Nottz and J Dilla had a colorful history. Both production purists, these MC/producer double-threats each benefited from the support of Busta Rhymes, Skillz, and Ghostface Killah placements at critical career junctures. Thereby, the artists from Norfolk, Virginia and Detroit, Michigan (respectively) ended up on a few albums together.

More than that, these artists collaborated on songs such as Diamond D’s “We Gangstas,” Nottz & Boogie’s “Fight Club,” and the just-released “The Shining, Pt. 1.” In the spirit of the last song, which appears on The Diary, Nottz Raw participated in Mass Appeal’s Rhythm Roulette. The D.M.P. front man makes a beat from scratch, in the vain of Dilla Dog.

Compared to other R.R. challengers, Nottz lucks out—grabbing three records together, he gets Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters, Treacherous Three’s Live Convention ’81 Hip-Hop compilation, and Daft Punk’s Daft Club. Presumably, these records were packaged together from Nottz to draw from blindly, given Dilla’s affinity for Daft Punk, and Hancock.

Treach, Bumpy Knuckles & Trick-Trick Announce Album, Entirely Produced by Nottz

Sporting a Dilla shirt, Nottz makes several arrangements that all channel J Dilla’s audio-visionary gifts. Nottz keeps returning to his records to pull and play with different elements. The results knock, as one friend remembers another through knocking beats.

Other Rhythm Roulette feature videos.

Related: Open The Book On J Dilla’s Last Vocal LP, The Diary (Album Stream)