Busta Rhymes Reflects on J Dilla at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles

Busta Rhymes brought DILLAGENCE II into a live cultural setting at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on October 5, joining Anderson .Paak for a conversation centered on the album, his creative process, his career and his enduring creative connection with J Dilla.

The event took place at the museum’s Ray Charles Terrace at L.A. Live. The official program announced Anderson .Paak as moderator and Common as the evening’s special guest performer. Variety subsequently reported that Busta Rhymes discussed the process behind DILLAGENCE II before performing alongside Common.

Busta Rhymes Puts the Creative Process Center Stage

For Busta Rhymes, the Los Angeles appearance provided an opportunity to move beyond simply presenting new music.

The GRAMMY Museum framed the conversation around his creative process, career and long-running connection with J Dilla. DILLAGENCE II features previously unreleased production from the late producer, whom the museum describes as Busta’s longtime friend and collaborator.

That relationship gives the project a deeper HipHop context. Busta Rhymes is not simply working with production carrying J Dilla’s name; the material connects back to a creative relationship that existed while Dilla was alive.

The museum setting therefore created a different type of moment around the project: one focused on how Busta approaches the music, what that creative connection means and how previously unheard production can become part of a contemporary HipHop project.

From Conversation to Live Performance

The evening did not end with the discussion.

Busta Rhymes also took the stage, with Common joining him as special guest. The combination of Anderson .Paak moderating the conversation and Common participating in the performance connected several generations and areas of HipHop creativity around Busta’s appearance.

For DJs and people who follow the craft behind HipHop records, that is where the story becomes especially relevant: production history, MC-producer relationships and catalog knowledge remain fundamental parts of DJ culture.

Los Angeles is also a logical location for DJ-League coverage. The DJ-League already maintains an established Los Angeles network page covering HipHop, R&B, Oldschool and Dancehall and multiple public DJ profiles across the local area.

Busta Rhymes was the central figure on October 5 — but J Dilla’s production legacy gave the conversation its historical weight.