The evolution of J. Dilla's sound

J. Dilla's magnum-opus and highly emotional release, "Donuts" came just three days before his death in February 2006. "Donuts" is not only his most publicized work but the calling card of those who seek to imitate his style and/or pay homage. It is important to note, however, that Dilla’s sound in 2006 was the result of a series of sonic evolutions that had taken place over the decade. 

The last sounds we heard from Jay Dee on "Donuts" were a masterful collage of chopped samples from various records, but before his move to Los Angeles, collaboration with Madlib, and aside from his work with the Soulquarians, Dilla crafted instrumentals that would later end up on a beat tape known as “Old Donuts” (also known as “Another Batch”). 

Some of these beats can be recognized as interludes from Common’s “Like Water For Chocolate” or instrumentals from Slum Village’s earlier mixtapes, but every one of these beats shares the same sonic palette: harmonically rich samples ripped from vinyl, looped over the grooviest and crispiest drum loops programmed by Dilla himself. “Old Donuts” has more of an East Coast influence, as he was directly influenced by the likes of Pete Rock and Q-Tip.