The Parting Gift of J Dilla’s “Jay Stay Paid”
It’s a shame that the executive producer scandal surrounding the Nick Riviera of rap, Charles Hamilton, has siphoned off the attention that should have been accorded Jay Stay Paid. Granted, my extreme effusiveness might be partially due to affirmative action for the deceased–I essentially say as much in my Times review–but this and Born Like This are neck and neck for the best rap records of the year.
Other than Douglas Martin’s, Jay Stay Paid day, and Nate Patrin’s outstanding Pitchfork review, I haven’t seen the raves you’d expect from something this good. Maybe the relatively muted reaction is a backlash towards carpetbag Dilla stannery, or maybe I just love it because it cured me of a migraine last week (along with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ice Cream bar). But really, Jay Stay Paid is an achievement–one that establishes a new benchmark for posthumous rap releases, and an effort worth purchasing to ensure his mom stays paid too.
LA Times: J Dilla-Jay Stay Paid
Download:
MP3: J Dilla ft. Black Thought-”Reality TV”
Jay Stay Paid Bonus Track
MP3: J Dilla ft. Bun B & Termanology-”Make It Fast”
Stumble It!
June 10th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Hyperbole alert:I will go on record as saying Dilla was the greatest producer yet to walk the Earth. This is just another example of his timeless genius.
I don’t mind that people aren’t shouting about the brilliance of this album from the rooftops (although I recently had to restrain myself from Chris Browning a chick that had the audacity to call him “overrated”). The proof is in the pudding, as granddad would have said.
As for asshat Charles Hamilton trying to tie his Pink Panther doll to Dilla’s legacy…dude will be wishing it was his ex clocking him in the jaw if he sees me on the street. I got plans for that PP doll, and it ain’t nothin’ nice…
(Man, that is the last time I scarf down an entire bag of chocolate-covered espresso beans in one sitting. Woooo!).
See you at the Clipse on Friday.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:31 am
i got a copy of this from the label over a week ago and, while i’ve listened to it about a half dozen times already, i still haven’t been able to find the right words to describe how good this is yet.
It’s like Future Space Ninja Cowboy Zombie Music with a Retro punch to the nuts every here and there. Damnation, it’s good.
Of course, now i’m never going to be able to write this thing until i eat a damn TMNT bar, so thanks for that.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:37 am
I recommend heading to your nearest Ice Cream man immediately. I need to start buying those things by the case.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Scott Sterling — i mean, even as a big fan do you feel like Dilla’s music is really easy to get into? i kind of see why he’s so highly regarded — he seems to represent an evolution from the boom-bap sound, bringing his own spaced-out aesthetic and off-kilter drums into things — but one of the most on-point comments i’ve read about the guy who was a fan called his style anti-anthemic. and for me his beats tend to sound pretty diffuse, drifting. for others i guess the subtleties of his beats are a lot more resonant.
while i’m sure some of the “overrated” responses are overreactions to hype, personal preferences aside i wouldn’t call his music all that accessible. and of course being touted as the GOAT like he has been in the last few years encourages a lot of scrutiny, and polarized love/hate opinions
June 12th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Oh man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ice cream bars! I love those effin’ things!