Believe it moral or not, the untimely death of an artist, without a doubt, feeds their popularity. The estates of deceased artists like Tupac and Biggie have certainly put food into their loved one’s stomachs through a slew of albums, DVDs and even films, all which have come out since their deaths. However, a more subterranean artist like James “J-Dilla” Yancey’s legacy has been set ablaze primarily on the underground. The consequence of “underground” notoriety is a lack of official material which is replaced by bootlegs, mixtapes, etc., and subsequently, a lack of cheddar for Dilla’s heirs (his two young girls). The LA weekly has reported this week on the current aggravation and conflict between Dilla’s managment and the underground that idolizes (but seldom pays for) his trademark soul alchemy and drums. Read Jeff Weiss’ article here.
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