February’s Nonprofit of the Month: James Dewitt Yancey Foundation

The J Dilla Foundation was changed to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation in January 2015 to honor Maureen Yancey-Smith Son for his legacy and to coincide with the induction into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Madukes has dedicated her life to the upliftment of youth and encouraging their interest in education through music and the arts. Madukes is an advocate of the Hip-Hop Education Center@ NYU. Madukes and the J Dilla Foundation was presented with the “Extra Credit Award” for “Best National Organization in 2015 and continue with THE J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT with VH1 Save The Music Foundation .

The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation has expanded with chapters in Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Las Vegas, Australia, LA, NYC, Miami, Surbia, VA,TX, ect (Coming Soon) 2023

THE MISSION:

     If we don’t take charge of opening doors for our youth, their future will always be at risk. The mission is very simple: It’s for and about the Children! The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation and all it’s members will strive to make a better tomorrow for todays youth. Madukes is at work daily in keeping the legacy alive.

 The Legacy: James Dewitt Yancey JAY DEE / J.DILLA) 

DILLA’s legacy is celebrated in over 30 major cities worldwide during the month of February commemorating his birth & death

(February 7, 1972 – February 10, 2006). 

All donations added to ticket sales throughout February will be donated to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation.

You can donate directly here.

J Dilla Tribute Show

KUVO’s Jazz Odyssey Presents: The King of Beats: A Tribute to J Dilla Presented by Manycolors

Saturday, Feb. 10

6:30PM Tickets: https://www.dazzledenver.com/live-music/#/events/69697

9PM Tickets: https://www.dazzledenver.com/live-music/#/events/69696

Show Description

James Dewitt Yancey, better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer and rapper who emerged in the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, as one third of the music group Slum Village. He was also a member of the Soulquarians, a musical collective active during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Although his life and career were short, J Dilla is widely considered to be one of the most influential producers in the hip-hop genre. It was described in The Guardian that “his affinity for crafting lengthy, melodic loops peppered with breakbeats and vocal samples took instrumental hip-hop into new, more musically complex realms.”

ManyColors pays homage to the great J Dilla with an inspired soul-hop stew of fresh jazz harmonies embedded in a lo-fi soundscape with an irresistible rhythmic pocket. An emergent four-piece band, ManyColors opens up new musical space by using a hip-hop format to explore chords and motifs usually reserved for jazz.

Come see ManyColors pay tribute to “The King of Beats” in an intimate setting right in the heart of downtown Denver.

Brant Williams – guitar/samples

Eric Luba – electric keyboards/piano

Kirwan Brown – bass

Braxton Kahn – drums

<-- Back