Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm by Dan Charnas is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the transformative power of unexplainable genius. Though J Dilla may not have been a household name, his influence resonates through the music of global superstars and revered jazz musicians alike.
J Dilla’s journey, from his early years as a prodigious talent in Detroit to his ascension as a Grammy-nominated hip-hop producer, is meticulously chronicled. Despite succumbing to a rare blood disease at just 32, Dilla’s legacy continues to inspire, reverberating through the halls of academia and the stanzas of modern rap icons.
In his lifetime, Dilla never had a pop hit. Yet, in his death, he’s become a paragon of innovation, with a new kind of musical time-feel that forever altered the way musicians play. Deemed “sloppy” by some, Dilla’s beats are the work of a perfectionist, a testament to a spiritual devotion to his craft.
Charnas’s narrative does more than tell the story of James DeWitt Yancey. It traces the histories of American rhythms, from the birth of soul in Dilla’s own Motown to the rise of funk, techno, and disco. “Dilla Time” is a celebration of Black culture in America, a tale of the harmony of human and machine times synthesized into a unique rhythm.
The book, enriched by graphics and over 150 interviews, provides a visual and auditory experience, teaching us to “see” and feel rhythm in a unique and enjoyable way. Dilla’s story, as told by Charnas, is an intimate exploration of the man, his machine, his family, friends, partners, and celebrity collaborators. It’s a book as delightfully detail-oriented and unique as J Dilla’s music itself.
