Review: "Ruff Draft", originally released in 2003, is a sought-after album that remains the elusive key release in J Dilla's catalogue. This has freewheeling, in-your-face synthesizers, and an uncharacteristically sample-heavy approach that is as banging as it is experimental.
Review: "Donuts" is J Dilla's instrumental masterpiece and perhaps the finest record he ever made. This is half soul mixtape, half beat CD and 100% genius from the sorely missed hip-hop legend.
The Changing World (feat The Koreatown Oddity) (3:37)
Keep On (Yeah) (2:07)
Flawless (Smoothed Out) (feat Frank Nitt) (2:47)
Flawless (Smoothed Out) (feat Budgie) (2:07)
All I Wanna Do (feat Steve Arrington - remix) (5:10)
Pajama Party (FeatThe Egyptian Lover) (3:36)
Go! (5:48)
Dancing With The Best (4:06)
The End (NTP) (3:20)
Review: As the lynchpin of The Beat Junkies and a staple part of the Stones Throw legacy, J.Rocc has been diligently digging since his youth in the early 80s. While his long and winding career has taken in ample mixtapes, production stints, breaks collections and more besides, he hasn't released so many of his own standalone beats. That makes A Wonderful Letter a cause for celebration, as Rocc pens a love letter to Los Angeles through a tapestry of tracks which show off his skills as a studio wizard as well as a deck technician. Just listen to lead single 'L.A. Anthem' featuring LMNO and Key Kool and you'll understand all you need to about the angle Rocc is working on this, his second full-length album.
The Changing World (feat The Koreatown Oddity) (3:33)
Keep On (Yeah) (2:07)
Flawless (feat Frank Nitt - Raw) (2:47)
Flawless (feat Budgie - Smoothed Out) (2:09)
All I Wanna Do (feat Steve Arrington - remix) (5:10)
Pajama Party (feat The Egyptian Lover) (3:36)
Go! (5:45)
Dancing With The Best (4:07)
The End (NTP) (3:18)
Review: DJ and producer J. Rocc debuts a new trip down memory lane in LP form, reminiscing on his comeup in the LA underground music scene. 'A Wonderful Letter' is quite literally a love letter to the City of Angels, expressing his thanks for the community found there - not to mention the machinations that led to his signing with Stones Throw, as well as various collabs with J Dilla and Madlib.
Review: Beatitudes is an album of ten instrumental hip-hop tracks inspired by 20th century gospel recordings. Produced by one J Rocc (known as the acclaimed DJ and turntablist for Madlib's many shows), the album is a departure from the artist's smudgier, beatsmith affairs. Each track is as smooth as a baby's forehead, and/or as pleasing as a wild fig dropped into one's mouth by an attentive servant on a hot Verona day. Gospel samples whirl around like ghosts, haunting each beat, which in turn sound wonkier than an array of unoiled see-saws. The album's cover is an homage to the mysterious cult artist known only as Harvey, known for designing many surrealist-religious gospel album covers from the 1960s onwards.
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