The Shining (J Dilla album)

The Shining
Studio album by J Dilla
Released	August 22, 2006
Recorded	2005-2006
Genre	Hip hop
Length	36:25
Label	BBE Records
Producer	J Dilla, Madlib, Karriem Riggins, J. Rocc
J Dilla chronology
Donuts EP: J. Rocc's Picks (2006) The Shining (2006) Jay Deelicious: The Delicious Vinyl Years (2007)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	[1]
Allmusic	[2]
The A.V. Club	B+[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[4]
NOW	[5]
Pitchfork Media	(7.4/10)[6]
PopMatters	(7/10)[7]
RapReviews	(9.5/10)[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
XXL	[10]

The Shining is the second official solo album from hip hop producer and rapper J Dilla, who died February 10, 2006. The Shining was incomplete at the time of J Dilla's passing and was posthumously completed. Discounting the instrumental album Donuts, The Shining was the first full-length solo release by J Dilla (featuring vocals) since Welcome 2 Detroit five years earlier, and as such was highly anticipated. It was released on August 22, 2006 through BBE Records. An instrumental version of the album followed its release shortly afterward.

Background

In the works for many years under working titles such as the rumored Welcome 2 LA, Dilla's manager, Tim Maynor, said in November 2005 that The Shining would come out in February 2006 on BBE and that the Dilla self-titled album would follow in the same year.^[11] As the album was ultimately only 75% complete at the time of J Dilla's passing, his friend and fellow Detroit hip-hop artist Karriem Riggins was entrusted by Dilla's mother for the completion and handling of the record. Riggins himself has indicated that there will be further future releases of Dilla's music in the coming years, stating that "all of his music needs to be heard".^[12]

A few of the tracks on The Shining are vocal versions of previously heard material such as "So Far to Go" (Donuts track "Bye" revamped and extended to serve as an intended remix to Common's "Go!"). This song was originally to be released by Common during the last quarter of 2005, as part of a Be special edition package. In 2007, an alternate version of "So Far to Go" containing new verses and a new mix was released on Common's Finding Forever album.

Dilla features some of his past collaborators, such as the aforementioned Common on two songs, Busta Rhymes, D'Angelo, Madlib, and Black Thought on the LP. The closing track, "Won't Do", is the only song to feature Dilla rhyming by himself. He does however also rhyme on "Baby" together with Madlib and Guilty Simpson and provide the chorus for "E=Mc2". "Won't Do" was also issued as a single (as The Shining EP2), accompanied by a video that premiered on December 12, 2006. The video included appearances by Common, Slum Village, will.i.am, Frank-N-Dank, Karriem Riggins, Black Thought, Talib Kweli, and J Dilla's younger brother, John Yancey (aka Illa J).

A promo single called "Love", featuring Pharoahe Monch, was leaked onto the internet in February 2006, days after J.Dilla's death. Plans for the album's retail release was accelerated and scheduled for April 2006. Video Producer/Director Brian "B.Kyle" Atkins of Okayplayer Films ^[13] was in the process of putting together a production consisting of exclusive footage he had shot with J.Dilla... a project which the label heard about and wanted as a bonus DVD to accompany each retail copy of the album. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the two separately. In honor of J.Dilla, Brian "B.Kyle" Atkins created the production entitled J.Dilla: STILL SHINING, which was made available to J.Dilla fans online, for free, at www.TheJDillaProject.com and YouTube. The album received generally positive reviews and debuted at #103 in its first week of release according to Billboard. An instrumental version of the album soon followed.

The advance copy of the album contains samples from The Shining over the tracks to prevent sharing. These samples are not in the retail version but the advance copy is available on the internet, leading many to believe that the samples are part of the album.

Tracklisting

Album cover for the instrumental version of The Shining

1. "Geek Down" (featuring Busta Rhymes)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Busta Rhymes (T. Smith), published by T'Ziah Music / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI)

Mixed by Bob Power.

Busta Rhymes appears courtesy of Flipmode Entertainment / Aftermath Entertainment / Interscope Records

Contains a sample of "Beethoven's 5th" played on the kazoo.

2. "E=MC²" (featuring Common)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Common (L. Lynn)

Published by Senseless Music / Universal Music Publishing Group (BMI)

Cuts by J. Rocc. Mixed by Dave Cooley

Common appears courtesy of GOOD Music / Geffen Records

Contains a sample of "E=mc²" by Giorgio Moroder.

