Hip-hop veteran Busta Rhymes has released Dillagence II, a long-awaited collaborative project built around previously unreleased production from the late legendary producer J Dilla.

Released on August 25, 2026, the 19-track album serves as a sequel to the pair’s 2007 mixtape Dillagence and brings Busta Rhymes back together with J Dilla’s distinctive production nearly two decades after the original project.

A project built from J Dilla’s vault

The album has a particularly powerful backstory. Before his death in 2006, J Dilla reportedly left Busta Rhymes with more than 300 beats. Busta had previously used some of the material sparingly, but Dillagence II allows him to explore the producer’s archive on a much larger scale.

J Dilla, born James Dewitt Yancey, died at just 32 from complications related to lupus. Despite his short life, he became one of hip-hop’s most influential producers, known for his unconventional rhythms and the production style often described as “Dilla Time.”

A star-studded guest list

While the foundation of the project is Busta’s rapping over J Dilla’s production, Dillagence II also features an impressive collection of artists.

The album includes appearances from D’Angelo, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Anderson .Paak, Ludacris, Common, Jon Batiste, Talib Kweli, T3, Honey Bxby and La Reezy.

One of the project’s most talked-about songs is “This Woman,” which features vocals from the late D’Angelo taken from an unfinished recording session with J Dilla from roughly two decades ago. Busta’s new verses and Dilla’s production complete the collaboration, creating a posthumous meeting between three major figures in Black music.

The singles

Busta previewed the project with “Spazzz,” which features multiple beat switches and introduced listeners to the sound of the forthcoming album.

He followed it with “Talk Ya Shit” featuring Lil Wayne, giving fans another glimpse into the chemistry between Busta’s animated delivery and Dilla’s unconventional production.

A continuation of a 2007 classic

The new album follows Dillagence, the 2007 mixtape that saw Busta Rhymes rap over J Dilla beats following the producer’s death.

Nearly 20 years later, Dillagence II expands that concept into a full 19-track project, allowing Busta to revisit one of the most important creative relationships of his career.

The project also arrives at a significant moment in hip-hop history, as artists continue to revisit and preserve the work of J Dilla, whose influence remains evident across contemporary hip-hop, R&B and beat-making.

A posthumous celebration of J Dilla’s genius

Dillagence II is ultimately more than another Busta Rhymes album. It is a celebration of an artist whose influence continues to grow two decades after his passing.

Busta’s energetic, unpredictable flow provides a modern voice for Dilla’s archival production, while the guest appearances connect different generations of hip-hop and R&B.

With 19 tracks, previously unheard J Dilla production and appearances from some of the biggest names in contemporary music, Dillagence II represents one of the year’s most significant posthumous hip-hop collaborations.

Busta Rhymes and J Dilla’s Dillagence II is out now on all major streaming platforms.