(Mass Appeal)The legend of J Dilla is built around his beats. The producer,who died 10 years ago of a rare blood disease, is the thing of cult fascination for his production work. But this posthumous release (the legacy of a major label deal with MCA records) sees Dilla trying to reinvent himself as a performer, or showcasing his skills as a rapper. On those terms,the album is OK. Dilla’s flow is pithy but often plain, and its limitations are put into context by a short contribution from Snoop Dogg, and observing blithely: “I met Obama in some Snoop Dogg house shoes”. This is a considerable collection of music,though. A rework of Gary Numan’s Cars, this time as Trucks, and is almost worth it alone: the original synth hook is given a massive injection of heft,and the rest of the track gets an additional electro shiver. Fuck the Police takes its title and subject matter from NWA, but builds a song around a flute loop and a swinging rhythm. he Diary testifies once again to Dilla’s immense talent.
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Source: theguardian.com