It’s a shame that the executive producer scandal surrounding the Nick Riviera of rap, Charles Hamilton, has siphoned off the attention that should have been accorded Jay Stay Paid. Granted, my extreme effusiveness might be partially due to affirmative action for the deceased–I essentially say as much in my Times review–but this and Born Like This are neck and neck for the best rap records of the year.
Other than Douglas Martin’s, Jay Stay Paid day, and Nate Patrin’s outstanding Pitchfork review, I haven’t seen the raves you’d expect from something this good. Maybe the relatively muted reaction is a backlash towards carpetbag Dilla stannery, or maybe I just love it because it cured me of a migraine last week (along with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ice Cream bar). But really, Jay Stay Paid is an achievement–one that establishes a new benchmark for posthumous rap releases, and an effort worth purchasing to ensure his mom stays paid too.
LA Times: J Dilla-Jay Stay Paid
Download:
MP3: J Dilla ft. Black Thought-“Reality TV”
Jay Stay Paid Bonus Track
MP3: J Dilla ft. Bun B & Termanology-“Make It Fast”
