Dilla Foundation

Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey, mother of the late J Dilla (James Yancey), has verified the re-establishment of the non-profit J Dilla Foundation, new legal management for her son’s estate, and several album projects for 2010. The organization had become defunct due to legal entanglement over the state laws for Dilla’s estate, and friction between the Yancey family and previous estate executor Arty Erk. With a completely new team that includes Joylette Hunter (fiancée to Dilla and mother of his youngest daughter Ja’Mya Sherran Yancey) as Vice-Chair, Ms. Yancey explained how the changes will mark a fresh beginning for Dilla’s legacy. “We changed formats and have a whole new group of people. We're one big team to correct all the problems with Dilla's estate, because he did have a will,” Yancey told AllHipHop.com. “The foundation was in my heart of hearts to do. Now with a team of people from all over the country, they're just so good professionally and in love with what they do, it makes it so easy. It's been wonderful. Everything is being done together.”