The Early Years of Jay-Dee

Before Slum Village, Jay-Dee was part of a group called 1st Down which was him and Detroit Mc Phat Kat. In 1995, they signed to Payday(Jeru the Damaja, Group Home, Showbiz & AG,...). They only released a 12" inch "A Day Wit The Homiez" in 1995. Even though they didn't release a full album; in 2002 they re-released the single on cd with 3 bonus tracks. "A Day Wit The Homiez" has to be one of my favorite Jay-Dee track ever produced. Phat Kat dropped an album last year that contained a few beats by Dilla.

At the same time as 1st down, Jay-Dee produced for Detroit group 5 Elementz which included Proof of D12, Mudd, and Thyme. They recorded an album in 1995, "The Album That Time Forgot". As the album was mostly produced by Jay-Dee, it reminds a lot of LabCabinCalifornia by The Pharcyde. Thyme was also featured on "Open Mic" off Eminem's Infinite in 1996. Anyway, it's a great album!

Also the first remix that Jay-Dee ever did was One Little Indian which came out in 1995. Then he produced 3 tracks for a group called Natives From Da Undaground. After that he would go on to produce for the Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, and his group Slum Village. The rest is history!

RIP (1974-2006)

1st Down - A Day Wit The Homiez
5 Elementz - The Album That Time Forgot
Little Indian - One Little Indian (Jaydee Shit Remix)
Natives From Da Undaground - Whatcha Gonna Do For Me

Props to Ho1ogramz and godmc

--Thomas V

"One Little Indian Smoking In A Tree"

"One Little Indian Smoking In a Tree"

You might remember this from Buckwild's Diggin' in the Crates album which had the remix but I'm sure most of you haven't heard the original produced by Howie Tee(Chubb Rock, Special Ed, etc.). While Buckwild might be a better producer, I still have to say that I like the original version better. Howie Tee, unlike the Buckwild version, had the classic sample of Slick Rick in Indian Girl where he does the Indian chant for the hook. It also went well with the beat that used the sample from "Little Ghetto Boy". Like a lot of rappers around that time, this is the only thing that Little Indian released in his career. I still wonder why because he had production by Howie Tee, and remixes by Buckwild, and Jay-Dee(I think it's his first beat but it wasn't the CDS) and he also had a video for this. There might be a full unreleased album out there as you can see on the back of the cover.

There has been a lot of talking about CD singles recently in our forum and the first one that came to my mind was this. Enjoy

Little Indian - One Little Indian (Original Version)

Little Indian - One Little Indian (Buckwild Remix)


--Thomas V (New TROY BLOGGER)