By Now this is a tasty treat for J Dilla fans. Record label BBE is planning to release a 20th anniversary deluxe box set edition of J Dilla’s debut solo album. The special edition of Welcome 2 Detroit will drop on 5th February next year.
Pioneering Detroit beat-maker J Dilla remains a cult figure years after his death. Hugely influential throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Dilla was a member of Slum Village and the Soulquarians. Considered a godfather of lo-fi hip-hop, he was a master crate digger and unrivalled sample technician. His debut solo record, Welcome 2 Detroit, which ranged from grimy hardcore hip-hop to electronic psychedelia, underscored his talent.
The Full Set
Presented as 12 x 7” singles with a complete digital collection, all 46 tracks in the package have been remastered. The anniversary edition includes a special remix of Think Twice by legendary Japanese digger DJ Muro. It sits next to a J Dilla cover of Brazilian jazz-funk fusionists Azymuth and alternate and demo versions of various album cuts. The set includes an oral history on the making of the album. Written by John Vanderpuije, the oral history is taken from interviews with Amp Fiddler, Ma Dukes and other key collaborators.
Reflecting on the original album, J Dilla’s mother Ma Dukes says: “I don’t think another label [than BBE] would have helped him embrace his full creativity. Or given him the control to make it a piece of who he was. Because of BBE he was able to pour more of himself into it, into every bit of music on this album. His spirit lives in Welcome 2 Detroit. It’s him. Alive and thriving in every song.”
