Legendary hip-hop producer J. Dilla has become of the genre’s most celebrated figures, and now a part of his legacy is being immortalized in America’s most famed museum. Much of Dilla’s equipment has been donated to the Smithsonian by his mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey.
It was announced that Dilla’s custom-made Minimoog Voyager synthesizer and Akai MIDI Production Center 3000 Limited Edition will be going into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The equipment will be a permanent part of the Smithsonian’s music and performing arts exhibit which opens in 2016.
“I feel it’s necessary to raise the level of art appreciation in the hip- hop sector and honor my son James Dewitt Yancey, one of the most influential individuals in the history of hip-hop,” Ma Dukes said via press release.
The exhibit will explore how popular music has helped shape the historical, cultural, and political fabric of the country. It will be one of 11 other exhibits that will be open for attendees to view beginning in 2016.
Washington, D.C. celebrated “D.C. Loves Dilla” last week in recognition of his accomplishments. Born James Yancey, Dilla became one of the most acclaimed producers in urban music throughout the course of his career, which stretched from the early 90s up through 2006 when he died from complications due to lupus.
