Hip-Hop’s Posthumous
The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA holds a notorious place in hip-hop’s historical records. It’s where Eazy-E — founder of gangster rap group NWA — died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1995, where The Notorious B.I.G. took his last breath following a drive-by shooting in 1997, and where Pop Smoke succumbed to fatal gunshot wounds in 2020.
I can’t confirm, but I’m confident that the spirits of these gone-too-soon emcees do not haunt the hospital’s sterile halls. They’re not apparitions who spit phantom verses at the bedsides of sick A&Rs. Instead, they are among a pantheon of musicians whose posthumous albums reach fans beyond the grave.
Legend has it that James Yancey, better known as J Dilla, worked on the hip-hop classic “Donuts” from his Cedars-Sinai hospital bed. JD lost his battle to a lethal combination of TTP and lupus three days after the album’s release. The record is a cornerstone of hip-hop and among the final pages of the producer’s well-documented life.
In the 33 1/3 book about “Donuts,” Jordan Ferguson recounts a serendipitous tale. Detroit record store owner, Jeff Bubeck, had purchased an abandoned storage unit filled with around 6,000 records. While digging in the crates, he discovered a bevy of unreleased Dilla beats and freestyles. Instead of trying to profit from the unexpected treasure, he unselfishly gave the music to Dilla’s mother.
“I didn’t expect to hear his voice in any of the music…he’s not sick, he’s not suffering, and he’s just alive.”
Posthumous gifts can arrive in many forms. There are over 50 murals commemorating the late rapper Nipsey Hussle in LA. In NYC, you can gaze at a depiction of Big Pun at 910 Rogers Place in the Bronx.
“Back in the days on the boulevard of Linden/We used to kick routines and the presence was fittin'/It was I the Phifer…” rhymed Phife Dawg on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Check The Rhime.” Today, when you walk that boulevard — the corner of Linden Boulevard and 192nd Street in Queens, NY, to be exact — you’ll be strolling down Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor Way.
It has been six years since diabetes-related complications forced the world to say goodbye to Phife. On March 22, hip-hop fans — particularly those partial to the 90’s variety — will once again be blessed by the raspy emcee. “Forever” will hit streaming services on the anniversary of his passing. The posthumous record provides a moment for family, friends, and fans to celebrate Phife Dawg’s rhymes and life. A long and challenging journey for those closest to the departed emcee.
“We had to get through certain dates, holidays. We would be at a standstill sometimes because we just needed time to grieve,”
I’ve read that grieving is like grasping for something that no longer exists. Understandable in most circumstances, but inexcusable when record labels overreach to profit from a deceased musician’s popularity. Many posthumous albums are fragments of cutting floor verses that don’t represent an artist’s talent. We’ve seen seven posthumous Tupac albums. Would he have wanted those songs released? Supposedly, the equally prolific Juice WRLD — who passed in 2019 — has over 3,000 unreleased tracks. Who decides which songs see the light of day?
In 2018, Mac Miller released his critically acclaimed “Swimming” album. Sadly, he would not be able to enjoy the accolades. Like his idol, Prince, Mac would die from a fentanyl-laced oxycodone overdose a month after the record’s release. He left enough raw music material for a companion project to “Swimming.” The penultimate of what many believe would be a trilogy.
“...with very mindful and loving care, Mac’s family, management, and close collaborators worked behind the scenes throughout 2019 to complete the album based on their conversations with Mac about the project,“ according to the Dissect podcast.
On January 17, 2020, two days before what would’ve been the charismatic rapper’s 28th birthday, “Circles” was released. The album is a fitting addition to Mac’s discography. Like Phife’s posthumous album, the care in bringing the project to fruition honors the fallen emcee’s memory.
The ancient Greeks were obsessed with immortality. One of their euphemisms for death was “to leave the light.” The posthumous album, and other post-death tributes, rekindle a spark that can be nostalgic, cathartic, and eternal.