J Dilla: The Diary Cassette

Dilla’s lost album finally sees official release! You may have heard many of these cuts before, but they’ve never seen official release until now. The Diary was originally slated for release in the early 2000s but was shelved by MCA upon completion. The album is mainly Dilla as MC with production from the likes of Madlib, Pete Rock, Nottz, House Shoes, Karriem Riggins and others. Sourced from the original 2″ tape, many of the tracks were mixed by Dilla himself. Those that weren’t have been mixed by engineer Dave Cooley, who worked extensively with Dilla during his years in Los Angeles. There are many memorable moments on the album, from the classic “Fuck The Police,” to tracks like “The Anthem,” “Diamonds (The Shining Pt. 1),” and “Give Them What They Want.” Released by Pay Jay Productions on cassette.

• cassette pressing of Dilla’s lost album
• music label: Pay Jay Productions 2016

reviewed by Kool Moby 04/2016