Help Ma Dukes!

It's really hard to comprehend the loss of an amazing human being such as J Dilla. But it's even harder to comprehend how hard it must be for his family to come to grips with the loss and the struggles they face on a daily basis.

So, even though I have dreaded this week to end (my last week of vacation). I welcome it with open arms because I will be attending one of the most magical night of '09 thus far! This night will be a tribute to the late great.....a legend....and an amazing human being...James Dewitt Yancey! Rest In Beats!

This is taken from a blog I read a couple months ago and wanted to share and deliver the message! Here is the condensed version of the post:





DEATH OF A MUSE

This is "Death of the Muse", the first single off the upcoming Solillaquists of Sound album, "No More Heroes". It's available as a download for a minimum donation of $2 with absolutely 100% of the proceeds going directly to Ms. Maureen Yancey a/k/a Ma Dukes (J Dilla's mom). You are encouraged to donate more than the minimum by upping the quantity in your shopping cart before checking out..The track features J-Live, Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5), as well as Ma Dukes herself.

Being that J Dilla was a musical hero to many of us, we chose to pay tribute to him in song for the new SoS album. And knowing of the troubles that his mother has endured (not only during the time of Dilla's illness but also since his passing) with her own health, living situation, and estrangement with the executors of Dilla's estate, we decided to pay tribute to her as well.. in action.

Please go to the download site, read the info and support Ms. Yancey. She is a wonderful and strong person who needs the help. Make sure you leave her a comment, pass the link along to your friends, try to get the song and the message on the radio, make the cover art your myspace pic, or throw the banner up on your page. Do what you can. Let's continue to prove that the power of the people united for a cause is more powerful than any politician or celebrity by helping to make a significant change in this woman's life.

Much thanks goes to everyone involved in this, especially everyone at insound for hosting the donation for free while taking no percentages or transaction fees and making sure that every last cent of the proceeds goes directly to Ms. Yancey. To all those starting up additional fundraisers, feel free to use this link to donate the money you raise directly to Ms. Yancey, that's what it was created for. And of course thanks to all of you who support.

Help Ma Dukes and Donate to The Giant Peach

The Giant Peach, a California-based company created as an avenue for the production and distribution of music, artwork, and clothing from independent artists (mainly hip hop oriented), have just set up a donation fund via Paypal for Maureen Yancey (Ma Dukes), the mother of the late James Yancey (J. Dilla) on their MySpace page at myspace.com/thegiantpeach.

Maureen Yancey gave birth to one of the greatest producers of our generation, James Yancey aka Dilla. She suffers from Lupus, the same disease which claimed the life of her child. Lupus is an auto-immune disease which results in cell and tissue damage and a host of related medical issues.

Mrs. Yancey is currently struggling to pay for her own medical bills and to keep her household running after the loss of one of her children. She reached out to us in an attempt to contact the fans that were supporters of her son & his music. Please consider donating to her today.
Please note: this is NOT a tax-deductible donation, and this is in no way related to the Dilla Foundation or the estate of James Yancey. There are no administration fees related to your donation. You will be donating directly to Mrs. Yancey. Thank you!

For those of your who don't want to pay through Paypal and/or just want to send some sort of correspondence/letters to Ma Dukes, you can send it to the following address:Maureen Yancey 8281 E. Brentwood Detroit, MI 48234.

MA DUKES COLLECTION MIX

Dave NY in conjunction with hosts DJ Rhettmatic, J. Rocc, Houseshoes and Phoreyz present The Mrs. Yancey approved Ma Dukes Collection. All of the artists involved have donated their time and talent to help this project come to reality, as Rhettmatic and J. Rocc handled many of the mini-mixes, and Houseshoes compiling some of original breaks and samples in this moving and emotional tribute in honor of the late great J-Dilla. Rest in power. Featuring Black Milk, Elzhi, Bahamadia, Frank N Dank, The Roots, Oh No, Roc C, Akrobatik, Talib Kweli, J-Rawls and more.

