J Dilla Changed My Life. 

For real.

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It was probably around 2008 when I realised that the songs that I loved were all produced by the late, great J Dilla. Once I had this realisation, I would listen to his beats over and over again to try to figure out how he achieved such a gritty, swingy, soulful sound. Truth is, when you attempt to decipher genius, you’ve lost already. You’re never going to fully understand how they did what they did, when they did. I came to understand that it's best not to analyse J Dilla's beatmaking prowess, but instead appreciate how beautiful life can be, by giving us such masterful art. I mean by going above and beyond what we thought were the limits of the Akai MPC3000 sampler, he taught us to dream bigger. That’s such a gift. And he was such a generous artist. 

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I feel so lucky to have enjoyed his music throughout the past 15 years of my life. He’s been the foreground and background to so many happy memories that I’ve had over the years, and to be able to give back to a community that cherishes him and his music - and one that I’ve been a part of for 10 years - was an absolute honour. The last donut of the night we could say. Shout out to the Doctor's Orders for providing unforgettable nights celebrating the legacy of the man they call Jay Dee.

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Genius comes by rarely, but when it does one has to sing aloud. 

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Thank you J Dilla, and Happy 50th Birthday!!!!