Music
07 Feb 26

20 years ago today: J Dilla released his classic album Donuts

20 years ago today: J Dilla released his classic album <i>Donuts</i>

On this day 20 years ago, J Dilla released his instrumental hip-hop masterpiece, Donuts – just three days before his death, aged 32. To mark the album's anniversary, we're revisiting some special reflections from the Hot Press archives.

Caleb Azumah Nelson

On the influence of J Dilla and Donuts on his second novel, Small Worlds:

“Dilla had such a big influence on my life and creativity. There’s something so beautiful about [as in J Dilla's sampling] trying to find ways of honing in on strands. It’s like me taking these different memories and threading them together. This novel [Small Worlds] was about encouraging myself towards a sense of looseness that his music has. The idea of what emerges from error, and how beauty can come from that."

(2023)

St Vincent

On incorporating J Dilla samples into her remix of Maroon 5 and Cardi B’s ‘Girls Like You’:

“I had the best time doing it. Right now, most of pop music is hip-hop, and the production in that world is very exciting. So I got to make beats and be a producer and I loved it. Getting to include the Dilla stuff was brilliant too – Donuts is one of my favourite records ever.

(2018)

Disclosure’s Guy Lawrence

On his dream collaborator:

“Growing up my ultimate [dream] collaboration was J Dilla, but obviously he passed away. He would have been my ultimate man just to meet, so it’s a shame that will never happen.”

(2013)