Jay Stay Paid
by J Dilla aka Jay Dee
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12

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  1. clem666
    Oct 17, 2022
    7
    Despite the cover and the title of the album which really leave something to be desired in my opinion, and even if they testify of the time in which they were made, this album has many highs and some lows.
    The first leg is really inequal to me as the compilation of sounds don't manage to set a memorable atmosphere. The second half really makes up for the shortcomings of its predecessor.    Despite the cover and the title of the album which really leave something to be desired in my opinion, and even if they testify of the time in which they were made, this album has many highs and some lows.
    The first leg is really inequal to me as the compilation of sounds don't manage to set a memorable atmosphere. The second half really makes up for the shortcomings of its predecessor. The Black Thought - MF Doom sequence is just marvelous as the two vocalists truly embellish and compliment Dilla's work. I found that the six last tracks also made a honorable conclusion to this effort full of beatswitches, turn of events and mixed emotions and collaborations.
    All along we can hear and feel how this project is posthumous. Surely Dilla would not have done it this way and some tracks still lack both sensitivity and efficiency. But if we don't forget that these are more drafts than actual material, you will be able to find some stardust in this record here and there. And it is all that it deserves to me.    … Collapse

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Best Album of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. AllMusic
    80
    While it is neither as monumental as "Donuts" nor as exemplary as the "Dillanthology" discs, Jay Stay Paid is close to a must for any casual Dilla admirer.
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  2. Los Angeles Times
    100
    A record that not only tops any solo offering that the late James Yancey released during his lifetime, but also rivals Slum Village’s “Fantastic Part 2” and his own “Donuts” as his finest full-length effort.
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  3. Pitchfork
    81
    Jay Stay Paid's biggest strengths don't lie in its guest roster, impressive as it is. It's the way these reconstructed, reassembled beats so vividly show off how left-field he was willing to get in the service of finding new ways to make a beat knock.
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