J Dilla's Mom Ma Dukes - On Her Son's Hip-Hop Legacy

We sit down with legendary producer J Dilla's mom Maureen Yancey, aka Ma Dukes. The interview was filmed at Delicious Pizza for the block party. We talk about her keeping the legacy going for J Dilla. Producer/hip hop artist J Dilla's MPC was put on display at the grand opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C. After making a huge splash with his Detroit-based rap group Slum Village in the '90s, Dilla shifted gears to pursue a solo career in 2001. Despite being diagnosed with TTP (the blood disease thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) and lupus in 2003, he spent several years churning out his magnum opus with 2006's Donuts. An avid lover of samples, Dilla’s eclectic project was glazed with funky sounds and instrumentation that earned massive appeal from music pundits and rappers alike. For a decade-plus, J Dilla real name James Yancey and also known as Jay Dee served up soulful beats for many reputable artists, including Common’s "The Light," D’Angelo’s "Feel Like Makin’ Love," Erykah Badu’s “Didn’t Cha Know” and A Tribe Called Quest’s “Stressed Out.” After his death in 2006, many artists paid their respects to Dilla through special tributes and projects. In 2007, Busta Rhymes released a collaborative mixtape with DJ Mick Boogie titled Dillagence, featuring unreleased Dilla beats. On Q-Tip’s 2008 offering The Renaissance, the Tribe rapper showed love to Dilla on tracks like "Shaka" and "Life Is Better." While many artists have kept Dilla's memory alive, no one has been able to match the efforts of his mother, Maureen Yancey, otherwise known as Ma Dukes. Dilla's mother has played an integral role in maintaining her son's legacy through their family's donut business, Dilla's Delights -- which opened last May in Dilla’s hometown of Detroit -- and her new children's book titled The Life Story of J Dilla. The book will highlight Dilla's meteoric rise to music savant through the eyes of Ma Dukes, who also narrates the story. Portions of all proceeds of the children’s book will also be donated to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation. With a fond appreciation for music and knowledge, Ma Dukes is on a mission to provide a glimmer of hope to inner-city kids with her son's story. ▶▶▶ Help sponsor BeatGrade so we can continue to produce great content https://www.paypal.me/beatgrade We are Thankful for your sponsorship! http://www.beatgrade.com/