Listen to the Lead Track from J Dilla's Long Lost Vocal Album
Dilla’s ‘The Diary’ is finally set to see the light of day.
Originally recorded for MCA back in 2002, the late J Dilla’s The Diary never dropped for a variety of reasons — label issues, legal battles and sample clearances to name a few. Now the LP — the last batch of unissued material that Dilla himself assembled in his lifetime — is finally set to see the light of day thanks to the resurrection of the PayJay Records imprint by Dilla’s estate and Mass Appeal. Hot on the heels of last year’s Dillatronic and what would have been the iconic producer’s 42nd birthday earlier this month, The Diary includes vocals and production from Dilla throughout and features additional contributions from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Madlib, Pete Rock and Bilal. As Mass Appeal points out, the LP offers up “crucial insight into the producer’s prowess and thought process in the period leading up to his break with the major label system and the extremely fertile period that followed (which encompassed the making of the canonical classics Ruff Draft, Jaylib, and Donuts).”
Listen to the House Shoes-assisted “The Introduction” below and look for The Diary to drop April 15. For more on the project, head over to Rolling Stone‘s website to check out the publication’s interview with Dilla estate creative director and former Stones Throw general manager Eothen “Egon” Alapatt.
J Dilla – The Diary
1. The Introduction
2. The Anthem feat. Frank & Dank
3. Fight Club feat. Nottz & Boogie
4. The Shining Pt. 1 (Diamonds) feat. Kenny Wray
5. The Shining Pt. 2 (Ice)
6. Trucks
7. Gangsta Boogie feat. Snoop Dogg & Kokane
8. Drive Me Wild
9. Give Them What They Want
10. The Creep (The O)
11. The Ex feat. Bilal
12. So Far
13. Fuck The Police
14. The Diary
15. Bonus Track 1 [iTunes Exclusive]
16. Bonus Track 2 [iTunes Exclusive]
