Bleep

The Jay Dee reissue train rolls on with this latest gem unearthed from the late beatsmith’s vaults. Ruff Draft, of course, is one of the classic Dilla releases. It finds J at once focussed and playful, crafting beats of minimal brilliance and making some daring production choices. The record also marks the moment Jay announced himself to the world as a deft MC - though he had stepped to the mic before, this record is cited as the moment when he became known as a rapper beyond his native Detroit - and paved the way for his all-conquering Madlib collaboration Champion Sound. This version includes some alternate takes which J held in high esteem, as well as instrumentals. It also comes with a booklet which contains previously-unseen photographs and an essay by prominent Dillaphile Ronnie Reese.