Kanye West Talks Meeting J Dilla in Unearthed 2013 Interview: Watch

In new, unearthed footage from the Stones Throw documentary Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton, Kanye West opens up about meeting J Dilla. “I met J Dilla at Common’s crib just down the street here in LA,” he remembers. “They were staying together, and I just remember looking at that MPC. And those drums came out of that MPC, arguably the best drums in hip-hop history. I just remember vibing with him and having so much respect, and just wanting to work with him more.” Watch the full 22-minute interview below (via Hypebeast).

Kanye went on to explain what it was like to experience Dilla’s music. “He had the organic feel but still the sonics were breakthrough, and he could give you a warm sound that still cut through speakers,” he says. “It’s like he was making Quincy Jones production sessions inside his MPC.” In addition to remembering the Detroit producer, he also talks about his Chicago upbringing and the parallels between fashion and music. In 2014, outtakes from the interview were shared where Kanye explained Dilla’s influence on his work and what it was like working with Madlib.

Yesterday, Dilla’s mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey, announced a new curated collection of rare and unreleased Dilla instrumentals called Motor City. It’s due out April 21. 

Read Pitchfork’s feature, “Got ‘Til It’s Gone: The Legacy of J Dilla.”

 

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