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While still lush in its own grimy way, Ruff Draft represents the harsher, more experimental end of Dilla’s palette.
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FilterRuff Draft is live, and you need to play it loud enough to wake the dead. [#24, p.98]
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Ultimately, Ruff Draft is a curiosity—an offshoot rather than example of Dilla's genius.
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Some of the material is brilliant, though much of it only hints at the gems that would eventually make up Dilla's collaboration with Madlib on Champion Sound.
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Picking highlights is futile; the record might run for less than twenty minutes but it burns brightly for the whole duration.
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Comparisons with his subsequent work are inevitable and this feels like a disappointment when put alongside the more accessible likes of Donuts.
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SpinThough Dilla's rapping is never more than competent, Ruff Draft is still a platform for the versatility of his eccentric genius. [Apr 2007, p.88]
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Ruff Draft still feels like a limited-edition collectors-only curiosity.
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UrbA must-have for true J Dilla fans. [Apr 2007, p.104]
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Still all things considered and given the obscurity of the original release it's hard to knock "Ruff Drafts" for what it is, especially given the bonus disc.
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VibeDraft is brisk and jaunty, but also finds Dilla at his grimiest. [Apr 2007, p.132]
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UncutThis is raw, inventive stuff. [May 2007, p.88]
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Ruff Draft is subtle, full of muddy melodies, magical synths and crispy snares, all typical of Dilla beats that aren’t on major label releases.
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One of hip-hop's few essential EPs.
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Situated between his production for Common’s Electric Circus and Champion Sound with Madlib, the record scripts Dilla’s now triumphant escape from the majors and represents the more mercurial facet of his vision.
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"Ruff Draft" is a rare solo affair that captures him in the midst of furious, creative burst and change in direction.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 7 out of 8
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Mixed: 1 out of 8
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Negative: 0 out of 8
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nazatJul 9, 2007its too sick. plain and simple
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RuffBApr 2, 2007This album is a hit.