One-off event celebrating the music of J Dilla!

Jay Dee (J Dilla) was a beatmaker/producer from Detroit, Michigan. He lived and breathed music - his short but unrivalled 10-year career is a testament to his passion as one of the world’s most influential musicians, achieving more than most people achieve in a lifetime. As is often the case, Dilla has become more appreciated in the subsequent 11 years since his untimely passing (due to complications from Lupus).

You’ve probably heard his music without even realising it… first gaining underground notoriety for his production works on tracks for The Pharcyde, De La Soul and Busta Rhymes in the mid-90’s. He quickly became a sought after producer, so much so that A Tribe Called Quest enlisted him into their team, making beats behind the scenes.

He continued to flourish and release material with his group Slum Village, coming to the forefront as an emcee on his own critically acclaimed solo albums, whilst also earning Grammy’s producing for household names such as The Roots, Erykah Badu and D’Angelo. However, it’s only within the last few years that he has really become a household name himself, as people are waking up to the legacy and impact that he truly had on music. Modern day musicians and producers such as Flying Lotus, Kanye West and Questlove all cite him as being a huge influence on their work. To this day, he continues to influence not only Hip Hop, but many other genres and production styles.

Dilla Day events are now held all over the world every February to show appreciation for his work, and this is the first of it’s kind in Saigon.

Tonight we celebrate the man, the myth, by playing music that was made, produced, collaborated or sampled by the late, great J Dilla.

Turn It Up!