Jazz DNA in Larry June

Larry June's smooth, unhurried cadence and luxe sound trace a direct lineage from Donald Byrd's jazz grooves to J Dilla's samples, MF DOOM's production, and Dom Kennedy's West Coast cool.

Tracklist

  1. Black Man — Larry June
  2. Palisades, CA (feat. J. Cole) — The Alchemist & Larry June
  3. All Caps — Madvillain
  4. Think Twice — Jay Dee
  5. Think Twice — Donald Byrd
  6. My Type of Party — Dom Kennedy

Transcript

Welcome to OffStereo. Late night session. Let's get into it.

Black Man — Larry June

OffStereo. You've been digging deep into Larry June, saving three of his tracks from 2025, and you've got Oscar Peterson Trio in the same library. That smooth, unhurried cadence you love? Larry June grew up absorbing the dreamy neo-soul of Musiq Soulchild and the bounce of 90s Bay Area rap, letting it ferment into his signature luxe sound. Here's a taste with your saved track, "Black Man."

Palisades, CA (feat. J. Cole) — The Alchemist & Larry June

Larry June's production blueprint, often crafted with collaborators like The Alchemist, pulls directly from lush, jazz-adjacent loops, refusing to over-produce them. This restraint and focus on finding the perfect, dusty sample is exactly what gives tracks like "Palisades, CA" that breathing, organic feel, echoing your love for jazz trios.

All Caps — Madvillain

This production philosophy, finding beauty in raw loops and sampling, echoes the genius of underground hip-hop figures like MF DOOM. As Remezcla noted, DOOM’s cross-culture influence in hip-hop is infinite, inspiring artists from Tyler, the Creator to Drake, and cementing that jazz-infused, unhurried vibe. Here's Madvillain with "All Caps."

Think Twice — Jay Dee

The art of sampling jazz records for hip-hop loops owes a massive debt to pioneers like J Dilla, known then as Jay Dee. He mastered the craft of pulling out the perfect, soulful fragment, creating the foundation for much of the sound we hear today in artists like Larry June. This is his iconic reinterpretation of "Think Twice."

Think Twice — Donald Byrd

To truly understand the jazz DNA in Larry June's sound, we have to go back to the source. That smooth, undeniable groove from Jay Dee's track? It was originally laid down by jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd, showcasing the direct lineage and the timeless appeal of these unhurried cadences. From 1975, here's "Think Twice."

My Type of Party — Dom Kennedy

Larry June's Bay Area roots and unhurried luxury also connect to a broader classic West Coast soul lineage in hip-hop, especially through artists like Dom Kennedy. His 2010 mixtape, *From the Westside with Love*, solidified his name among top L.A. rappers with a similar laid-back, yet refined aesthetic. Here’s Dom Kennedy with "My Type of Party."

Thanks for joining us on OffStereo as we laced up with Larry June's jazzy stride. Keep listening closely; there's always more soul to unearth in the grooves.

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