The King Of Beats

When he died in 2006 at the tragically young age of 32, J. Dilla had already established himself as one of the most forward-thinking and unpredictable producers in hip-hop and R&B. Assembled from his treasure trove of rare and unreleased tracks, King of Beats isn't so much an album as a collection of futuristic, funky instrumental sketches. Some cuts have the laid-back sway of Dilla’s neo-soul work, while others offer the raw and off-kilter rhythms of his underground hip-hop classics. King of Beats is an unadorned showcase for Dilla’s sampling wizardry, his uncanny ability to turn any old record into an unexpected new groove.