In honor of Detroit’s most iconic late music producer/emcee, J Dilla (James Yancey), a YouTube user with the pseudonym “Houston Loves J Dilla” has released a mind-melting visual accompaniment, set to one of Dilla’s most infamous albums – Donuts.
The 44-minute visual hodgepodge weaves all 31 Donuts tracks through a seemingly-infinite collection of media, both familiar and obscure, of cartoons, films, commercials, TV programs, music videos and more. Familiar visual selections include clips from concert footage of Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Isley Brothers, the 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, American Graffiti, and more.
J Dilla, who suffered from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disorder) and possibly lupus, died just three days after his 32nd birthday and the release of Donuts, on February 10, 2006. The album has been celebrated with international acclaim and is considered one of Dilla’s greatest works.
Watch the fan-created visual accompaniment for J Dilla’s Donuts below: