Monday, October 31, 2016

The Life Story of James Dewitt Yancey


The Life Story of James Dewitt Yancey
#HHstAcks #ChildrensStory

Last month I watched a YouTube interview with Maureen Yancey, mother of the late James Dewitt Yancey aka JDilla, on EBro in the Morning and was surprised to find out about the upcoming release of a children's book based on JDilla's childhood.  JDilla is a legendary Hip Hop beat maker and eMCee who made beats for groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, the Pharcyde, The Roots, Lucy Pearl, and solo artist such as Common, Q-Tip, Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu, and Busta Rhymez (just to name a few).  I grew up listening to JDilla's sound before I knew I was listening to JDilla's sound.  Some of my favorite groups and artist such as The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, and Busta Rhymez were the soundtrack to my early teenage years in the 90s and it wasn't until I got to college and started paying closer attention to the fine print that I found out who the source was to a lot of those sounds...it was JDilla. By 2000, I was hooked in after listening to Fantastic Volume 2, an album by a group JDilla put together out of his hometown of Detroit with founding members Baatin and T3.  The group went by Slum Village.  By this time I was also a radio dj at my university and had access to more music than I could ever imagine.  Even among stacks and stacks of vinyl, CDs, and tapes, JDilla's music whether it was his solo Welcome 2 Detroit project, Slum Village music, or past productions always had a place in my rotation week in and week out.  Sadly, in 2006 the world received news that JDilla passed away after his long bout with a disease called Lupus. While I did hear that JDilla was sick, I had no idea that he had been fighting to stay alive.  I was shocked when I heard the news that JDilla passed away.  That week I recall sharing my thoughts and condolences on the radio.  In the coming months I would learn that even during the last few months of his life confined to a hospital bed, Dilla continued to create music for his fans. 

After discovering Laban Carrick Hill & Theodore Taylor's When The Beat Was Born children's book, subtitled DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop, it made me wonder why there weren't more children's books about a culture as youth driven as Hip Hop.  Learning about The Life Story of James Dewitt Yancey, I'm excited to see how illustrator Tokio Aoyama and Maureen Yancey present JDilla's upbringing in children's story form.  I think its great that the release is coming out exclusively through JDilla Merch which is run by JDilla's mother, Maureen Yancey who is known as "Ma Dukes".  Included with the book release is the audio book version as well, narrated by Ma Dukes.  It's a creative approach for someone who gave their life connecting with people all around the world through the sound and soul of Hip Hop.  Today many of JDilla's fans are parents, probably even some grandparents out there, or are older siblings to children that may never get around to learning about JDilla and what he contributed to Hip Hop.  This book is the perfect way to introduce the start of his story for generations to come.

The Life Story of James Dewitt Yancey can be purchased directly through the Dilla merchandise website by clicking on this link or the book image above.  It is set to be released on November 22, 2016.  Consider purchasing the book/audio book as a b-day gift or for the upcoming holidays. Also make sure to pass the word about The Life Story of James Dewitt Yancey to your community and school libraries.

@hiphopalumni Twitter check the #HHstAcks hashtag for other titles specific to Hip Hop literature and if included the #ChildrensStory hashtag for Hip Hop titles that are specific to younger readers.  Peace.

#Lee  

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