First, De La Soul released their entire discography for free. Then, after the iconic hip-hop group teased us with “Vocabulary Spills” and “Dilla Plugged In,” they unveiled the entirety of a new, J Dilla-produced mixtape, Smell the D.A.I.S.Y. Now, De La Soul have shown their generosity once again.
In celebration of Record Store Day, downloaders of the mixtape’s BitTorrent Bundle should receive a clue in their inbox today. In it, they’ll learn that 100 limited-edition vinyl copies are out there, hiding away in record stores in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Exactly where, though, the listener will have to find out. Think of it as an Easter egg hunt, but the prize is something infinitely cooler than a dollar bill from your uncle.
Per BitTorrent’s blog: “The records are designed to resemble the original tapes Dilla would send to A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, De La Soul, and more. And they’re designed to bring us back to the pre-digital days of production: a world where the best beats were something earned, tactile and thumbed-over. This is Dilla’s world. And BitTorrent listeners: you’re invited to dig in.” A few autographed copies will also be auctioned off on eBay, with proceeds going to J Dilla’s family. Check for more details on De La Soul‘s website.
Smell the D.A.I.S.Y. (which stands for “Da Inner Soul of Yancey” — a reference to Jay Dee’s real name, James Dewitt Yancey) is meant to raise awareness and fundraising for the J Dilla Foundation, an organization that honors the death of the late, great producer through musical programs for children. And, before you start crate diving for the gold, make sure to check out Dilla’s previously unreleased track, “Give Em What They Want.” Yes, we’re counting down the days until The Diary, too.
