The Legacy of J Dilla

3.30.23

The Legacy of J Dilla 4.7.23

Come April 7th, FX and Hulu will be releasing an original documentary highlighting the legacy of J Dilla. The Legacy of J Dilla was directed and produced by Christopher Frierson and Esther Dere, and will include contributions from J Dilla’s family. While it has been over fifteen years since the world lost J Dilla, his legacy lives on through hip-hop, and those who did not got to learn about him first hand, will now have a better understanding of his importance to the industry.

J Dilla was a producer, a writer, a hip-hop artist and a drummer. His career took off in the 90s, as he worked with artists from Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest, Janet Jackson, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, and many, many more.

With J Dilla’s ability to write, drum, and produce, he became an innovator in the hip-hop world, showcasing new sounds and styles of instrumentals that artists could work with, which is one of the many tools that have kept his legacy alive today.

When it comes to artists whom have passed too soon, with so much more of their catalog to share with the world, or pieces of work that had not yet been completed, the idea of posthumous music releases becomes a sensitive subject. J Dilla’s family have expressed many concerns with the J Dilla estate wrongly releasing unapproved work after his passing, which is a topic that should be shared throughout the documentary.

The documentary, The Legacy of J Dilla, releases on FX and Hulu April 7th. Are you excited to learn more about J Dilla and his importance to hip-hop?