS
De La Soul - Peer Pressure Intro & Outro Monologues by Jay Dee from AOI: Bionix, Album (2001) TOMMY BOY
Lucy Pearl - Without You (Remix), 12-inch single (2001) POOKIE/VIRGIN
Mos Def - Can U C The Pride In The Panther? (Remix), 12-inch single (2001) INTERSCOPE
Que D - In Yo Face from Still Bangin, single (2001) UP ABOVE and Que D Limited Edition, Album (2003) ROYAL FLYNESS Toshi Kubota - Nothin But Your Love (Remix), 12-inch single (2001) EPIC

Production Credits: 2002

Big Tone - Party Crasher (mixed by Jay Dee) from Party Crasher, 12-inch single (2002) ANTIDOTE
Busta Rhymes - 3 tracks from It Ain't Safe No More..., Album (2002) ELEKTRA
Common - various production & instrumental credits from Electric Circus, Album (2002) MCA
DJ Jazzy Jeff - Are You Ready with Slum Village from The Magnificent, EP (2002) BBE
Frank N Dank - Push, EP (2002) MUMMY / GROOVE ATTACK Phat Kat - Dedication To The Suckers, Don't Nobody Care About Us, Microphone Master, Big Booties, World Premier from Dedication To The Suckers, Album (2002) RONNIECASH.COM
Slum Village - Hoes, Let's, One from Trinity, Album (2002) CAPITOL
Talib Kweli - Where Do We Go, Stand To The Side from Quality, Album (2002) RAWKUS

Production Credits: 2003

ASD (Afrob & Samy Deluxe) - Komm Schon from Wer Hatte Das Gedacht?, Album (2003) EIMSBUSH
ASD (Afrob & Samy Deluxe) - Wenn Ihr Fuhlt... from Hey Du, EP (2003) EIMSBUSH
Common - Come Close Remix (Closer) 12-inch single (2003) MCA
De La Soul - Much More/Shoomp, 12-inch single (2003) AOI
Fourtet - As Serious As Your Life (Remix), 12-inch single (2003) DOMINO
Frank N Dank - 48 Hours, Album (2003) BOOTLEG
Frank N Dank - Ma Dukes, 12-inch single (2003) ABB
Vivian Green - Fanatic (Remix), 12-inch single (2003) SONY
Phat Kat - 3 tracks from The Undeniable LP: Detroit Edition, Album (2003) BARAK
Phat Kat - Dedication/Destiny, 12-inch single (2003) BARAK
Que D - Supa Shit, 12-inch single (2003) ROYAL FLYNESS
Royce Da 5'9 - Life Goes On from Build & Destroy: Lost Sessions Part 1, Album (2003) TROUBLE RECORDS
Subtitle - Mark Luv Mixtape Song from Greatest Hit$, Album (2003) MARKS03 RECORDINGS T-Love - 4 tracks from The Long Way Back, Album (2003) PICKININNY

Production Credits: 2004

5 Ela - Scenario (2004) from The, EP (2004) 5 ELEMENTS
Amp Fiddler - You Play Me, Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly, from Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly, Album (2004) GENUINE/PIAS
Amp Fiddler - I Believe In You (Jaylib Mix), 12-inch and CD single (2004) GENUINE/PIAS Brother Jack McDuff - Oblighetto (J Dilla Remix), from Blue Note Revisted, Album (2004) BLUE NOTE
De La Soul - Verbal Clap, Much More from Grind Date, Album (2004) SANCTUARY
DJ Cam - Love Junkee (Remix), 12-inch single (2003) INFLAMABLE and Liquid Hip Hop, Album (2004) INFLAMABLE Frank-N-Dank - Let's Go, Okay, MCA from Xtended Play, Album (2004) NEEDILLWORKS Lawless Element - The Shining, 12-inch single (2004) RMR/FAT BEATS
Lawless Element - The Shining, from Soundvision: In Stereo (2005) BABYGRANDE
Oh No - Move from The Disrupt, Album (2004), and The Disrupt Instrumentals (2005) STONES THROW
Proof of D12 - Bring It 2 Me, from I Miss The Hip Hop Shop, Album (2004) IRON FIST
Prozack - Leisure Rules, from Death, Taxes, and Prozack, Album (2004) OUTOFWORK RECORDS
Slum Village - Do You, from Detroit Deli, Album (2004) BARAK/CAPITOL

