J Dilla: Ruff Draft - Dilla's Mix Vinyl LP
$24.95
<p><i>“Before we get this started let me explain it… It's the Ruff Draft EP… Sound like it's straight from the motherfuckin' cassette.”</i> Before your eyes permanently roll into the back of your head at the sight of yet another posthumous <meta charset="utf-8"><a data-mce-fragment="1" href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?q=j+dilla" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?q=j+dilla"><strong data-mce-fragment="1">J Dilla</strong></a> release, let’s break it down. A <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?&q=ruff%20draft&filter=Brand/Manufacturer/Artist_fq:%22J%20Dilla%22" target="_blank">number of different versions</a><a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?&q=ruff%20draft&filter=Brand/Manufacturer/Artist_fq:%22J%20Dilla%22" target="_blank"> of the </a><a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?&q=ruff%20draft&filter=Brand/Manufacturer/Artist_fq:%22J%20Dilla%22" target="_blank"><em>Ruff Draft</em> EP</a> (or LP, depending on who you ask) have been released with various mixdowns and slightly rearranged tracklists; some versions have vocals on some tracks, some don’t… it’s impossible to keep it straight, even for the most feverish Dilla stan. But this faithful and final edition <meta charset="utf-8">follows the original EP tracklisting which was released in 2003 on German imprint Mummy Records, recorded after an aborted album for MCA left Dilla feeling jaded and pissed off… a return to form of sorts. This updated 2023 pressing contains the recently-unearthed original mixes (mixed by Dilla) which were thought to be gone forever when <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Stones+Throw" target="_blank">Stones Throw</a> <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/products/j-dilla-ruff-draft-2lp" target="_blank">reissued the album in 2007</a> (it was subsequently re-mixed and remastered for that pressing). It has been researched and released with the blessing of Dilla’s family and completely authorized by <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Egon" target="_blank"><strong>Egon</strong></a>: <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Now-Again" target="_blank">Now-Again</a> label boss, creative director of Dilla’s estate and former Stones Throw label manager who also oversaw the 2007 reissue. Egon and mastering engineer <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Dave+Cooley" target="_blank"><strong>Dave Cooley</strong></a> went to meticulous lengths to properly present this album, a process which took roughly an entire year (bonus points for sourcing the original photograph that was used for the sleeve of the ’03 Mummy pressing). Recommended.</p> <ul> <li>recently rediscovered original mixes of the fan-favorite Ruff Draft EP</li> <li>black vinyl pressing</li> <li>for DJs that play that real live sh*t</li> <li>original release year: 2003</li> <li>music label: Pay Jay 2023</li> </ul> <h6>reviewed by edward james almost 04/2018</h6>