Rick was recently across the pond for some shows and interviews, and during his sit-down with Clash Magazine he revealed a side that many people will be surprised to see: that he’s a huge fan of J Dilla and had hoped to work with him one day (he briefly mentioned Jay Dee on “Walkin’ on Air” from his Mastermind album).
“He did a lot of different shit, he was just one of them dudes that kept it humble. He kept the light, he was a legend.” He gestures at his friend who is stacking up promotional $100 bills with Ross’ face in replace of the president. “Swalu, what’s my favorite?”
“Labcabincalifornia [by] The Pharcyde, where he produced the whole album,” Swalu answers enthusiastically. “One of the greatest smoking albums in the world!” (Editor’s note: don’t bother emailing us to say Dilla didn’t produce the whole album. We know.)
Ross nods in agreement. “That’s my favorite! And when we get high and we just ride, it’s like, ‘Yo, that n*gga did this.’ So it’s just, you know, a different vibe, and I love what he did.” Constantly being commended for his excellent beat selections, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Ross is a fan of the late Detroit producer, particularly given his penchant for soulful vibes.
Given that this year’s Dilla Weekend touching down in Miami, it’d actually be a bit interesting if Ross participated in some capacity. We shall see, though.
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