If you follow me on twitter you have a really good idea of how long I’ve been a fan of Jay Dee, aka J Dilla.  Even when Dilla was still alive he had elitist fans, or should I say, a group of fans that, because they were there since day 1, feel better than any other fans, or smite newer fans for sleeping.  I’ve never agreed with that, so when my homegirl Chantelle expressed her feelings as a newer Dilla fan, I felt the need to broadcast it.  Here is what she shared with us.

“A lot of hardcore JDilla fans are feelin’ some kinda way about how he didn’t become the legend he is til after his death. It’s kinda true…I’m one of those new new JDilla fans. I didn’t know his name before he died, but what I did know was his work. Some ppl die ahead of their greatness.  Dilla was one of those people. I think if he’s was still here he would have gotten to see some of that.

When I think about people dying…I don’t think about the meaning in their death.  I don’t think about them being in a better place. I think about who I am in terms of my story.  I think about the importance of guaranteeing our loved ones eternity by ensuring the thread of their story is woven in with as many other threads as possible, and thus their life goes on through the lives of others.  And while my thread may not have been woven in with Dilla’s toward the beginning of the story…it is now, and because I love him for what he’s meant to my own life, I will thread our collective and now stronger thread into as many lives as I can.  Donuts are forever!  JDilla is FOREVER!”

-Chantelle Bateman(ChantigaloBEroc on Twitter)

(Thank you Chantelle for sharing.)

I appreciated this enough to post it because it had me thinking….so what if you’ve been a fan of Dilla since Fantastic vol. 2…or vol. 1?  What makes your love of Dilla…any stronger than someone who’s just discovered his music?  If you’re a TRUE fan…you’re a TRUE fan.  There should be NO distinctions according to how long you’ve been a fan, cause we’re all fans of the same person!  We should be glad that we have so many NEW brothers and sisters to educate about Dilla’s life & music…instead of shaking our heads at them like “you should have BEEN known!”  If that was the case…Ma Dukes would be shaking her heads at ALL OF US.  Think about that.

“The fact that his greatness grew even in his death says alot about his genius. Somebody had to hip YOU on Dilla. Ma Dukes knew FIRST.”- Vandalyzm, artist, notthefather.

-DaiKatamy