Jay Dee

The beats on Yancey Boys were "all previously untouched Jay Dee gems" that the head of Delicious Vinyl, Michael Ross, gave to the late hip-hop producer's brother, rapper/singer Illa J. Like Illa's vocal version of the album, Yancey Boys Instrumentals doesn't thrill or disappoint, placing above the woefully short sketchbook Jay Loves Japan but also well below Dilla's all-beats release Donuts. Fans disappointed by Donuts' fondness for minute-and-a-half tracks won't get much more out of the extended run times here. They all match their vocal version counterparts right down to the second and follow the verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure even when it's no longer sensible. This makes it good background music for soulful evenings, but not so good for active listening. Still, even if this is just the original release with Illa J's voice stripped away and one skit gone missing, it will be welcomed by fans of the late, great Detroit producer since they're a fervent bunch and, sadly, starved for material. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide