MEDIA ALERT

September 13, 2012
 
DETROIT:  Yancey Media Group / Ruff Draft Records announces the naming of its J Dilla Music Catalogue Curator, longtime personal friend, music collaborator and fellow native Detroiter, Frank Nitt.
 
Yancey Media Group (YMG), the Detroit-based company now serving as the umbrella corporation managing its subsidiary Ruff Draft Records publishing label and the already-established J Dilla Foundation, announced today the naming of its new core staff member, Frank Bush aka Frank Nitt, as its proprietary music catalogue’s chief curator.
 
After several years of legal battles over the late Hip Hop producer and lupus victim’s extensive music catalogue, J Dilla’s mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey has been able to reach agreements with her son’s Estate in regard to the publishing and licensing of his unreleased music. Mrs. Yancey has since re-formed her operations company as Yancey Media Group with new business partner and former UAW / Ford Motor Company bargaining representative, Jonathon Taylor, who serves as YMG’s CEO.
 
YMG officially published the first release on its Ruff Draft Records worldwide this past Spring, a compilation of J Dilla tracks featuring a myriad of Detroit rappers, singers and musicians recorded on top, and entitled “The Rebirth of Detroit.” However, both Maureen Yancey as President of YMG and Taylor as CEO felt that, after the process of producing “The Rebirth of Detroit” the company was growing rapidly and was in need of a capable music catalogue curator to effectively and respectfully manage the vast library of both mastered and rough cut beats from this now legendary music producer’s vault.
 
To J Dilla fans, and perhaps Hip Hop fans in general, the name Frank Nitt is already synonymous with the Detroit hero’s core body of work. Yet, this is only one reason Mrs. Yancey and Mr. Taylor chose Frank as YMG’s Music Catalogue Curator. Taylor sought out Bush’s service in this capacity not only for his deep knowledge of Dilla’s lengthy music catalogue, but also because of his often overlooked business savvy and objective, a-political demeanor.
 
Already making plans to stay in Detroit for a while to get the catalogue organized, and considering moving back home officially from Los Angeles for this new position at YMG, Bush says that he can’t think of anyone that knows both J Dilla’s music and Jay Dee the man better than him, making him the best individual for the job.
 
*For words from an exclusive interview with Maureen Yancey and Frank Bush on this new development, please see page 2.
 
www.officialjdilla.com

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
MA DUKES and FRANK NITT
on YANCEY MEDIA GROUP’s new J DILLA MUSIC CATALOGUE CHIEF CURATOR


Frank Nitty giving Jay Dee a trim in the studio.
 

 
Was asking Frank to be YMG Catalogue Curator your idea or Taylor's?

Mrs. Yancey:  That was actually Jonathon's. He said you can't change Dilla's tree...you just have to keep the tree alive. And this decision was about amnesty... to bring everybody together.
 
Do you feel that Frank is the best person for this job?   How long have you known him?

Mrs. Yancey:  Of course! Who else? He's someone that came up with Dilla and spent nearly every day with him for years... they were inseparable... so much alike.  When Dilla first started traveling to perform, Frank was the one he took with him. Frank is like a son to me.
 
In fact, one of the arguments Mr. Yancey and I used to have as a couple was over Frank. When he and Dilla were kids, Dewitt (Mr. Yancey) didn’t like Frank. He didn’t think he was a good influence. But I disagreed. I saw how they were together, and they spent hours and hours in the attic or in the basement playing music, and just being boys. It wasn’t until they got a little bit older that Mr. Yancey finally changed his perspective on Frank.

And Frank hasn’t changed... still the same person, just stronger and more wise. Plus, he's always had a business mind. You know, Frank is very smart... I think a lot of people don’t even realize that. Frank went to business college, he was straight A student. Most people only know him as an MC, they don’t know about his business behind that.

What made you reach out to him this month to offer him this position?

Mrs. Yancey:  You know, I realized over recent months, especially with the stresses of the family here dealing with Mr. Yancey being in hospice since last year, that alot of people were coming at me when I was not my strongest and I was not making the best, clear-headed decisions... I had to focus on my family once Mr. Yancey fell very ill, and of course help with raising the grandchildren. This consumed most of my time and headspace, obviously. Which is why I am so thankful for my business partnership with Jonathon (Taylor), so that things are more organized with the massive influx of inquiries and communications coming in daily.