Production Credits: 2005

Common - Love Is, It's Your World (Pt 1 & 2) from Be, Album and Be Instrumentals (2005) GOOD MUSIC/GEFFEN Common - The Movement from NBA 2K6 - The Tracks, Album (2005) DECON Dwele - Keep On from Some Kinda, Album (2005) VIRGIN Dwight Trible & The Life Force Trio - Antiquity from Love Is The Answer, Album (2005) NINJA TUNE
MED - Push feat. J Dilla, 12-inch single (2005) STONES THROW
MED - Push, So Real from Push Comes to Shove, Album (2005), and Push Comes to Shove (Instrumentals), Album (2005) STONES THROW Moka Only - One Time from The Desired Effect, Album (2005) NETTWERK Oh No - Move Part 2 feat. J Dilla & Roc C, 12-inch single (2005) STONES THROW Slum Village - Who Are We from Prequel To A Classic, Album (2005) BARAK RECORDS Spacek - Dollar, 12-inch single (2005) SOUND IN COLOR
Spacek - Dollar from Space Shift, Album (2005) SOUND IN COLOR Talib Kweli - Roll Off Me from Right About Now, Album (2005) KOCH

Production Credits: 2006-2009

NOTE: CREDITS IN THIS SECTION WERE CREATED DURING THE ARTIST'S LIFETIME
Ghostface Killah - Beauty Jackson, Whip You with a Strap from Fishscale, Album (2006) DEF JAM Busta Rhymes - You Can't Hold A Torch from The Big Bang, Album (2006) AFTERMATH
Visionaries - All Right from We are the Ones (We've Been Waiting For), Album (2006) UP ABOVE
Guilty Simpson - Clap Your Hands from Chrome Children, Album (2006) STONES THROW
A.G. - Hip Hop Quotable, 12-inch single (2006) LOOK
A.G. - Hip Hop Quoteable from Get Dirty Radio, Album (2006) LOOK
Guilty Simpson - Man's World, 12-inch single (2007) NO LABEL
Phat Kat - Cold Steel, 12-inch single (2007) LOOK Phat Kat - 5 songs from Carte Blanche, Album (2007) LOOK
Guilty Simpson - I Must Love You from Ode to the Ghetto, Album (2008) STONES THROW
Guilty Simpson - Stress, 12-inch single (2009) NO LABEL

Posthumous Production Credits

The Roots - Can't Stop This from Game Theory, Album (2006) ISLAND/DEF JAM
Madlib - Take It Back from Chrome Children, Album (2006) STONES THROW
Q-Tip - Move, Feva from The Renaissance, Album (2008) UNIVERSAL/MOTOWN
Illa J - We Here, 12-inch single (2008) DELICIOUS VINYL Illa J - Yancey Boys, Album (2008) and Yancey Boys (Instrumentals) (2008) DELICIOUS VINYL 
Akrobatik - Put Ya Stamp On It from Absolute Value, Album (2008) FAT BEATS
MF DOOM - Gazillion Ear, Lightworks from Born Like This, Album (2009) LEX
Mos Def - History from The Ecstatic Album (2009) DOWNTOWN
Raekwon - House of Flying Daggers, Arson Jones, 10 Bricks from Only Built for Cuban Linx 2, Album (2009) EMI
Erykah Badu - Love, from New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh, Album (2010) MOTOWN
Slum Village - Lock It Down, We'll Show You from Villa Manifesto, Album (2010) E1