From okayplayer.com:

This is an extemely sad day. We have lost one of the greatest producers of all time, period. That fact is not even up for debate. For us fans and for those that were lucky enough to know Dilla, this is a tough pill to swallow. What makes it worse is knowing that the majority of the hip hop world will not mourn this loss like those in our community. We can only hope that one day the world will know his music the way die hard Dilla fans do, and he will posthumously recieve the respect and admiration that his influence commands. RIP Dilla Dog.
~newguy

James Yancey passed around 8:00 this morning in Los Angeles, California. His latest album, Donuts, was released earlier this week.

Additional reading: Jay Dee’s last days (from Detroit Free Press)