Elzhi, Bishop Lamont & More Will Perform At First Annual J Dilla Day L.A.
J Dilla tragically passed in 2006 at the age of 32 but his music and legacy continue to live on thanks to events like the first annual J Dilla Day L.A. Scheduled for Feb. 13 at L.A.'s The Regent Theater, the celebration will feature Elzhi, Bishop Lamont, J Rocc, Guilty Simpson and will be hosted by Dilla's longtime friend, Dave NY.
"I don't want to spill the beans," Dave NY told HipHopDX. "I want to keep the surprise. [J Dilla's mother] Ma Dukes will be there so it is official. We're gonna have the J Dilla merchandise from the foundation there. They have some goodies! Like I said, it's gonna be a celebration of Dilla's life, his music, and the love that he got from [Los Angeles] I know is gonna be in the building. It's gonna be drama free. It's gonna be a real good time. It's gonna be epic. I know in my heart Dilla's gonna look down and be like, 'Big Dave!' and give me that smile like, 'Yeah man!' I see it in my head everyday."
The weekend prior to Dilla Day L.A., fans can flock to Miami for "Dilla Weekend" to catch performances by Joey Bada$$, Madlib, Pete Rock, Talib Kweli and more.
Jay Dee suffered from a rare blood disease and it is widely speculated that he had lupus. He passed due to cardiac arrest in Feb. 2006. The J Dilla Foundation focuses on enhancing and developing urban music programs in inner-cities. Last year, Dilla's MPC was donated to the Smithsonian Institution for display. Some of hip-hop's biggest names, including Kanye West, have cited Dilla as a huge inspiration for their own work.
Tickets for Dilla Day L.A. can be purchased here.
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