About
Record producer who was influential on Detroit's 1990s hip-hop underground scene and who worked with A Tribe Called Quest and Erykah Badu. His imprint on music has been felt for decades, with countless artists sampling his beats and emulating his style of production.
Before Fame
He was born into a family of musicians and began singing from a very early age. He began his music career as a producer for the hip hop group known as Slum Village.
Trivia
He and his rap group Slum Village released Fantastic Vol. 2 and he released Welcome 2 Detroit as the beginning of his solo career in the early 2000s. For the few years before his death, he suffered from an incurable blood disease. Throughout the early 2000's he worked with Stone's Throw Records, through which he released Donuts, one of his most signature albums.
Family Life
His full name is James Yancey. He was survived by his two daughters.
Associated With
He worked with some of the most respected artists of his time, including Janet Jackson, De La Soul, and Busta Rhymes.
