Album Review: J Dilla - The Diary

It may have been the late, legendary beatsmith's wish that his aborted major label debut The Diary be his final release, but Dilla gave no indication that he was leaving his best for last.

Even his visionary production skills are in short supply here as guest producers mostly hog the controls while Dilla exercises his tonsils on the mic. Sure, he has a flow and some presence, but absolutely nothing to say, as excruciatingly evident on throwaway novelties like Gary Numan's Cars re-imagined as Trucks. Don't remember him this way.