NEW YORK (AP) — Twenty years ago, in 2006, Detroit producer J Dilla died from complications from lupus. He was 32.
The hip-hop visionary, born James Dewitt Yancey, left behind an unimpeachable legacy, collaborating with artists such as D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest and Common — as well as Busta Rhymes.
Close collaborators and friends, Dilla sent Rhymes upward of 300 beats across their professional relationship, which the emcee utilized in small doses across releases — and, of course, on 2007’s joint mixtape, “Dillagence.” On Tuesday, Rhymes released “Dillagence II,” a full deep dive into their connection, 19 tracks of Dilla compositions and Rhymes’ flow.
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In some ways, “Dillagence II” meets expectations: Rhymes’ flexible raps work in concert with what is referred to as “Dilla Time.” The term describes Dilla’s idiosyncratic style of pairing straightforward and uneven beats to create a cockeyed swagger often described as “drunk.” Those non-quantized rhythms went on to transform much of 21st-century popular music.
It is particularly evident in the third verse of “Spazzz,” where a tuneless woodwind pierces Rhymes’ braggadocious posturing. “I spit in ciphers,” he spews. “And I got the game locked more than categorized lifers.” It’s not his characteristic speed rapping, but it is still athletic.
In truth, the intersection of their skillsets is evident throughout “Dillagence II.” On “Talk Ya (Expletive),” with a verse from Lil Wayne — his first time on a Dilla beat — the two veterans float above bouncy production. “Dillagence II” finds an emotional heart on “Royalty,” which features Dilla’s mother, Ma Dukes, who makes a few appearances on the album — as well as Rhymes’ own children, CIE and Trillian.
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There’s also “This Woman,” a posthumous track with the Grammy-winning R&B singer D’Angelo, who died in October after a long bout with cancer. It’s a standout, born of a collaboration started between Dilla and D’Angelo over 20 years ago. (And for those itching for even more of a throwback: Hype Williams, who directed some of the late ’90s and early ’00s most imaginative music videos, including many of Rhymes’ own, is responsible for the official visual.)
On its surface, Busta Rhymes and J Dilla’s “Dillagence II” sounds like one for fans of rap records past; two giants of the genre working together once again — Dilla’s posthumous talents and Rhymes’ contemporary ones. The latter could’ve easily attempted to fit into some approximation of what hip-hop should or could sound like in 2026. But there is no placating trends here. But there’s also nothing revolutionary. Instead, together, Rhymes and Dilla continue to accomplish what they always have: Tracks that feel simultaneously classic and contemporary. Nostalgists will enjoy it the most, no doubt. But so, too, will fans of legacy rap — those who continue to see value in Dilla’s asymmetrical, human beats.
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“Dillagence II” by Busta Rhymes and J Dilla
Three and a half stars out of five.
On repeat: “This Woman”
Skip it: “The Story Of The Old Man”
For fans of: “Dillagence,” “Donuts” and Dilla
