In the world of hip-hop, few names resonate with the impact and legacy of Dres, a pivotal figure from the legendary crew Black Sheep and the Native Tongues collective. His recent documentary, “The Choice is Yours,” directed and edited by Clark Slater, is a deep dive into his remarkable journey from hip-hop stardom to the struggles of everyday life, and his quest to reignite his career through an unexpected opportunity. The documentary carries the title of Black Sheep’s biggest hit record, one that Dres still performs to this day. It was an honor for me to interview Dres regarding his documentary.
The Choice is Yours premiers on November 21st, exclusively on Paramount+
About The Choice is Yours Documentary
The Choice is Yours narrates Dres’s extraordinary path from the peak of his career to facing the realities of civilian life. The documentary becomes a turning point when Dres encounters Maureen Yancey, famously known as Ma Dukes, the mother of the iconic music producer J Dilla.
Entrusted with a hard drive of unreleased J Dilla beats, Dres is tasked with the monumental challenge of creating the next great Dilla record. As he delves into understanding J Dilla’s story, which has remained largely untold, Dres interacts with various artists, celebrities, music executives, and friends of Dilla, unraveling the essence of Dilla’s work and facing the controversy that surrounds his undertaking. The documentary does more than trace his musical journey; it delves into the fabric of Dres’s legacy, threatened by the contention over his new project.
About the Interview with Dres
In this exclusive interview, Dres reflects on various aspects of his career and the hip-hop industry. Speaking on the 50-year anniversary of Hip Hop, Dres expresses optimism about the resurgence of legendary artists like himself and the recognition of their contributions to the genre.
He addresses the age-centric nature of hip-hop compared to genres like Rock n Roll, he questions the disparity in celebrating elder artists.
Dres reveals that the motivation behind The Choice is Yours stemmed from a desire to explore various facets of his career, including his experiences with Mista Lawnge and embracing newer talents like Lola Brooke.
The documentary, especially with its focus on his collaboration on the D&D (Dres and Dilla) project and its challenges, underscores the importance of Dres’s work in preserving and promoting the hip-hop lo-fi jazz sound pioneered by J Dilla. In a candid moment, Dres discusses smoothing over discrepancies with the project and hints at a hopeful future for the D&D project.
When asked about a potential documentary sequel and his future plans, Dres leaves the door open, suggesting that this documentary might just be the beginning of a new chapter for both him and his fans.
Check out the full interview in the video at the top of the page!
