 Genius Meanings
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J Dilla – Don't Cry
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In a 2012 XXL interview, Questlove, a close friend and collaborator of Dilla’s, said “Don’t Cry” was a message to his mother.
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J Dilla – Bye.
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Another message is getting across: he’s leaving.
While this doesn’t sound true and rather more disrespectful, it isn’t. Donuts is a deep album, even though it is a beat tape. In
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Mary J. Blige – Didn't Mean
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[Intro: Diddy] / Come on, let's go / Mary J., Bad Boy, collaboration / Yeah, and we won't stop, let's go / [Verse 1: Mary J. Blige] / Baby, don't, don't go / You know I need you so
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The Weeknd – MEMENTO MORI Ep. 2 Tracklist
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1. Wicked City - Bobby Raps & SinGrinch / 2. Bloom - J^P^N / 3. The Final View - Nujabes / 4. Paris, Tokyo - Lupe Fiasco / 5. Don't Cry - J Dilla / 6. Time: The Donut of the Heart
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J. Cole – Change
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On “Change,” Cole reflects on the maturation of his understanding of the cycle of violence and crime in struggling black communities and details the murder of his friend James
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J Dilla – Airworks
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[Produced by J Dilla] / I don't really care / I never never needed..
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Slum Village (Ft. Q-Tip) – Hold Tight
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[Verse 1: Q-Tip] / Hold tight, this is the last time you hear me / I'm out now, this is the last time to cheer me / Niggas in the game is getting too slimy / Liable to make this
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Common (Ft. Slum Village) – Thelonius
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This track appears on Common’s 2000 project, Like Water for Chocolate, and was also included months later on Slum Village’s Fantastic, Vol. 2.
At the start of The Roots' “Can’t
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SZA (Ft. Kendrick Lamar) – Doves in the Wind
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In a song “dedicated to vaginas,” SZA enlists fellow TDE mate Kendrick Lamar to talk about how there is so much more to offer than sex and things people do to go out of their way
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De La Soul – Stakes Is High
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The climactic point of De La Soul’s “Stakes is High” album serves as a criticism to the state of the world in 1996, along with a declaration that the Native Tongues are back in
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J Dilla – Donuts (Outro)
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This track opens Donuts and already introduces the major thematic concern of the record: Dilla himself. Donuts is a highly autobiographical work, and a meditation on life itself as
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Common (Ft. Daniel Caesar) – HER Love
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“HER Love” is the third song in a trilogy of songs by Common. The first song, “I Used to Love H.E.R.” released in 1995 and the second, “The Next Chapter (Still Love H.E.R
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The Weeknd – The Knowing
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On the final track on House of Balloons, we get a peek inside of the mind of Abel during a sexual encounter with a female who’s been around as much as he has. Although he “knows
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Baby Rose – Rainy Day
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A rainy day on Sunday morning / Reach in me deeply, hit my soul / Watch it fall from my window / A rainy day on Sunday morning / Reflecting the inside of my mind / All the time / I
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J Dilla – Waves
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J Dilla’s final message to his younger brother, John “Illa J” Yancey.
This is the second track on the album to feature extensive sampling from 10cc, following the previous song “
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J Dilla – Welcome to the Show
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On some editions this track is titled “Donuts (Intro).” In both that case and when it is called “Welcome to the Show,” the irony of its title and purpose is immediately apparent
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J Dilla – Glazed
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One of the handful of tracks on the record that actually refer to donuts, “Glazed” is a dynamic instrumental track that is a companion piece of sorts to “Mash” in that both feature
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Common – Nag Champa (Afrodisiac for the World)
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Nag Champa is a varietal of incense (rumored to be an aphrodisiac..)
An aphrodisiac is something that can be consumed (a food, drug, drink, etc.) that causes sexual desire.
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Yancey Boys (Ft. Botni Applebum & Posdnuos) – Beautiful
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[Chorus] / Boy, keep your head up high / Look up, you'll see that I / I just want you to know / The struggle is so beautiful / [Verse 1] / Even when we feel like we trapped stuck
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JAY-Z – Takeover
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Jay Z’s diss song aimed at Mobb Deep and Nas. The song is better remembered for its Nas diss as it catalyzed the long-running and epic Jay-Z/Nas beef.
