J Dilla (as Jay Dee) & Phat Kat (Ronnie Euro) formed a hip-hop group called 1st Down in Detroit in 1995, but the duo disbanded after only one 12" release. However, they reunited to produce new collaborations on three of Phat Kat’s solo albums, one of Jay Dee’s, and also one by Slum Village (another of Dilla’s Detroit hip-hop groups) before Dilla’s unfortunate death. “Detroit Madness” was released on an early posthumous album.

A longer, edited/updated version of this song is featured as the second track on another, later posthumous release by J Dilla entitled “The Rebirth of Detroit.” There’s also an extended instrumental version.

Samples “Serengeti Walk (Slippin' in the Back Door)” by Dave Grusin [1982].