The New York Times Presents: The Legacy of J Dilla

Born James Dewitt Yancey, the Detroit native who came to be known as J Dilla started rapping and making beats as a kid. He grew into a visionary music producer, rapper and artist who left an undeniable mark on the hip-hop landscape, working with artists like Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest and D'Angelo. Dilla's influence has been celebrated far more since his death than it was while he was alive, but mainstream recognition remains elusive. With exclusive access to Dilla's family, the film is an intimate portrait of a creative powerhouse, and it explores the complications that have arisen as so many people try to control his legacy. "I'm a Detroiter and I'm a fighter," his mother, Maureen Yancey says. "I will stay in there and I will fight. I won't let anybody put my son down, what I do for him down, because I'm here to lift up his music, his legacy."