The first 2 verses were
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Busta Rhymes (Ft. Labba & The Notorious B.I.G.) – Modern Day Gangsters
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[Intro: The Notorious B.I.G.] / Yeah, '96, for my Nostrand Ave niggas / My Fulton Street niggas (Hardcore for '96) / Dangerous MC's / Ugh (Check it out), ugh / [Verse 1: The
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The Pharcyde – Y? (Be Like That)
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Y? is Track 11 off of The Pharcyde’s second album “Labcabincalifornia”.
In this song, the group are contemplating their lives, pondering why friends may not be there for you one
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Yancey Boys (Ft. Common & Dezi Paige) – Quicksand
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Yancey Boys team up with Common, a long time collaborator of J Dilla’s. Dilla produced many of the tracks off Com’s 2000 album, Like Water For Chocolate.
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J Dilla – Two Can Win
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[Produced by J Dilla] / [Intro] / Only one can win / Ooh only / Only one can win / Only one can win / Ooh only / [Verse] / Can win, only one can win your love / Ohoo / One can win
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Slum Village – Hoc N Pucky
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[Produced by J Dilla] / [Baatin] / Yo, plea-plea, plea-plea, please listen to my demo / I got a flow that goes, ain't nobody droppin no lyrics / Niggas they fear me because I
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Booka600 (Ft. Lil Durk) – Relentless
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[Intro] / (AyeTM) / [Verse 1: Booka600] / I'm not a part of the case but I guess I'm a tourist / I'ma take care of JusBlow like it's one of my chores / I was trackin' down my flows
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Common (Ft. Jill Scott) – I Am Music
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This song illustrates the influence of music throughout time, the world and different cultures.
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Chris King – DIDN'T CHA KNOW?
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[Intro] / Remember when Wayne did that shit, you hear the lighter and shit you just knew somethin' 'bout to happen, huh / Yeah / [Verse] / Chop another foe when the cactus cool off
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J Dilla – Hi.
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[Produced by J Dilla] / ...Standing at the bus stop and I hear a voice behind me say / "Hi, baby" / Aw, I just fell all apart inside / Because I hadn't heard that voice in such a
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Crooked I – The Finale
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After a year of weekly tracks (April 4, 2007 – April 3, 2008), Crooked I brings Hip Hop Weekly to a close by paying homage to the fallen legends over their beats.
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JAY-Z & Kanye West – Niggas in Paris
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Kanye West, XXL Magazine, October 2010:
I am where art meets commercial. The sweet spot between the hood and Hollywood. Having a conversation with Karl Lagerfeld and Jay-Z within
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J Dilla – Time: The Donut of the Heart
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Timeless track from the late great J Dilla.
Black Thought used this beat for the track “Can’t Stop This,” a tribute song to James Yancey on The Roots’ album Game Theory (Def Jam
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J Dilla – Anti-American Graffiti
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My family tree, my family, it's my history, my family / My family tree, my family, it's my history / Ah! Ah! / What's up... he-hey baby! / Have mercy, have mercy, you bet your life
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femdot. – Found
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Hot water run out / Someone took too long in the shower / Soup pot on the stove full of bath water / The water won't be back hot for another hour / The bus come in 20 minutes
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J Dilla – One for Ghost
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The title “One for Ghost” is directed at Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang Clan. J Dilla made this song just for him and this sample appears on Ghost’s track “Whip You With a Strap” from
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A Tribe Called Quest – Get a Hold
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“Get a Hold” is a smooth and low-key track featuring solo vocals from Q-Tip. The song features the Tribe’s usual self aggrandizing and witty lyricism, but also spreads a message of
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I DO – Tears
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“Tears” is the group I DO’s second single, tackling the important issue of gun violence. This is a serious issue affecting the world currently.
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J Dilla – The Factory
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[Produced by J Dilla] / ..This ungodly hour? / ...Is a factory / It can hurt / It can hurt / Hold your hand out / Give a shout / ...Free
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Donell Jones – Where I Wanna Be
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[Verse 1] / I just left my baby girl a message / Sayin', "I won't be comin' home, I'd rather be alone" / She doesn't fully understand me / 'Cause I'd rather leave than to cheat
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J Dilla – Stop!
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[Produced by J Dilla] / [Jadakiss sample] / *Laugh* / It's dat real / [Dionne Warwick sample] / Mmm, you're gonna want me back in your arms / You're gonna need me, one day / Mmm
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