Launch Art Contest for Legendary Music Producer, J Dilla
The J Dilla Foundation to Launch Art Contest for Legendary Music Producer. J Dilla’s legacy to raise money for children’s music programs and the arts.
Ma Dukes and the J Dilla Foundation, with La Famiglia Magazine and 323East are proud to announce “So Far To Go,” an official J Dilla tribute with an international art contest. This contest is an invitation to fans around the world to gather and celebrate the life of one of the most influential recording artists and producers, James Dewitt Yancey, also known as J Dilla. The “So Far To Go” Art Contest was created to contribute to the legacy J Dilla left behind through artistic expression.
Artists create original designs inspired by the legacy of J Dilla and register by uploading their artwork to art4dilla.com. Users vote on the artist’s work to choose the winner. The winning design will be produced as a poster and limited edition Giclee print series signed by the artist and J Dilla’s mother, Ma Dukes. Proceeds will be donated to the J Dilla Foundation and fund their ongoing programs.
The word “foundation” has several meanings. A person lays the foundation for a successful life and career through focus, hard work, and (most of all) by never losing sight of how his public and private efforts will influence the world around him. It is also the familiar term for any established agency that has as its mission a firm commitment to improve the lives of others. It is fitting, therefore, that the J. Dilla Foundation combines these two definitions perfectly and allows the legacy of one man’s art to be the inspirational force in other people’s lives.
The “So Far To Go” International J Dilla Art Contest is organized by La Famiglia Magazine and 323East Gallery on the behalf of Ma Dukes and the J Dilla Foundation. Sponsors include Fat Beats, Fusicology, Crewest, 5e Gallery, RX Fresh, Ironlak, Bombing Science and Ohm Creative Group.
The official launch date of the “So Far To Go” J Dilla Art Contest is September 30, 2010. For artist registration and contest details go to the official contest website: art4dilla.com.
Contest Dates:
9/20/10 – Artist can enter the contest and upload artwork
9/30/10 – Voting starts
12/30/10 – Contest Ends
About J Dilla
J Dilla, born James Dewitt Yancey, was a Grammy award winning record producer and artist who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. According to NPR.org, he was one of the music industry’s most influential hip-hop artists. J Dilla changed hip-hop culture and the music industry as we know it. His creativity has molded and contributed to the sounds of recording artists such as De La Soul, Slum Village, Phat Kat, Common, The Pharcyde, Busta Rymes, Erykah Badu, and many more. On February 10, 2006 at the young age of 32, we lost J Dilla to Lupus and the rare blood disease TTP. The true story surrounding the beauty and controversies of the legacy left behind are monumental. For more information about J Dilla, visit: stonesthrow.com/jdilla
The J Dilla Foundation is a non-profit charitable institution that serves to help fund inner-city music programs and provide scholarships to students attending schools that have progressive music curricula. The foundation was started by Maureen Yancey, mother of acclaimed producer James “Jay Dee aka J Dilla” Yancey. Maureen proclaims, “The J Dilla Foundation seeks to be a staple in the movement for progressive music education. We also hope to be leaders in the efforts to enhance and develop arts programs in urban communities.”
