4 Past Midnite

The younger brother of the late, great, much-idolized hip-hop hero Jay Dee, a.k.a. J Dilla, Detroit's Illa J is known mostly for his debut album Yancey Boys, the 2008 release that paired him with a grip of previously unreleased Dilla beats that had been stashed in the vaults at Delicious Vinyl. On this follow-up EP, he enlists rising producer Young RJ to craft the soundscapes to back his mellow verses and surprisingly strong singing chops, delivered under the guise of his crooning alterego John Regal. The R&B-style lead single "Affair" relates the challenges of long-distance relationships over dreamy keys, "Shots" rocks a crazy futuristic vibe with lots of filtered drums and synth splashes, while "Day 2 Nite" dissects the craziness of an over-the-top night of partying. The production is refreshingly original, and Illa J further proves himself not only as a decent rapper, but a great singer as well. Time will tell if his career goes the distance, but for now, he sounds more comfortable in his own skin, a talented artist in his own right, not just Dilla's little brother.