J Dilla's Donuts is one of those projects that will never get old. Overall, its influence knows no bounds. A 31-track rapperless hip-hop record sounds insane on the surface. But when you dig into Donuts, you quickly realize just how much of a genius Dilla really was. This is a project that came out 20 years ago, and it is one of those albums that you can just never get sick of. Songs like "Don't Cry" tug at the heartstrings, while others serve as the forefathers of lo-fi production. The sampling on this album is truly exquisite, and you have to wonder how one human being can be so creative. On this beautiful Saturday, everyone should be giving this album a listen.
Release Date: February 7, 2006
Genre: Hip-hop
Tracklist for Donuts
- Donuts (Outro)
- Workinonit
- Waves
- Light My Fire
- The New
- Stop
- People
- The Diff'rence
- Mash
- Time: The Donut of the Heart
- Glazed
- Airworks
- Lightworks
- Stepson Of The Clapper
- The Twister (Huh, What)
- One Eleven
- Two Can Win
- Don't Cry
- Anti-American Graffiti
- Geek Down
- Thunder
- Gobstopper
- One For Ghost
- Dilla Says Go
- Walkinonit
- The Factory
- U-Love
- Hi.
- Bye.
- Last Donut Of The Night
- Welcome To The Show
Awards & Commercial Reception
While Donuts was not an awards contender, or even a Billboard darling, it remains one of the most influential albums in hip-hop history. Its importance goes beyond sales and mainstream awards validation. It is a piece of history that will be cherished until the end of time. You can't help but listen to some of these beats and just get lost in their beauty.
