J Dilla's Mom Ma Dukes - On Her Son's Hip-Hop Legacy

We sit down with legendary producer J Dilla's mom Maureen Yancey, aka Ma Dukes. The interview was filmed at Delicious Pizza for the block party. We talk about her keeping the legacy going for J Dilla. Producer/hip hop artist J Dilla's MPC was put on display at the grand opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C. After making a huge splash with his Detroit-based rap group Slum Village in the '90s, Dilla shifted gears to pursue a solo career in 2001. Despite being diagnosed with TTP (the blood disease thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) and lupus in 2003, he spent several years churning out his magnum opus with 2006's Donuts. An avid lover of samples, Dilla’s eclectic project was glazed with funky sounds and instrumentation that earned massive appeal from music pundits and rappers alike.
For a decade-plus, J Dilla real name James Yancey and also known as Jay Dee served up soulful beats for many reputable artists, including Common’s "The Light," D’Angelo’s "Feel Like Makin’ Love," Erykah Badu’s “Didn’t Cha Know” and A Tribe Called Quest’s “Stressed Out.” After his death in 2006, many artists paid their respects to Dilla through special tributes and projects. In 2007, Busta Rhymes released a collaborative mixtape with DJ Mick Boogie titled Dillagence, featuring unreleased Dilla beats. On Q-Tip’s 2008 offering The Renaissance, the Tribe rapper showed love to Dilla on tracks like "Shaka" and "Life Is Better."
While many artists have kept Dilla's memory alive, no one has been able to match the efforts of his mother, Maureen Yancey, otherwise known as Ma Dukes.
Dilla's mother has played an integral role in maintaining her son's legacy through their family's donut business, Dilla's Delights -- which opened last May in Dilla’s hometown of Detroit -- and her new children's book titled The Life Story of J Dilla. The book will highlight Dilla's meteoric rise to music savant through the eyes of Ma Dukes, who also narrates the story. Portions of all proceeds of the children’s book will also be donated to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation. With a fond appreciation for music and knowledge, Ma Dukes is on a mission to provide a glimmer of hope to inner-city kids with her son's story.
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[@BigRobAustria]

Your son has changed my life - bless you

[@MrChickenstalker]

Imagine how it feels to be the mother of the greatest artist of all time....

[@prettynikki3667]

This Queen birth the most legendary producer.. We can't help but love his mom just as much, We Thank her for birthing him❤️

[@skkkkriptx]

Ur son gave me a way to live life🙏🙏🙏 J dilla✊✊🖤

[@MoneyOverFame]

His mother is a beautiful and strong woman. Keeping her sons legacy alive.

[@londonfloorplan2439]

Much Love For Ma'Dukes💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@rafaelmiramontes7953]

No doubt 🙏

[@UCiWrMgES50tlUhV3l6NqjNA]

Ma Dukes, or if anybody who is close to her can tell her...please release those projects in the original format...with the original cover...we want to know the real thing behind it, what Dilla was thinking, when it happened...

[@Algorythm-C]

much respect to Ma Dukes. a real matriarch for hiphop

[@thiagoluiz3859]

Yup mother of a legend bro.

[@marsbars1657]

That’s real👍🏽👌🏽

[@vickjr98]

Word

[@asr10beats]

My favorite producer. Period.

[@rashieddakontrackter8395]

Same here!!💯

[@KingEversProduction]

People w bootleg shirts. Lol. That's like people w looped and Dilla remake beats. Cut that shit out

[@Daniel-gb3wl]

the music sales album all dat dont matter to moms she just loves how many loved her son like she do

[@gabzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

yaaaaaaaaaaaas!!! matriarch for hip hop! amazing interview, amazing woman, so powerful, so trong....

[@flannelmantherandom790]

This is truly one of the few comments sections where I put a like on every single comment at the time of me writing this... the J Dilla fandom is truly the best, and I love all of you

[@originaldjchucks]

God bless Ma Dukes 🙏🏼

[@londonfloorplan2439]

☝Love

[@vickjr98]

Lots of love for Ma Dukes

[@djtsNewYork]

WIN

[@Noodlecollecter]

Rip to jdilla peace to his mother for keeping his legacy alive

[@DiamondLoopz]

💪

[@mjkg6026]

This is sick 👌🏻

[@anthonyromerofreema1]

Where can I get official Dilla merchandise?