“I’ll tell you one thing. I am getting down over here. I mean, I’m sitting here playing this over and over again, spittin’ like I got just got a record deal on eBay. Who am I listening to? Mr. James Dewitt Yancey, Jay Dee, or simply J Dilla. Jay Stay Paid is a collaborative album that was spearheaded by none other than Mom Dukes Yancey and the great Pete Rock. The album is composed of early works pulled from a bunch of old floppy disk and Dilla D.A.T.s , as they liked to call them, and surprisingly a couple of tracks he worked on during his numerous hospital stays.
Jay Stay Paid or J$P is a largely instrumental project, leaning more on him as a producer than him as an MC. The lyricism on this project was delivered by known greats and expected greats alike, such a Black Thought, Blu, HAVOC, Illa J, Lil Fame of M.O.P. and Raekwon. Now if the combustive combination of those MCs with this Producer doesn’t have your head about to jump off your body, then stop reading. You don’t need this review in your life; you don’t have that Bruce Lee glow yet.
This won’t be long, although in comparison this album was 25 tracks long, but I didn’t feel 25 tracks. I felt like I was in somebody’s basement with a mic in my hand, and the party ended way too early. When beats like Expensive Whip or On Stilts drop, you would have thought that Dilla was still with us, as it sounded like something that Common would have spit over on UMC or Lupe would have copped on for a spot on The Cool. “Reality TV” mixes the intellectually insane lyrics of Black Thought and J Dilla’s use of samples and guitar riffs in an “It isn’t supposed to feel this good” type of way.
Lazer Gunne Funke was my favorite, as it was evident that Jay Dee was WAY ahead of his time, for I’ve never put an instrumental on repeat. Then there is “King”, you may not agree but if that isn’t riding music, I don’t know what it is. Matter of fact, trust me. It is riding music, a bittersweet work that was replete with smooth overtones and a nice dose of edge that works for the masses.
Why do I sound so excited? Why do I sound so impressed? Because I AM. Your favorite producer’s favorite producer obviously left us with some heat in the trunk. Something, that just when the world thought they had the audacity to let his memory fade, his music would gut punch us into submission, to let us know that greatness does come with responsibility. And for that we are forever grateful. ”
