Illa J - Sounds Like Love

There’s plenty mileage in dearly departed rappers, evidenced amply by the Tupac/BIG commercial vehicles which have rumbled along for the last few years. And when esteemed producer/rhymer J Dilla packed up his record box in 2006, it was inevitable his prolific output would translate into a long-running legacy. Here, his little brother combines with soulstress Nova over an unmistakable JayDee joint – bumpy beats, rolling bass and ethereal samples abound. As the name suggests, it’s a full-on, hand-on-heart love ballad, served up between satin sheets with extra syrup. It rhymes “hips” with “lips” – all you need to know.