This last week has been a true testament to how much DJ Mehdi touched people – the tributes have come in from everyone from Stones Throw to Drake to Primo. That was the most poignant for me – how his influence and work was recognised in the hip hop community. Hip Hop was my first love and Mehdi played a big part in that through my adolescence when my uncle and my cousin were schooling me on all that was good in French hip hop.

The “dédicaces” that have been coming in from every corner of the world so I have decided to choose a few that I feel have really represented his music for me.

I think that ABCDR Du Son have put together the best tribute to Mehdi and his early productions. Check it out here.

Pedro Winter also kindly shared the “Loukoums” mix that Mehdi did a few years back as an hommage to Dilla and the “Donuts” album. It was originally intended to be as a limited CD for friends but now you can download it:

DJ MEHDI “Loukoums” by edbangerrecords

And finally, Feadz  has put together a tribute mix which I’m sure encompasses Mehdi more than any of us could know and something that I am sure would have made him proud:

FEADZ tribute mix to DJ MEHDI by edbangerrecords

One week on and to be quite frank, it still doesn’t seem like this really happened.  For most of us, while it is a shock and the sadness is still palpable, we cannot come close to understanding how this must weigh on the hearts of Mehdi’s family and friends. We are with them.

Mehdi pour toujours.