Raw Drive- The Vice President of Soul

Store: J DILLA: BEHIND THE BEAT (POSTER)

Back in 2005, photographer Raph Rashid was hoping to complete a book of hip-hop home studios by getting pics of J Dilla at work in Los Angeles. Unknown to all but a small circle of people at the time, J Dilla had been in and out of the hospital all year dealing with increasingly serious health problems. It was summer, during a brief period when Dilla was home, working on The Shining, looking and feeling good, when Raph came to take this picture. It was published with others later that year in his book Behind the Beat: Hip-Hop Home Studios.

You may have seen some of the other photos on the web. We arranged with Raph to use one on our Ruff Draft poster and last year’s Stussy shirt. Another photo from this session which also appears in the book, is one of Dilla and his young daughter Ja’Mya Yancey.

This poster is a work of the J Dilla Estate (Pay Jay Productions, Inc.), available exclusively here in Stones Throw’s online shop. The poster will begin shipping Valentine’s Day February 14.