All the proceeds go straight to Maureen Yancey.

TRACKLISTING:

01. Ma Dukes (Mrs Yancey) - Speaks

02. Phoreyz - Intro

03. Black Milk & Guilty Simpson - Freestyle

04. Bishop Lamont, Frank Nitty & focus - Baby

05. Affion Crocket - Wildin’ Out (The Offcial)

06. Rhettmatic - Wut Up Doe Mix

07. Styles Of Beyond - Freestyle

08. Elzhi - Freestyle

09. Bahamadia - Freestyle

10. Houseshoes - A Legend In His Own Time

11. Illa J - freestyle

12. Chali2na & Rakaa - Freestyle

13. Frank N Dank - Freestyle

14. J. Rocc - The Dill Withers Mix

15. The Roots - Freestyle

16. Team Get Em’ (Ohno & Roc C) - Freestyle

17. Supastar Dave Dar, Strickland & Wordsworth - Freestyle

18. Chali2na - Freestyle

19. Akrobatik & Talib Kweli - Put Ya Stamp On It

Courtesy of http://rensoul.com/madukes.php

RACISM is so funny, but so TRUE!

I had to add this to the video since it went so well together! hehe

For anyone who didn't see David Letterman's take on this:(And it's a true story)

On a weekend in Atlantic City, a woman won a bucket full of quarters at a slot machine. She took a break from the slots for dinner with her husband in the hotel dining room. But first she wanted to stash the quarters in her room. "I'll be right back and we'll go eat," she told her husband and carried the coin-laden bucket to the elevator.

As she was about to walk into the elevator she noticed two men already aboard. Both were black. One of the was tall...very tall...an intimidating figure. The woman froze. Her first thought was: These two are going to rob me. Her next thought was: Don't be a bigot, they look like perfectly nice gentlemen, but racial stereotypes are powerful, and fear immobilized her.

She stood and stared at the two men. She felt anxious, flustered and shamed. She hoped they didn't read her mind but, gosh, they had to know what she was thinking!!! Her hestitation about joining them in the elevator was all too obvious now. Her face was flushed. She couldn't stand there, so with a mighty effort of will she picked up one foot and stepped forward and followed with the other foot and was on the elevator.

Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed. A second, passed, and another second, and then another. Her face increased! The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. God, she thought, I'm trapped and about to be robbed! Her heart plummeted. Perspiration poured from every pore.

Then one of the men said, "Hit the floor." Instinct told her to do what they told her. The bucket of quarters flew upward as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator floor. A shower of coins rained on her. Take my money and spare me, she prayed. More seconds passed. She heard one of the men say politely," Ma'am, if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to, we'll push the button." The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh.

The woman lifted her head and looked up at the two men. They reached down to help her up. Confused, she struggled to her feet. "When I told my friend here to hit the floor," said the average sized one, "I meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor, ma'am." He spoke genuinely. He bit his lip. It was obvious he was having a hard time not laughing.

The woman thought: My God, what a spectacle I've made of myself. She was too humiliated to speak. She wanted to blurt out an apology, but words failed her. How do you apologize to two perfectly respectable gentlemen for behaving as though they were going to rob you? She didn't know what to say.

The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her bucket. When the elevator arrived at her floor they then insisted on walking her to her room. She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid she might not make it down to the corridor. At her door they bade her good evening. As she slipped into her room she could hear them roaring with laughter as they walked back to the elevator.

The woman brushed herself off. She pulled herself together and went downstairs for dinner with her husband. The next morning flowers were delivered to her room--a dozen roses. Attached to EACH rose was a crisp one hundred dollar bill.

The card said, " Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years."

It was signed:

Eddie Murphy

Michael Jordan

Delirious

Who would've thought that a bout with insomnia would actually cause me to start a new online blog?

Maybe it's just a dream or am I just DELIRIOUS?!

To be continued.......