Chicago’s music scene has been in mourning for the past few days. Tim “Dj Timbuck2” Jones, 34, died recently due to complications from cancer. DJ Timbuck2 has been a staple on the Chicago music scene since the age of 15. He was mentored by Twilte Tone and was always enlisted as the go to DJ for high-profile events in the city and abroad. Many are feeling the pain of his loss because of who he was as a person, his spirit and his amazing skill as a DJ.
Many were taken by surprise because only his closest friends and family were aware of his battle with cancer. He was noticeably absent from his resident DJ gigs and radio show at local station WGCI 107.5.
Timbuck2’s life as a Dj affected me personally. In the midst of a separation, I was sitting in my car at one of the lowest points of my life listening to GOILL radio. GOILL radio was Tim’s radio show that showcased local artists. As I was listening to the show, I remember thinking to myself how awesome it would be if my song was playing. No sooner than I had that thought I heard the intro to my song “Wild Wild” and I went crazy!! That was exactly what I needed in that moment. I never had a chance to thank him for that. I would also like to publicly thank Marc Moran for his help in assisting in the moment.That experience speaks to the influence that Tim had on the music community and artists all over the the city. He will be missed.
We asked Moran, one of Tim’s closest friends, what Tim means to the music scene in Chicago. he responded, “Chicago has some very committed deejays but none that even compare to Tim. I remember Sean Mac was the first from Chicago to be on ‘Rap City’s The Basement’ that drove Tim to work harder and be better. Tim, with his own accolades, wanted to always represent the best for Chicago. Tim was true hip-hop all the time. His mixes have a bounce to them, that is from the disco records and hip-hop of the ’90s he was inspired from. Tim was stubborn, I can’t accentuate that enough. That never changed to his final days; I love him for that. Simple and plain, Tim loved hip-hop music and he used it to bring people together from all walks of life — it was his gift to the world, making people happy through the rhythm and the music he played and there is nothing he loved more than that. If you need anything to prove it, the city’s outcry of admiration for him is enough. I have never seen a city more united in the fact that we lost a legend.”
Kanye West and Common used social media to share their condolences.
Details of funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.
Timbuck2 did a set at “Sway in the Morning” back in 2014. Take a listen below.
