This deluxe reissue of Ruff Draft features bonus tracks not included in the original and an extra disc of instrumentals. These extras give you a chance to see just how daring J. Dilla could be. I almost couldn't believe what I heard when I first heard “Wild,” one of the bonus tracks. The song is built on a truly bizarre sample of a little kid singing. The drums on this song are also completely untraditional but like the best songs on Donuts, J. Dilla finds a way to make these odd elements into a very good song.
Ruff Draft is another brilliant album from the late, great Dilla. Since it's so short (the total of both disc is less than an hour), there is no filler to be found here. Even the two interludes are okay. In addition, this album is kind of a prequel to the work that he would do later. When I heard the siren towards the end of “Let's Take It Back,” I was reminded of the way the siren was used throughout Donuts. The reliance on synths also made me think of The Shining, even though the synths on that album are a lot funkier than what's here. What really made me think about Dilla's later work as I listened to Ruff Draft was the immense creative freedom on display here. The complete disregard of hip-hop trends at the time (and even the “rules” of hip-hop beats) is something that would define Dilla's later work.
I heartily recommend Ruff Draft not just for the J. Dilla fan, but for someone looking for some truly creative hip-hop.
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