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This humble Detroit beatmaker may have been one of the most underrated in rap when he died from complications of lupus last month. His hip-hop beats, which laced everyone from De La Soul to Busta Rhymes, were some of the best and most idiosyncratic sounds in mid- to late-’90s rap. “Donuts,” Dilla’s instrumental montage of classic funk and soul, serves as a gorgeous career capstone regardless, released just days before Dilla’s tragic passing.
His sound–full of unsteady drums and a focus on atmosphere over hooks–gave his songs a dreamy, inspired quality that will be missed.
