On this day in 2006, the hip-hop world suffered an irreplaceable loss as James Dewitt Yancey—better known as J Dilla—passed away at the age of 32. The visionary Detroit producer lost his battle with ...

LeBlanc landed the gig and stayed in the house band until 1982, playing live drums on hip-hop songs that gave them a sharp groove: Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache,” “8th Wonder,” and their 1980 ...