A cosign can radically change a career. Kanye West might not have made it without the help of Roc-a-Fella. The Neptunes needed Teddy Riley. Timbaland and Missy Elliott came from the Devante Swing tree. The examples are endless. However, sometimes, it can be a blessing and a curse. On one end, you get the industry connections and fanbase tied to these artists. On the other hand, it can be a struggle to break out as your own voice. It’s something J Dilla had to grapple with early on in his career.

Back when he was starting out, he cut his teeth on Pharcyde and late 90s-era A Tribe Called Quest records. Joining The Ummah alongside Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, it was his distinct drums and sample-chopping style that made J Dilla stand out. Meanwhile, he was also working as a part of the Detroit collective Slum Village. Naturally, Tip supported and gave his cosign accordingly.

However, in a 2004 interview with XXL, Dilla admitted that no one in Slum Village was in love with that ‘stamp of approval’ from Tip. After all, none of them really wanted to be slotted in the same category as A Tribe Called Quest. What they were all about in their lyrics was drastically different.

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