3. "Love Jones"

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Drums by Karriem Riggins, Trumpet by Dontae Winslow and Rhodes & Nord lead by J Dilla

Mixed by Dave Cooley.

Recorded by agdm

Contains a sample of "Humpty Dumpty", as performed by Marc Moulin

4. "Love" (featuring Pharoahe Monch)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Pharoahe Monch (T. Jamerson)

Published by Trescadecaphobia Music (BMI)

Additional vocals by Shotyme & La

Mixed by Dave Cooley

Pharoahe Monch appears courtesy of SRC Records

Contains a sample from "We Must be in Love" by The Five Stairsteps.

Contains a sample from "We Must be in Love" by The Impressions.

5. "Baby" (featuring Madlib & Guilty Simpson)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions and Madlib (O. Jackson Jr.)

Published by Copyright Control

Written by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions and Guilty Simpson (B. Simpson)

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP) and Copyright Control (BMI)

Mixed & Tracked by Dave Cooley

Contains a sample of "Maybe It's Love This Time", as performed by The Stylistics

Madlib appears courtesy of Stones Throw Records

6. "So Far to Go" (featuring Common & D'Angelo)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Common (L. Lynn) and D'Angelo (D. Archer)

Published by Senseless Music / Universal Music Publishing Group (BMI) and Ah Choo Music Publishing / Universal *Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Mixed by Dave Cooley

Common appears courtesy of GOOD Music / Geffen Records

D'Angelo appears courtesy of Virgin Records America

Contains a sample from "Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time For Love)" by The Isley Brothers.

7. "Jungle Love" (featuring M.E.D. & Guilty Simpson)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Guilty Simpson (B. Simpson) and MED (N. Jackson)

Published by Copyright Control (BMI)

Drums by Karriem Riggins and Octave cat & Tambourine by J Dilla

Mixed by Dave Cooley

Recorded by agdm

M.E.D. appears courtesy of Stones Throw Records

8. "Over the Breaks"

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions and Karriem Riggins

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP) and Karriem Riggins Music (ASCAP)

Triton bass line by Karriem Riggins and J Dilla on the Micro Korg

Contains a sample of "Does Anybody Know I'm Here", as performed by The Dells

9. "Body Movin’" (featuring J. Rocc & Karriem Riggins)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions, Karriem Riggins and J. Rocc

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP), Karriem Riggins Music (ASCAP) and Copyright Control

Drums and solo on the Korg MS20 by Karriem Riggins, Autoharp / bass line on the Octave cat by J Dilla, cuts by J.Rocc

Recorded by agdm

Additional tracking by Kelly Hibbert

Mixed by Dave Cooley

10. "Dime Piece (Remix)" (featuring Dwele)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Dwele (A. Gardner), published by Emi April Music Inc (ASCAP)

Mixed by J Dilla.

11. "Love Movin’" (featuring Black Thought)

Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Written by Black Thought (T. Trotter)

Published by Careers Bmg Music Publishing (BMI)

Drums by Karriem Riggins, Bass and Guitar by J Dilla

Mixed by Bob Power

Black Thought appears courtesy of Def Jam Recordings

12. "Won't Do"

Written and Produced by J Dilla (J. Yancey) for Pay-J Productions

Published by E P H C Y Publishing / Universal Music Publishing Group (ASCAP)

Additional tracking by Kelly Hibbert

Mixed by Dave Cooley.

Contains a sample from "Footsteps In The Dark" by The Isley Brothers, and "Alfie" by Dick Hyman.^[14]

Chart positions

Credits

• Executive Producers: James ‘Dilla’ Yancey and Karriem Riggins
• Co-Executive Producers: Maureen ‘Ma Dukes’ Yancey, Tim Maynor, Eddie ‘Bladow!’ Bezalel and Peter ‘Monty Burns’ Adarkwah
• A&R: Eddie ‘Bladow!’ Bezalel
• Art Direction & Design: Mazik 72 Saevitz for Self & Upendo Taylor for Leroy Jenkins
• Mastering: Dave Cooley
• Photography: Johnny Tergo
• Management for J Dilla: Tim Maynor
• Management for Karriem Riggins: Jason Barber
• US Press Promotions - Backspin Promotions: Gamall Awad 718.399.1632

References

External links

• The Shining at Metacritic