This bonus track off of Finale’s A Pipe Dream & A Promise is a haunting remembrance of his producer and friend, J Dilla. The beat stays true to the art that was Dilla’s production, featuring his trademark samples of jazzy rhythms, electric piano melodies, and a flowing backup vocal that give the beat its own human quality. Over this, Finale tells us the tale of a man from Detroit, a boy named James Yancey, who rose to local fame by making music for his city and his people.

The story progresses to the time when Finale and J Dilla met, and from here it was a bond that not even Dilla’s passing could break. Though it is clear he misses his friend, Finale finds the good in it all, telling us, "STOP: Don’t mourn him, think of it like your man on tour, and God knew to set him free and he repped the D..." A Pipe Dream & A Promise contains several songs that send a shout to Dilla, and this track wraps up the album like the postscript of a long, inspired letter that reads: P.S. I will never forget J Dilla. Rest in peace.

A Pipe Dream And A Promise is now available everywhere.

Before making his entrance into hip-hop, Finale worked as an automotive engineer promising to one day follow his dream of becoming a rapper. Making the rounds at local Detroit open mics and emcee battles, Finale began to mingle with local talents like Guilty Simpson and One.Be.Lo. After emailing some joints back and forth with J Dilla, Finale finally met him backstage at the DEMF (Detroit Electronic Music Festival), where Dilla introduced him to Madlib, saying that he was one of the best in the game.

“It was an honor and definitely a defining moment," says Finale. After realizing his passion and talent for hip-hop, Finale decided to finally quit his day job, follow his true passion, and make music a full-time career. After a handful of Fat Beats released singles, an album released with European producer Spier 1200 as a part of The Rawkus 50, and numerous appearances on independent releases from Invincible, eLZhi and others, Finale’s official debut LP, A Pipe Dream & A Promise, is available in stores and online everywhere via Interdependent Media.

"Paid Homage" (J Dilla Tribute)