And after reading a few biographies and seeing documentary shorts by people in the UK and other places, I realized that this documentary, biography and discography work on Dilla needs to be by people over here that actually knew him... as grateful as I am that people all over the world want to make films and write books and release music from and about Dilla, and they might do top notch work, but at the end of the day, we need to bring this home… and oversee this legacy’s media more carefully. So when Jonathon suggested we hire Frank to run the catalogue, I could not have agreed more.  


Do you feel that Frank has a good grasp on what Dilla would have wanted done with his music and legacy? Why do you think Frank is the most capable person for this position? Do feel Frank is a fair individual?

Mrs. Yancey:  I am beyond excited... I cannot even find a word to describe how ecstatic I am about this new addition of Frank to our core team in an official capacity. I am very confident.
 

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Frank Bush aka Frank Nitt

 
How did this new development come about?  Did you approach Ma Dukes and Jonathon Taylor, or did one of them approach you? What do you think made them approach you?

Frank Nitt:  They approached me.
 
See, I started my own label, Digipop, in 2008 but had only put out digital releases then, until now... I just released my new album, "Stadium Music" and book, "View From The Underground" with worldwide distribution last month and this sparked Ma Dukes and Jonathon to reach out to me about helping with the YMG music catalogue. I mean, I was featured on “The Rebirth of Detroit” project and they were very pleased with that contribution but they also know that I had nothing to do with the rest of that album or any of the processes of curating or producing that album, and they wanted me more intimately involved in an official capacity moving forward with YMG / Ruff Draft Records.

They said, "help us get this music to a place where it needs to be."

And I think it's because there's alot of people out there that know Dilla's music... but I know the music AND the man. And knowing J Dilla the man is actually more important in this (curatorial) sense. I knew him before he had his first drum machine, before he had his first beat out.

And his mother is Queen of the Castle. I have the utmost respect for her. I was playing at her house as a child almost every day for years, then when I had a kid, my child went to her day-care. It's like that. There was nobody closer to him than me and Dank. Not for as long as we were… for over 25 years. And really, Mrs. Yancey helped to raise me as a young boy. Not only that, but she was one of our managers once traveling really took off for Jay as well. She's about this business, and maintaining her family's integrity.

There has been alot of talk of late about people who were not really that close to Dilla, and even some that were, making strides to "own" what they believed is how he would want his legacy portrayed.... what do you think about all that?

Frank Nitt:  I think it's silly.  Because at the end of the day, nothing right goes on without his family's approval.  From a moral and a legal stand-point. I feel like I understand the passion that people have... but passion is nothing without protocol. I can be passionate about building a house, but if you don't know how to build it, then what?

Alot of us ain't got morals.  Man, alot of the things that have been going on here (since Dilla passed) would have NEVER happened if he was here. From 20-27 years of knowing that dude, I think I know what's what on that tip. Alot of people over-indulge on their relationship with Dilla. I just think it's mis-guided passion, that’s all.




 
You've stayed pretty much out of most of all the "Dilla Politics" as well, basically since he passed, what is your reason for that?

Frank Nitt:  I don't have to participate.  I don’t need to prove myself. And, I don't really have time for the BS. That was my brother. I made money DJ’ing parties in high school because of that dude. We were in a dance crew together in middle school. My emotions about this situation are way deeper than those scene politics.  That BS is petty.  It’s like, you don't make money off Dilla's beats, so why are you spending time arguing on it?  
 
Man, I been fussed at and kicked out of his parents crib by his pops as a kid when we were playing music too loud, not liked for a while by his pops when we were young, then years later for him to come around and come to trust and appreciate me as Dilla's true friend.... that means more to me than most anything else. In the end, we were just two kids growing up in Detroit, so my perspective isn't just about the beats, it's about handling things the closest way I believe Jay would have handled them, or at least wanted them handled by someone else.

Do you think there will be any negative feedback from anyone or anywhere in particular once the announcement of your position as Chief Catalogue Curator has been announced?

Frank Nitt:  I mean sure, maybe. But who cares?
I know where my place is, and what my job is.

Even before alot of this new Dilla craze of releases and re-releases and related media bombarded the scene, you and Illa J (Dilla’s younger brother) had signed with Delicious Vinyl to produce some music... one of Dilla's former labels, pre-Stones Throw days, what do you think Delicious expected from that venture?  Did you and/or John benefit from that deal?

