Un-Quantized Rhythmic Elements by J Dilla in Slum Village’s Fantastic, Vol. 2 and its

Influence in Hip-Hop Production in the “Post-Dilla” Era

The late James DeWitt Yancey, known by his producer name of Jay Dee or J

Dilla, is considered by many hip-hop scholars and musicians to be one of the most influential producers of the genre. Whether it’s called “wonky”, “drunk”, or simply a “Dilla groove”, his innovations and approaches to un-quantized drum programming and production are some of the most influential and intricate in the world of hip-hop beat making. By analysing his compositional process through his production on selected tracks “Untitled” and “2U4U” in Slum

Village’s Fantastic, Vol. 2 using Richard Cohn’s “Platonic Model of Funky Rhythms” as a basis for analysis, I will be exploring how Dilla implemented and expanded on his approaches to un- quantized production and sequencing, as well as how these approaches have heavily influenced works of current hip-hop production. From a plethora of experimental beat makers from the Los

Angeles beat scene to the countless producers posting “lo-fi” instrumental hip-hop beats on several online spaces, I will be also discussing J Dilla’s influence in these spaces (and beyond) and how his sonic aesthetics from his production on Fantastic, Vol. 2 have shaped the current sound and culture of hip-hop production and beat making, looking at specific tracks by current

Los Angeles-based hip-hop producers such as Dibia$E and Flying Lotus, as well as highlight discussions on J Dilla’s production techniques occurring in several online spaces.