Jaylib

Similar to the indie pairing of the Postal Service and the ocean-spanning hip-hop duo Danger Doom, Jaylib emerged from an exchange of recordings between two artists separated by distance yet aligned in their musical sensibilities. The project originated in 2000 after California turntablist J-Rocc (Jason Jackson) passed along a collection of unreleased beats crafted by producer/DJ J Dilla (James DeWitt Yancey) to producer and multi-instrumentalist Madlib (Otis Jackson, Jr.), with one reworked track eventually surfacing on a mixtape. The cross-country partnership proceeded informally amid other endeavors, including J Dilla's work producing Common's Electric Circus album and Madlib's jazz instrumental endeavor Yesterdays New Quintet, until the duo finished and issued Champion Sound in 2003. J Dilla's condition soon worsened, leading to the DJ and producer's passing from lupus-related issues on February 10, 2006. Madlib later teamed up with MF Doom on the more prominent Madvillain venture. Following J Dilla's death, Stones Throw put out Outtakes, marking the initial official issuance of their early joint efforts dating back to 2000.