No Pay For Jay. Dilla.

By now, most of you are aware that material from the shelved MCA Records album from J. Dilla has leaked on the Internet. Personally, I’m extremely angry and disappointed by the leak, and more disappointed by the actions of people and other web sites with their perpetuation of this unfortunate act. Everyone is so blinded by the hype, that no one sees the reality of the situation. It isn’t time for this material to be out here like this. This is it. This is the final chapter in the story of James Yancey. After this material is released, there is nothing else. These are the final pieces of music fully overseen by J. Dilla. Anything else – beats people purchase from now on and I believe there is a whole album or so worth of material that was suppose to drop on Operation Unknown – will have to be finished, mix, and touched by someone else. The MCA material is it, period!

The leaking of this album is not like any other album. Its not like there is a ton of material for this project recorded. There are probably additional tracks recorded that haven’t leaked yet, but the ones that did constitute a great deal of it. If 50 Cent or Snoop Dogg material leaks, they have avenues to combat it. The Dilla/MCA situation is completely different. This is unreleased material from a specific period in J. Dilla’s career, and the release of it takes time to get through on the legal and ownership issues. There is no going back in the studio. There is not remixing these tracks. There is nothing. Once this material leaked, the damage was done.

I’m greatly disappointed in the lack of responsibility of web sites and DJs regarding this situation. If a DJ plays or web sites leaks material of an up and coming artist that is creating a huge buzz, that does nothing but help the artist build that buzz. This is a totally different situation folks! We don’t need to build anticipation or buzz for J. Dilla. The linking of these joints on your sites or playing on your show is only self-serving, trying to earn your J. Dilla brownie points. I couldn’t get away with ANY of the things all these sites and blogs have been getting away with and the site I’m most disappointed with is Okayplayer. They should know better but they have openly linked in their daily new updates to other blogs that have CD quality tracks to download. You would think people that are fans of J. Dilla would understand the situation, but I guess they don’t. Not just them but everyone. Do we have to lay out all the facts again? Do we have to lay out the medical bills figures again? What do we have to do, really?

I have faith that when this material is properly released that most of your will purchase it, but that is not the only point. Its just not time for this material to be out here like this. This is the final chapter and it was all suppose to come when the time was right. Whoever the person who leaked this material, are you a Dilla fan at all? Would you like to look Mr. and Mrs Yancey in the face and tell them what you did? They would probably be disappointed in you and even more, KILL YOU WITH KINDNESS.

Isn’t it ironic that this material has been labeled Pay Jay? In no way are you paying James Yancey anything. You are not paying him any money. You are not paying him homage. You are not paying him respect.