Album Drop
Busta Rhymes Just Dropped a J Dilla Bombshell: ‘Dillagence II’ Is Here With D’Angelo, Lil Wayne & More
Nearly two decades after the original, Busta Rhymes has resurrected the magic of J Dilla with a star-studded sequel featuring D’Angelo, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Big Sean, Common and Anderson .Paak.
Busta Rhymes has released “Dillagence II,” his long-awaited sequel to the 2007 project he created with legendary producer J Dilla, bringing previously unheard and unfinished material from one of hip-hop’s most influential producers back into the spotlight.
The 19-track project arrived on streaming platforms Tuesday, Aug. 25, nearly 20 years after the original Dillagence and more than two decades after some of the underlying recordings were created.
And the guest list is massive.
J Dilla’s Vault Powers the New Project
Busta Rhymes has revealed that he had access to nearly 300 J Dilla beats, giving him an extraordinary archive to work with as he constructed the new project.
Rather than simply revisiting the sound of the original Dillagence, Busta used the material to build a new album that preserves Dilla’s distinctive production while adding voices from across generations of hip-hop and R&B.
The result is a project packed with heavyweight collaborations.
Among the artists featured on Dillagence II are D’Angelo, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Big Sean, Common, Talib Kweli, Anderson .Paak, Jon Batiste, Ma Dukes, La Reezy and Honey Bxby.
For longtime Dilla fans, however, one collaboration stands above the rest.
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D’Angelo’s Posthumous Appearance Hits Hard
D’Angelo appears on “This Woman,” a track with an extraordinary history.
Busta Rhymes explained that the recording originated from an unfinished collaboration between D’Angelo and J Dilla created more than 20 years ago.
Busta said he was unaware the material existed until he began working on the new project.
The revelation became particularly emotional following D’Angelo’s death from pancreatic cancer in 2025.
For Busta, completing the song was about more than adding another famous feature. It was about protecting the legacies of two artists he deeply admired.
He has also teased a music video for “This Woman” directed by acclaimed filmmaker Hype Williams, adding another major piece of hip-hop history to the release.
Busta Rhymes and Hype Williams Reunite
The Hype Williams connection makes the D’Angelo collaboration even more significant.
Williams helped define Busta Rhymes’ visual identity during the rapper’s explosive 1990s run, directing iconic videos including “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check,” “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” “Dangerous,” “Gimme Some More” and “What’s It Gonna Be?!”
Williams also directed D’Angelo’s classic “Lady” video in 1996.
The new visual therefore reconnects three artists whose careers have intersected across some of hip-hop and R&B’s most memorable eras.
A Collaboration Nearly 20 Years in the Making
J Dilla died in February 2006, but his influence on hip-hop has only grown since.
Busta’s relationship with Dilla stretches back to the producer’s lifetime, when the pair worked together on music that eventually became Dillagence in 2007.
Busta has described Dilla as a quiet, intensely focused artist who communicated more through his music than conversation.
That makes Dillagence II feel less like a conventional sequel and more like an excavation of a musical time capsule.
Busta has already previewed the project with tracks including “SPAZZZ” and “Talk Ya Shit,” featuring Lil Wayne.
Busta Rhymes Keeps the Dilla Legacy Moving
At 54, Busta Rhymes remains remarkably active.
The rapper released BLOCKBUSTA in 2023 and followed it with Dragon Season… Equinox in 2025. Now, Dillagence II gives him another opportunity to connect his present-day career with one of hip-hop’s most celebrated production legacies.
With Dilla’s unmistakable beats, D’Angelo’s posthumous appearance and a guest list spanning generations, the project arrives as both a major hip-hop release and a tribute to artists whose influence continues long after their deaths.
For fans who have spent years wondering what remained inside Dilla’s vault, Busta Rhymes may have just opened one of hip-hop’s most fascinating archives.
