Nas flexes his lyrical muscle on his latest single 'The Season.' (Listen below.) But what's most notable about the track is its producer, the late J. Dilla.
Dilla passed away in 2006 at age 32 of a rare blood disorder. But before he did he cemented his spot as one of the most acclaimed producers in Hip Hop history, working with artists such as De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, The Pharcyde, Common and Busta Ryhmes.
Dilla (James Yancey) came up in the Detroit underground scene and first gained note as part of the music production team The Ummah. The collective, which also featured Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, worked with both Hip Hop artists and R&B/pop stars like Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson.
Dilla also released nine solo albums before his death, often under the name Jay Dee. His last was Donuts, which dropped three days before he passed away. On 'The Season,' Nas is more or less freestyling over 'Gobstopper,' one of the tracks on Donuts. Listen to this unlikely collaboration between legends.