In Paramount+‘sThe Choice Is Yours, famed 1990s hip-hop musician Andres “Dres” Vargas-Titus is tasked with crafting an album highlighting the late, great J. Dilla’s unreleased creations. When the iconic hip-hop producer died in 2006 at 32, he left behind a catalog of unreleased music. Directed and edited by Clark Slater (DMX: Don’t Try And Understand), the documentary follows Dres, who is best known as half of the legendary 1990s hip-hop duo Black Sheep, as he faces unexpected challenges in putting forth the record.
After being on top of the hip-hop game with Black Sheep’s success, Dres finds himself struggling with civilian life and staring down the barrel of his last chance at success. That chance comes when Dres meets J. Dilla’s mother Maureen Yancey, aka Ma Dukes, who gives Dres a hard drive of unreleased beats produced by J. Dilla and tasks him with creating the next great J. Dilla record. Dres goes on a mission to unravel the late producer’s story, speaking with artists, celebs, music executives, and journalists to better understand the man behind the name. Through his efforts, Dres begins to realize that despite Ma Dukes’ blessing, the road forward may not be smooth sailing, as not everyone is thrilled about Dres' possession of the beats. In the tense exclusive clip below, titled “Hesitancy,” Dres speaks with his attorney about the hardships he faces as he strives to create the album. Will the album ever see the light of day?
The Choice Is Yours, a title referencing Black Sheep’s famous song from their 1991 debut albumA Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing,premieres exclusively on Paramount+ on Tuesday, November 21 in the U.S. and Canada, and on Wednesday, November 22 in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
The Choice Is Yoursis produced by Versus and MTV Entertainment. The documentary is executive produced by Mark Grande, Justin Barnes, Rob Meyers, Bruce Gillmer, and Amanda Culkowski and produced by Tom Colabraro, with an original score composed by artist and producer Erick The Architect.
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The Late, Great J. Dilla’s Legacy
J. Dilla, also known as Jay Dee, was arenowned hip-hop figure, a producer, drummer, rapper, and songwriter who rose to popularity as a member of Detroit’s rap trio Slum Village during the mid-1990s. He exited the group in 2001 to pursue a solo career and later produced a number of critically acclaimed albums for musicians, including Common, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, The Roots, and Erykah Badu.
Dilla became renowned for his recognizable style: he would merge samples from various genres, including jazz, funk, and soul; this, combined with intricate drum patterns, were the core components of J. Dilla’s recognizable style, dubbed the Dilla Sound. J. Dilla died at the age of 32 in 2006 from complications from Lupus. Despite his short life, J. Dilla’s impact on hip-hop and his legacy as one of the most important producers in the genre’s history remains.
