Kaytranada makes music designed for club systems that can still translate to people who never go out. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and raised in Montreal, his style is rooted in beat maestros like J Dilla, Madlib, and Flying Lotus. But the warmth of his music is less dusty-analog (a la …
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Thirty years ago, Common looked back ruefully at his favorite genre in “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” his classic riff on hip-hop as a wayward ex-girlfriend. “She was really the realest before she got into showbiz,” he lamented. The couple patched things up after that, and Common grew from a …
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Joseph “Amp” Fiddler, the celebrated and revered Detroit musician who played with Parliament and Funkadelic, helped mentor J Dilla, and more, has died. He was 65. Fiddler’s death was announced in a statement shared on his official Instagram page. He died after “an extensive and noble battle with cancer,” though …
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With hip-hop’s official 50th anniversary on the horizon, this year has presented countless opportunities to celebrate those who’ve made a lasting impact on the culture. J Dilla is one of those people. Since his tragic death in February 2006, one woman has made it her sole mission to cradle his …
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The Oscar-winning Questlove will serve as an executive producer on an upcoming documentary about J Dilla, the hip-hop producer that the Roots drummer previously proclaimed was “the music god that music gods and music experts and music lovers worship.” Dilla Time, made in cooperation with James “J. Dilla” Yancey’s estate, …
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