The Legacy of J Dilla (2023)

Producer, Director Chris Frierson and Esther Dere CoProducer Leah Harari Producer, Reporter Lauren Herstik Watch our new documentary on FX and Hulu. J Dilla, born James Dewitt Yancey, grew up in Detroit in a household filled with music. His father was in music groups that came to the family home to rehearse, and he would take a young Dilla to the record shop every Friday. The record shop was Jamess favorite place, Maureen Yancey, Dillas mother, said in our documentary. His dad got off work and would take him there as a treat. Dilla grew up on genres like gospel and jazz, but when it came to the music he made with his friends, it was all about hiphop. He spent his youth plugging away at his craft, making beats and creating a signature sound that utilized samples of old records. He would become one of the most influential producers in hiphop.