James DeWitt Yancey (Feb. 7, 1974 - Feb. 10, 2006), better known as J Dilla or Jay Dee, was a pioneering hip-hop producer who elevated the craft of beatmaking. Dilla is best known for humanizing Akai MPC in his drum beats and for his longer, more melodic samples than what was done at the time. Before losing his battle to lupus at 32 years old, Dilla had made classic hits with Slum Village, A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, and MF DOOM, along with releasing three studio albums. His final album, Donuts, was released on his birthday in 2006.

Every year since his passing, hip hop communities worldwide gather together in early February to honor and remember one of the genre's greatest artists. On February 11 and 12, 2023, Birmingham celebrated the first OFFICIAL Dilla Day, sanctioned by Maureen Yancey and the James DeWitt Yancey Foundation, with a two-day event. The first night was an evening of DJs spinning Jay Dee tracks and productions, including albums he sampled for his songs. The second day was an educational workshop to teach others about Dilla's legacy and to spread the culture of hip hop. Below are images from the first night, in no particular order.