Next year will mark 20 years since the release of J Dilla’s solo debut album, Welcome 2 Detroit. To celebrate, Dilla’s early label BBE Music has announced a deluxe 7-inch vinyl box set reissue set for release on February 5th, 2021.
Welcome 2 Detroit — The 20th Anniversary Edition presents the original LP remastered and split amongst 10 discs. Each disc includes one or two of the 16 album tracks backed by either an instrumental or alternate take. The exception is “Rico Suave Bossa Nova”, which is paired with a previously unreleased edit by Azymuth. An additional 11th disc features newly released alternate outtakes, demos, and mixes, while disc 12 includes both the original and instrumental versions of DJ Muror’s new remix of “Think Twice”.
Also packaged in the box is a book by British writer and filmmaker John Vanderpuije. Described as an “oral history of the album’s making,” it features interviews with J Dilla’s mother, Ma Dukes; Amp Fiddler; and “all of the album’s key musical contributors.”
Dilla credited his label, BBE, with giving him the creative freedom to stuff his debut with the sounds and voices of the Detroit he knew. In a statement, Ma Dukes reiterated that thankfulness:
“I’m real happy that Welcome 2 Detroit was done by BBE. Because I don’t think another label would have helped him embrace his full creativity and given him the control to make it a piece of who he was! Because of BBE he was able to pour more of himself into it, into every bit of music on this album. His spirit lives in Welcome 2 Detroit. It’s him! Alive and thriving in every song!”
Pre-orders for Welcome 2 Detroit — The 20th Anniversary Edition are live now. Find the tracklist and artwork below.
Welcome 2 Detroit — The 20th Anniversary Edition Artwork:
Welcome 2 Detroit — The 20th Anniversary Edition Tracklist:
Disc 1
Side A
01. Y’all Ain’t Ready
02. Think Twice (faded)
Side B
01. Y’all Ain’t Ready (Instrumental)
02. Think Twice (Instrumental – faded)
Disc 2
Side C
01. The Clapper feat. Blu
02. Shake It Down
Side D
01. The Clapper (Instrumental)
02. Shake It Down (Instrumental)
Disc 3
Side E
01. Come Get It feat. Elzhi (edit)
Side F
01. Come Get It (Instrumental – edit)
Disc 4
Side G
01. Pause feat Frank ‘n’ Dank
02. B.B.E. – Big Booty Express
Side H
01. Pause (Instrumental)
02. B.B.E. – Big Booty Express (Instrumental)
Disc 5
Side I
01. Beej-N-Dem Pt.2 feat. Beej
Side J
01. Beej-N-Dem Pt.2 (Instrumental)
Disc 6
Side K
01. Brazilian Groove
02. It’s Like That (Edit) feat. Hodge Podge, Lacks
Side L
01. Brazilian Groove EWF (Instrumental)
02. It’s Like That (Instrumental)
Disc 7
Side M
01. Give It Up
Side N
01. Give It Up (Instrumental)
Disc 8
Side O
01. Rico Suave Bossa Nova
Side P
01. Azymuth – Rico Suave Bossa Nova (Vinyl Edit) – Azymuth
Disc 9
Side Q
01. Feat. Phat Kat
Side R
01. Feat. Phat Kat (Instrumental)
Disc 10
Side S
01. African Rhythms
02. One
Side T
01. African Rhythms (Instrumental)
02. One (Instrumental)
Disc 11
Side U
01. It’s Like That (Alternate Version)
02. Beej-N-Dem (og) feat. Beej
Side V
01. African Rhythms (No Drums)
02. Brazilian Groove EWF (No Drums, No Vocal)
03. Give It Up (Acapella)
Disc 12
Side W
01. Think Twice (DJ Muro’s KG Mix)
Side X
01. Think Twice (DJ Muro’s KG Mix Instrumental)
