Dilla’s Previously Unheard 1999-2000 Breaks Mixtape
A mixtape put together by the late great J Dilla around 1999/2000 and given to BBE’s Pete Adarkwah in the years preceding the release of his BBE debut Long Player ‘Welcome to Detroit’ has been unearthed and made available for year ears via Boiler Room. Pete recounts the story:
“Towards the end of 1999 or early 2000, it was my first trip to Detroit. James (Yancey) was working with James Poyser on Erykah’s Mama’s Gun LP. We’d checked out a couple of record stores (I can’t recall where or their names) and this tape was playing in the car. I recall Think Twice was on the tape and I suggested there and then that he do a cover with Erykah for the BBE album. We didn’t get the Erykah feature, but people sure remember James’ cover. We drove past a sign, it said Welcome To Detroit and I suggested that would be a good name for the album. When we pulled over James gave me the tape and said this is yours, or words to that effect.”
Listen on Soundcloud here.