J Dilla, the iconic hip-hop producer and rapper, will be the center of a new documentary entitled “The Legacy of J Dilla” presented by The New York Times as “an intimate portrait” of the musician. The premiere of the documentary will air on FX and Hulu, presenting an in-depth tour of the life and music of the late artist, who passed away in 2006.
According to production insiders, the film will delve into Dilla’s rise to fame and the challenges associated with preserving his impact on hip-hop, and his enduring legacy after his passing.
The Legacy Of J Dilla is produced and directed by Christopher Frierson and Esther Dere, who previously contributed to the successful docuseries The Weekly, has raised curiosity about the film. Questlove, who had worked with the legendary J Dilla, plans to pay tribute to the iconic producer in a unique way.
He said, “J Dilla was our teacher. And what he taught us was how to feel rhythm in a way we had never felt before. I’m so honored to be a part of bringing his story to the world through this documentary.”
Dilla Time, a 2022 version of Dan Charnas’ biography “Dilla Time: The Life And Afterlife of J Dilla, The Hip Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm,” will be executive produced by members of The Roots. The production team behind Summer Of Soul, Joseph Patel and Darby Wheeler, as well as J Dilla’s estate, will co-direct the film. According to a press release, it will be “part biography, part musicology, and part musical meditation.”
Interviews with the late producer’s family were conducted for the project, giving documentarians unique access. Hence, the movie will not only concentrate on J Dilla’s career but his family’s battle to uphold his legacy as well.
His mother, Maureen Yancey, told TV Insider, “I’m a Detroiter and I’m a fighter. I will stay there and I will fight. I won’t let anybody put my son down, what I do for him down, because I’m here to lift up his music, his legacy.”
‘The Legacy of J Dilla’ original documentary is coming to FX / Hulu on April 7th, courtesy of the New York Times.
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J Dilla, also known as James Yancey, became renowned in the 1990s Detroit underground music scene. He began his music career with the hip hop group Slum Village, producing music for them, and with Soulquarians, a pioneering Black music collective.
He became one of the most sought-after producers in the music industry working with artists such as Questlove and Erykah Badu. Dilla’s distinctive style, combining soulful samples with complicated rhythms, had a significant impact on the genre and influenced how hip-hop sounded in the 2000s.
In 2001, Dilla debuted as a solo artist with the well-known tune “F**k the Police.” Tragically, a combination of TTP and lupus claimed his life at the age of 32 just five years after his debut.
You can watch the documentary The Legacy Of J Dilla’s on April 7, available on Hulu and FX. And here is how you can watch the show on Hulu outside the US.
