Donuts began as an idea to turn a particularly good demo beat tape into a full-length release, and has since become a classic hip-hop album, one of the defining works of the artist's life. Completed during a year which J Dilla spent mostly in a hospital bed, three days after its release the artist passed away, losing his battle with a rare blood disorder. It's an unmistakably modern album, and one which perfectly encapsulates the artist's reputation as a top-rated architect of soulful hip-hop.