by Stewart MasonLike indie duo the Postal Service or transatlantic hip-hoppers Danger Doom, Jaylib was a collaboration by two geographically distant but musically simpatico folks, brought about by trading tapes and CDs back and forth through the mail. The collaboration began in 2000 when California turntablist J-Rocc (Jason Jackson) gave a disc of unreleased beats by producer/DJ J Dilla (James DeWitt Yancey) to producer and multi-instrumentalist Madlib (Otis Jackson, Jr.), whose reworking of one track later appeared on a mixtape. Continuing the cross-country collaboration on a casual basis between other projects -- such as J Dilla's production of Common's Electric Circus album and Madlib's jazz instrumental project Yesterdays New Quintet -- the pair finally completed and released Champion Sound in 2003. Sadly, J Dilla's health began to deteriorate shortly thereafter, and the DJ and producer died of complications from lupus on February 10, 200...