Wednesday (February 7th) marks J Dilla's 50th birthday, and J's hometown NBA team, the Detroit Pistons, are honoring the late producer with a capsule collection curated by fellow Motor native Royce Da 5'9″ City.
Explore
Check out the latest videos, charts and news
Check out the latest videos, charts and news
A closer look at the J Dilla-inspired collection will be presented ahead of the March 13 release date for the capsule, which doubles as 313 Day in Detroit.
“It is a great honor to be responsible for curating his likeness on this exclusive product entrusted to me by his estate and the @detroitpistons,” Royce said in a press statement. “This campaign means a lot not only to me, but to the city of Detroit and the hip-hop community as a whole.”
With 2023 being hip-hop's 50th anniversary and February being Black History Month, the Detroit Pistons wanted to properly honor J Dilla's legacy.
“Those familiar with Dilla's musical genius understand his impact on hip-hop, but there are still many who are unfamiliar with his legacy,” said Bilal Saeed, VP of Brand & Marketing Strategy. “The Pistons wanted to tell its story in a creative way while continuing to shine a light on the city's impact on music around the world.”
The Detroit-bred hitter died in 2006 from a combination of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and lupus. Saturday (February 10) will mark the 18th anniversary of J Dilla's death.
Each track is set to pay homage to Dilla and his “work and non-traditional style.” Dilla's daughter Ja'Mya said the collaboration to honor her father was “a long time coming.”
“It's honestly been a long time coming,” Ja'Mya Yancey said. “I'm so happy that we were finally able to do something so important through the proper channels and highlight my dad in a way that was fun and exciting, while respecting his estate.”
His other daughter, Ty'Monae, added: “It means a lot to see the estate and the Pistons work together to celebrate and continue my father's legacy. Seeing the love Detroit has for him and for us as a family is heartwarming. I can't wait to be a part of it and see what the partnership entails.”
The J Dilla collection will be available on the team shop website beginning March 13 when the Detroit Pistons host the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/j-dilla-detroit-pistons-royce-da-59-merch-collection-1235602511/
