Yancey Boys

Not so much a group as a one-off project, Yancey Boys is a tribute to the late J Dilla featuring the Detroit hip-hop producer's young brother, John "Illa J" Yancey, plus Dilla's longtime friend and frequent collaborator Frank Nitt. The name was first used in 2008 when Illa J's debut album, Yancey Boys, was released featuring Dilla's beats. In 2013, Nitt and Illa joined together as Yancey Boys for the "Quicksand" single featuring Common. The project's debut album, Sunset Blvd., arrived later that year with guest appearances from Talib Kweli, De La Soul's Posdnous, Guilty Simpson, and others. ~ David Jeffries