Being that outstanding art impresses by originality and pigeonholed appeal, to some degree, the seismic influence of James Yancey (otherwise known as J Dilla) is a curious one. Uncomplicatedly, J Dilla, a Detroit product, would make his music international by juxtaposing profound '70s soul records with his own signature, of which included handclaps and slightly off-kilter drums. In short, he blurred the past with the present, in order to create a complex, left-field futurism.

Take, for example, his production on Slum Village's (Dilla's first collective, of which he co-founded in high school) "Players." Dilla sampled "Clair" by The Singers Unlimited, a 70's acapella outfit, while him and the rest of Slum Village, through innuendo, seemingly transfigure "Clair" into "player."

A more prominent testament to eclecticism, "Thelonious" by Slum Village (which originally appeared on Common's album "Like Water For Chocolate") samples "Vulcan Mind Probe" by jazz musician George Duke and "Space Intro" by, rock collective, the Steve Miller Band.

He not only blended the old with the new, personalizing it in the process, but there were two periods of Dilla. The first entailed plentiful sampling, with minor additions by him via his airy piano or the aforementioned drums and handclaps. The second Dilla was much more electronic, taking his talents to the MPC drum machine.

The expansive minds of music are familiar with Dilla's prodigal heft; even fair-weathered hip-hop heads have heard "The Light" by Common, "Runnin" by The Pharcyde, or "Get Dis Money" by Slum Village.

His Midwestern bounce style is recognizable beyond belief, even if some are biters of the welcomed style.

Dilla was a prime example of a martyr who gained considerable recognition while still alive, by way of his eclectic and dedicated musical output, before his passing in 2006.

He was nominated for a Grammy for production on Erykah Badu's "Didn't Cha Know." Additionally, Dilla produced for Janet Jackson in the same five-year span as he remixed a Daft Punk joint ("Aerodynamic").

Dilla encompassed the obscure and the vibrant, for the auditory. He showcased this in his voluminous record collection, his effortless juxtapositions (to the point of not realizing a sample) and his impression among well-known producers (Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Q-Tip, etc.).

You can see how he changed his drum techniques, you can hear his production on "Office Space," or you can take the man for what he was: an unparalleled embodiment of the futuristic.