Illa J – Yancey Boys

The Spin: Illa J – Yancey Boys
Release: November 4, 2008
2008 Delicious Vinyl, LLC

Illa J’s Yancey Boys is a somewhat unexpectedly, relatively disappointing debut for the younger of the Yancey Boys. The only real consolation to this album is the musical production of James “J Dilla” Yancey. In fact, the vast majority of people that this album will appeal to at all, even if only briefly, are those whom have an interest in the work of the senior Yancey.

Photograph by: Pete Ambrose

When analyzing Dilla’s career, it is significant to note that there were basically three phrases. In the early ’90s, Dilla became prominent with his brand of jazzy hip-hop beats used by popular acts of the time like The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest. This was followed by his unique Neo-Soul beats used by artists and groups like Erykah Badu, Common, and The Roots. These beats are marked by soulful, ethereal vintage keyboard sounds, active synthesized bass lines, and simple but effective drums.  They almost single handedly (D’Angelo also played a significant role) carved out a new sub-genre in popular music.  In the late ’90s and early 2000s, he opted for a more experimental approach, making greater use of samples in more creative ways and conversely making songs where melodies and harmonies were completely constructed with synthesizers. The two latter stages garnered him the most critical acclaim, and the last stage particularly resonated amongst the most devout hip-hop enthusiasts and a broader range of artists.

Photograph by: Jeanette Paredes

It is interesting to note that John “Illa J” Yancey opts on this album for beats that sound more like pre-Ruff Draft (around when phase three initiated). Instead of choosing beats that would have a more mainstream appeal in the current hip-hop climate, Illa J takes a risk and uses more soulful, atmospheric beats. We certainly hope that the Yancey family will continue to ensure that the expansive vault of Dilla beats will continue to be brought to the listening audience’s attention. That being said, Illa J does not bring a lot of creativity to his lyrics. His rhymes are often monosyllabic and easily predicted. There is a lack, if not a void of internal rhyme, alliteration, metaphors, etc. The content of his lyrics is nothing short of what you might expect to hear from a Souljah Boy Tell ‘Em track. In short, Illa J is not the lyricist that you look to for inspiration. Another big problem lies in Illa’s singing. It’s not necessarily that Illa J is a bad singer, but it often seems that his vocals are not as confident as one would like to be. His melismatic runs, while well-orchestrated, are not executed with sufficient effectiveness.  Basically, while he seems to have learned enough from Dilla on how to record and arrange vocals, it just seems that he didn’t put enough time and thought and rehearsal into his own.

If this were an instrumental album, it would almost certainly get five stars, but Illa J’s lyrics and vocals are not just mediocre, they’re distracting. He does a good job of producing the vocals during his raps, but the lyrics are simplistic, predictable, and not substantive. It is worth stating that a great number of artists that Dilla worked with had quite a bit to say and did very well at saying it. Illa J is content with talking about his jewelry, sex, and his legacy. Any number of mediocre hip-hop artists from “The A” would’ve made the same album from these beats, only a little more deftly. Simply, Illa is not as ill as his predecessor, and he’s riding very, very long coattails. While this might allow him some time to catch his stride, he simply isn’t there yet.

To sum up this album as simply as possible, you’ll bob your head some, yawn, get slightly frustrated, and wish for the instrumental version. It gets three stars, with a huge debt to the late great J Dilla. R.I.P.

Images courtesy of www.myspace.com/illajmusic