This is a past event.
Dilla Family Day
The annual Detroit celebration of the life and legacy of J Dilla kicks off on February 10 with Dilla Family Day at Alkebu-Lan Village, honoring Hip Hop’s 50 year history and the city’s greatest Hip Hop music producer. The program runs from 10am-2pm, beginning with a rolling skating party and ending with a pizza buffet.
Workshops at Dilla Family Day include music production from Spin Inc., mental health and social media wellness from comedian T.Barb, and filmmaking from director Amadeuz Christ, plus a special appearance from rapper and J Dilla collaborator Mudd of 5 ELA.
Reginald Moorer-EL, known as Mudd of 5 ELA (5 Elementz), witnessed first hand the production genius of James “J Dilla” Yancey. “It’s necessary for one to get to the next level to study the greats,” he says. “J Dilla is a rags to riches story, showing you that anyone can make it with consistency and innovation.”
DJ Jungle 313 is executive director of Spin Inc., a non-profit established 2015 to teach DJ and music production in Detroit, appearing at DIME, Detroit School of the Arts, and POP Solutions. Their mission is to help bring positive music back to the people through the next generation of music talent.
The Spin Inc. workshop at Dilla Family Day is an opportunity “to give the children access to equipment they probably would never touch,” says DJ Jungle 313. “If we have institutions with equipment plus the knowledge base from the professionals that are in the industry to help guide the children in a different direction, I think we can get a better response from the community when these students start performing.”
DJ Butter of the Funky Fresh In Tha Flesh podcast has organized local J Dilla celebrations for over a decade, continuing his work as an ambassador for Detroit Hip Hop. He remembers J Dilla as an unparalleled musical genius who received a music education, but learned even more through his own study and practice.
“Dilla learned a lot without directions, the little geniuses and big brained kids need to learn how to find outlets and that’s what Dilla Family Day is for,” says DJ Butter. He adds that it is important “to keep our tradition of good music going, whether through Motown or Hip Hop. The youth need to see what has been before them, how they can continue things.“
T.Barb, a Detroit comedian and viral sensation, will present her youth-focused workshop on social media balance, mental health awareness, and conflict resolution, messages often difficult for parents and schools.
“The youth are facing so many pressures with social media, with perfection, it is very important we focus on these issues of not only intervention, but of prevention,“ says T.Barb. “It’s important that we talk about these issues, that we make mental health a norm versus something that we’re afraid of or ashamed about.”
Amadeuz Christ of Building Seven Media will lead a workshop on the art of filmmaking, stressing the importance of intentional imaging and authentic cultural context. His two “Out Of Darkness” films have been met with critical acclaim, focusing on Black history and restorative justice.
Alkebu-Lan Village in Detroit’s East Side has been a cultural institution for 45 years, beginning as a martial arts school and evolving to a community hub for youth education, economic empowerment and African history. Greg McKenzie of Alkebu-Lan Village says their goal is “to uplift young Black children to a place in their mind and their identity that the glass ceiling in front of them is really a door of opportunity.” Dilla Family Day is free and open to the public. Alkebu-Lan Village is located at 7701 Harper Ave. in Detroit.
Workshops at Dilla Family Day include music production from Spin Inc., mental health and social media wellness from comedian T.Barb, and filmmaking from director Amadeuz Christ, plus a special appearance from rapper and J Dilla collaborator Mudd of 5 ELA.
Reginald Moorer-EL, known as Mudd of 5 ELA (5 Elementz), witnessed first hand the production genius of James “J Dilla” Yancey. “It’s necessary for one to get to the next level to study the greats,” he says. “J Dilla is a rags to riches story, showing you that anyone can make it with consistency and innovation.”
DJ Jungle 313 is executive director of Spin Inc., a non-profit established 2015 to teach DJ and music production in Detroit, appearing at DIME, Detroit School of the Arts, and POP Solutions. Their mission is to help bring positive music back to the people through the next generation of music talent.
The Spin Inc. workshop at Dilla Family Day is an opportunity “to give the children access to equipment they probably would never touch,” says DJ Jungle 313. “If we have institutions with equipment plus the knowledge base from the professionals that are in the industry to help guide the children in a different direction, I think we can get a better response from the community when these students start performing.”
DJ Butter of the Funky Fresh In Tha Flesh podcast has organized local J Dilla celebrations for over a decade, continuing his work as an ambassador for Detroit Hip Hop. He remembers J Dilla as an unparalleled musical genius who received a music education, but learned even more through his own study and practice.
“Dilla learned a lot without directions, the little geniuses and big brained kids need to learn how to find outlets and that’s what Dilla Family Day is for,” says DJ Butter. He adds that it is important “to keep our tradition of good music going, whether through Motown or Hip Hop. The youth need to see what has been before them, how they can continue things.“
T.Barb, a Detroit comedian and viral sensation, will present her youth-focused workshop on social media balance, mental health awareness, and conflict resolution, messages often difficult for parents and schools.
“The youth are facing so many pressures with social media, with perfection, it is very important we focus on these issues of not only intervention, but of prevention,“ says T.Barb. “It’s important that we talk about these issues, that we make mental health a norm versus something that we’re afraid of or ashamed about.”
Amadeuz Christ of Building Seven Media will lead a workshop on the art of filmmaking, stressing the importance of intentional imaging and authentic cultural context. His two “Out Of Darkness” films have been met with critical acclaim, focusing on Black history and restorative justice.
Alkebu-Lan Village in Detroit’s East Side has been a cultural institution for 45 years, beginning as a martial arts school and evolving to a community hub for youth education, economic empowerment and African history. Greg McKenzie of Alkebu-Lan Village says their goal is “to uplift young Black children to a place in their mind and their identity that the glass ceiling in front of them is really a door of opportunity.” Dilla Family Day is free and open to the public. Alkebu-Lan Village is located at 7701 Harper Ave. in Detroit.
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