On: Donuts by J Dilla

2006 • 43:25
instrumental hip-hop, soul

How do you encapsulate an entire life, legacy, and history without saying anything? J Dilla answers that question by letting the music speak for itself. Hip-hop’s character as a genre revolves around the poet saying something about their life in an important way, while the instrumentals serves as support for the artists to simply rap over. In most cases, the instrumentals in this genre don’t hold as much artfulness as the lyrics. This isn’t typical for most genres as the instrumentals and the lyrics work hand in hand. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, with instrumentals from some producers serving as important of a role as the rapper. Such as DJ Oktopus, Madlib, and JPEGMAFIA. Jay Dee subverts these expectations in the most profound way, changing the way the story is told from the rapper to the instrumentals.

In this case, the story is one of great misfortune. J Dilla’s life was slowly but surely coming to a sorrowful end. Serving as one of the most important DJs and producers of the 2000s by producing for Erykah Badu and Common. He built a reputation for his wide variety of sample selection and his ability to make those samples feel alive. In response to his impending death, J Dilla decided to create his swan song, through his final solo work, “Donuts”.

Donuts is a behemoth of a record, not in length, but in density and variety. Dilla very specifically chose samples to portray a part of his life. The most profound example to look at is “Don’t Cry”. The song is a message to his loved ones not to cry. His production techniques shine through this track, with the kick drums and snare pattern at the forefront. The way he bends the reality of the sample around his will with a simple drum machine is astounding. Another demonstration of him using samples to convey something to his listeners is “U-Love”. This showcase expresses the same simple idea, sending a message that he loves his world, but the way he presents it is enchanting.

The focal points of this album are present in the beginning, middle and end. “Donuts (Outro)” is the first track. While by itself it can come off as a simple interlude track, the meaning of it is immense when coupled with the final track. The next highlighted track is “Time: the Donut of the Heart.” This is the first instance of the motifs of time and donuts. While being slightly abstract, this concept makes itself clear by the very end. The track is one I have extreme praise for, with some of the best production from the entire album.

Finally, are the last five tracks. These tracks consist of the previously mentioned “U-Love”, an ode to the ones he loves. The next track is “Hi.”, which only makes true sense when coupled with its partner, “Bye.”. These two tracks complete each other, showcasing the beginning of universal experiences such as a life or relationship. “Bye.” represents the death of such a thing. However, this is not a sad track. As seen before, J Dilla does not want us to be saddened by his death. He instead reassures us of this fact in the sample’s lyric, “I feel you”, creating a direct listener-creator relationship. While many people are saddened at the death of something, it is important that this is not seen in that kind of lens. “Last Donut of the Night” is next. This is J Dilla’s legacy wrapped up in one track. It begins with his accolades and his attributes, with a feeling of finality. This is it. Or is it? “Welcome to the Show”, or “Donuts (Intro)” is representative of life itself. The track is final. It feels like the end of an adventure. Like one’s life is flashing before your eyes. It’s important to note how it ends. The same way the album begins. This represents the circularity of life. This is what the donut represents and, similarly, what time is.

10/10

Nothing truly dies. Instead, think of it as a Donut.