Stream J Dilla’s Posthumous LP, ‘The Diary’

The new album from J Dilla is actually an old one.

Signing to MCA Records as a solo artist in 2002, the label’s original plan was to capitalize on the healthy buzz Dilla had garnered through his production work with the likes of Common, The Roots, Busta Rhymes, and Erykah Badu, among countless others, and release his major label debut Pay Jay. However, Dilla wanted to showcase his rapping skills instead, and outsourced the album’s production to the likes of Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Kanye West, and Nottz, among others. MCA wasn’t as susceptive to Pay Jay, however, and they shelved the album, dropping Dilla from the label in the process.

Now, J Dilla’s company, the ironically-titled PayJay (revived by The Estate of James Yancey as a functioning imprint), has partnered with Mass Appeal Records to officially release the long lost vocal album. With a mixture of tracks from the shelved (and then bootlegged) Pay Jay, underground classics, and a new posthumous collaboration between Jaylib (J Dilla and Madlib) and Nas (“The Sickness“).

Featuring the likes of Snoop Dogg, Bilal, Frank and Dank, BINK!, Karriem Riggins, and others, the album can be heard below and copped on iTunes.

1. The Introduction
2. The Anthem f. Frank & Dank
3. Fight Club f. Nottz & Boogie
4. The Shining Pt. 1 (Diamonds) f. Kenny Wray
5. The Shining Pt. 2 (Ice)
6. Trucks
7. Gangsta Boogie f. Snoop Dogg and Kokane
8. Drive Me Wild
9. Give Them What They Want
10. The Creep (The O)
11. The Ex f. Bilal
12. So Far
13. Fuck the Police
14. The Diary
15. The Sickness f. Nas
16. The Doe