Frank Nitt:  Those were actually two totally different situations... John [Illa J] was already finishing his album and getting ready to put it out on Delicious when Mike Ross heard some of my new music and we started talking about putting it out on his label [Delicious Vinyl]. 

On recommendation from Dilla, in the 90s I flew out to Cali for the 1st time on Mike Ross' dime to record with N'Dea Davenport... never knew that years later I would sign to Delicious solo.  And my relationship with Mike Ross is great to this day... and that's because of my relationship with Dilla. Yet, there was the respect that I would have my own producer and my Delicious release wasn’t necessarily gonna be a Dilla album.

And of course John got his first worldwide album out there, touring experience, etc through his Delicious releases. But it was good I was around on the Delicious roster at the same time as John [Illa J], with a certain feeling of responsibility to John as a little brother, when our tour and his promo and such took off, to be there to help guide him in business.



 
Do you intend to involve Illa J in the YMG / Ruff Draft catalogue of releases?

Frank Nitt:  I think Illa J is the future of the catalogue. He's not just Dilla's little brother, he's the next generation. The younger generation is curious too and he's in a position to lead it. And I plan to put him in the best position possible to do just that. He's going to play a pivotal part. But the politics are not his fight to fight, his battle is the next generation of music fans.

What do you envision for the YMG / Ruff Draft music catalogue?

Frank Nitt:  Man, I just want to expose it to all the places that all the great musicians get to go to... from scoring movies to commercials to exclusive projects... to put Dilla in a place of prominence where most people think he should be. The plan is to place Dilla's music in not only places that already love Dilla, but to introduce it to new people as well. You know, giving new fresh artists the opportunity to be on a Dilla beat, for example. But keeping its integrity.

How many of Dilla's originals do you want to see vs new interpretations of Dilla music?  

Frank Nitt:  Let's just say we have an abundance of everything, so the plan right now is to do a little bit of both. We have SO much music to go through.  

And for anyone that has legitimate paperwork for rare licensed Dilla beats, it would be best to come forward now, because we will definitely honor those and not breach any active, valid contracts or licenses that we are aware of. But contact us up front so we are aware. And we have a team of attorneys and a system in place to avoid any problems surrounding this issue moving forward. Though I had no part in any of the releases or issues with Dilla tracks since he passed up until now, I intend to ensure that things are handled properly moving forward from here on out.

What are some of the elements that you plan to maintain in order to uphold what you believe is a quality catalogue with integrity? 

Frank Nitt:  Whatever it takes to to put him a position of prominence. That's my job.
 
Just being in a position to be able to create new music from his hands is exciting... to finally do a few things that he and I had talked about doing a long time ago... to finally see some of those things come to fruition.... to create a new type of funk with some of the cats in his/our crews... a new perspective, is the focus for now.

Ultimately, we'll never know what he would have done, because he's not here. But I don't really know anyone other than me (and Dank) that knows him better as a musician, and as a person, so this is the best we're going to get in protecting that integrity. Furthermore, there's no one with more music (made) with him, other than Slum (Village) of course.



Any other surprises up your sleeve for us in this capacity?
 
Frank Nitt:  Ha. Well, let’s just say everyone should mark their calendars now for February 9, 2013. As part of this new position, I am also co-curating the talent for the 2^nd Annual Dilla Day Detroit, as well as some of the killer releases that will come out that week – what we have in store is going to blow your wigs back.
 
Again, I had absolutely nothing to do with previous releases since Dilla’s death, nor was I any part of the 1^st Annual Dilla Day Detroit, but believe me, what’s going down for 2013 is out the park. And contracts are already inked.

You've been in LA for how many years now? 
 
Frank Nitt:  4 years.

Do you have intentions of moving back to Detroit at all?  Or perhaps a dual residency? 

Frank Nitt:  Right now my time in Detroit is indefinite... based on the all the things I have to do for this new position, it's best that I'm here (in Detroit) where the YMG HQ is.  I imagine there will be some floating back and forth, but things are looking like I will be back in Detroit, at least for a while. We’ll see. 
 

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CONTACT
 
Press / Media Inquiries, interview requests, please contact:
 
Jocelyne M. Ninneman, Communications Director – Yancey Media Group
jocelyne.ninneman@gmail.com  |  313.623.1133 m
 
 
Licensing Inquiries, please contact:
 
Frank Nitt via YMGcatalogue@gmail.com
 
 
More Info:  http://www.officialjdilla.com