Busta Rhymes Aims To Break Grammy Drought On J Dilla’s Birthday

Busta Rhymes said he hoped to win his first Grammy with J Dilla. Next year’s awards fall on the late producer’s birthday.

In a Rolling Stone interview, he spoke about his push for “Dillagence II” to earn a Best Rap Album nod.

“It would mean everything because neither one of us has received a Grammy,” Busta said.

The show will take place February 7, 2027. Dilla was born February 7, 1974, and died February 10, 2006. The show will fall on what would have been his 53rd birthday.

Busta said Dilla’s mother, Ma Dukes, called him in November 2025. She asked how they could mark 20 years since her son’s death. He first set out to make a song, but that plan grew into the album.

That sense of duty also shaped the guest list, which Busta said he chose with care to protect Dilla’s work.

“Dillagence II” came out August 25 through Busta’s Conglomerate label. The set has 19 songs and runs just over an hour. It pairs Busta’s new work with beats from the late Detroit producer.

Common appears on “What We Got in Common,” while Talib Kweli joins “Love & War.” D’Angelo appears on “This Woman.” Ma Dukes opens and closes the album, putting Dilla’s family at both ends of the tribute.

Their bond reaches back to Busta’s early solo work. As AllHipHop reported in August, Dilla helped shape his sound on “Still Shining” and “Show Me What You Got.” Busta also paid tribute with the 2007 “Dillagence” mixtape, which DJ Mick Boogie hosted.

Dilla also produced for A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and The Roots. He was a founding member of Slum Village.

Busta has earned 12 Grammy nods. Yet he did not name a past loss he felt he should have won. He put his trust in faith.

“This is godly to me,” he said.

For now, the album is in the running for a nod. It has not yet earned one. The first round picks the nominees, while the final vote decides the winners. That last round runs from December 10 through January 7, 2027.

First-round voting closes October 22. The Recording Academy will name the nominees November 16.