"donuts" was released on february 7, 2006, j dilla's 32nd birthday. to celebrate this, his friends, madlib, peanut butter wolf, egon, and j rocc, stopped by his house. however, they weren't prepared for what they saw: j dilla, who used to be energetic despite his health condition, now was mumbling and gesturing weakly. three days later, on february 10, 2006, he died at his home in los angeles, california. according to his mother, the cause was cardiac arrest.