J Dilla’s Last Rap Album “The Diary” Is Coming. Here’s The First Single & Tracklist (Audio)

On the heels of J Dilla Weekend in Miami, the 10th anniversary of his passing, and the ongoing events in his honor taking place in Canada and elsewhere, J Dilla’s name continues to reverberate on and off the MPC. The Detroit heavyweight producer and part-time MC has no doubt established a timeless legacy that will endure for generations As with Tupac, Biggie, and other greats before him, J Dilla continues to release music posthumously, beginning with 2010’s Donut Shop. Since then, his beats have been featured on works by Erykah Badu, Slum Village, Joey Bada$$, and Nas (for starters). In 2014, Nas released a freestyle over “Gobstobber,” a Dilla-produced gem from his seminal instrumental album Donuts and now, two years later, Esco is leading the charge in the promotion of a “new” J Dilla album.

Entitled The Diary, this collection of previously unreleased Dilla material will be put forth by Nas’ Mass Appeal Records. Described as a “long lost vocal album” by the Estate of James Yancey, the April 15 release will feature collaborations from Bilal, Snoop Dogg, Frank & Dank, and additional production from the likes of Madlib, Pete Rock, and others. As the Estate describes, “The Diary is the final batch of unissued material that Dilla had assembled for release during his lifetime, lending crucial insight into the producer’s prowess and thought process in the period leading up to his break with the major label system and the extremely fertile period that followed.”

The announcement of the project took place on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show, where Nas briefly remarked on the story behind the album’s creation. He also used the platform to debut the lead single in the form of “The Introduction,” a sadly beautiful title for a song from an artist whose voice will likely never grace “new” music again.

The Diary tracklist is as follows:

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

Related: Black Thought Reveals What Artists Used To Do To Get J Dilla’s Best Beats (Video)