Feeling ill

Hip Hop may have died in the hearts of many, but it reigns in the life of a young emerging artist. Ill Will who grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, but also spent a lot of his childhood in Washington, DC reminisces on how hip-hop entered his life. He shared his story of owning the “B.A.D” album by LL Cool J, which was the first album he ever had & Lil Wayne’s “THE BLOCK IS HOT”. At eight (8) years old he could remember and recite songs very quickly, by age nine (9) he began writing lyrics. Recording his first demo tape by age 15 is a true test of his hard work to succeed in this industry. Now at the age of eighteen (18) he's a lyrical, literary writer shows that he’s a dedicated student of his craft. Young in age but not in spirit or mind set, Ill Will is ready to be heard, so listen as he tells his story of his musical journey.

SF:How did you get started in music, aside from the first time that you wrote your own lyrics?
IW:I met Best Kept Secret (he’s a producer in the DMV, he also produced a couple songs on my album) at a battle that Interlope Records was hosting. I was told to come perform by a good friend of mine K. Beta. It was actually a battle for a producer, and Juda was one of the judges (he’s also a favorite producer of mine to work with). My friend K. Beta is part owner of Interlope Records, so I went and performed, won and the rest is history. I also did my first mix tape with Juda producer of Studio 43 who works with Kenny Burns.

SF:Explain your love for music?
IW:It’s Ironic, it's free expression, and you are able to tell your side of the story. I love being an indie artist, I feel like you have to build up your repore of music. A lot of artists think that a hot song is the way to go, but I am into Jazz, I’m a lover of Jazz music. I like the greats, such as George Duke, Duke Ellington, Myles Davis, Temptations, and of course today’s artist Nas, Lupe Fiasco, Da La Soul, and Wale.

SF:Explain your love for hip-hop?
IW:It’s pure love, I wake up thinking about it, I go to sleep thinking about it. Everything I do is hip-hop. I breathe it.

SF:Is there a certain audience that you are speaking to?
IW:There is no certain audience that I want to reach, I relate to an audience that’s like me. I don't have a gimmick, If I did have a gimmick it would be fashion, I speak about it a lot in my music. I want to reach the people who care about keeping hip-hop around.

SF:What is your take on how hip-hop is viewed today?
IW:The money, cars, and woman image is a business; It's cool but I don't care for it. Although I don't care to much for it the record executives have to make their money some how. I’m a Indie Artist I put myself out there, I reached out to a publicist, and I market yourself. See the DMV is a facade for unity, because there really is no unity. It’s not only the DMV, it's other areas too, it’s every man for himself. Everybody wants to be great but anything that is great takes time to be great, you have to work at it! One hit wonders don't last, you have to be patient to make it in this industry.

SF:Do you have an album out?
IW:Yes my album is entitled “The Root of My Love”, it’s an EP(EP is a short album) I worked on it since September 4, 2009 and it was released March 31, 2010. The title of the album is a true title, my music is the root of my love but goes far deeper. If I explained it we would be in this interview forever.

(Both laugh)

SF:Do you write all your music? Or do you have a producer that does some of the writing?
IW:100 % of my music is written by me, it goes against my morals to write for someone else, I say that it goes against my morals because I believe you should think on your own, and that your words should be your own thoughts. If someone writes for you and you put that song on your album you are lying to your fans and I never want to do that. I'm not a rapper, I am writer.

SF:Explain why you say, “You are not a rapper, you are a writer?
IW:I say I am a writer because I love writing, rap is simply (rhythm and poetry, and can also be associate with gangster rap) when you say hip-hop you think of a conscience artist/music. Hip-hop was based on bringing the black people up, teaching us when the white man wouldn't and staying true to yourself. I am a artist, I don't believe in being boxed in, either you like it or you don't, and you can keep it moving.

SF:Have you worked with any local artist on your album?
IW:I have worked with a few local artist, I like to work with vocalist, singing is the truest form of expressing your emotions. So I’ve worked with two male vocalists Dewayne and Imani. But if made my dream album it would have Wale, Drake, Nas, Andre 3000 and Lupe on it. If Myles Davis was still living I would love to have him as a producer, and do a couple songs with Earth, Wind and Fire and Alicia Keys.

SF:Do you have any future plans for promoting your album?
IW:In September 2010 I will be shooting videos for two songs off the album, and those are Music Soul and I Am Home.

SF:What is your ultimate goal?
IW:My ultimate goal is to make a long lasting career out of my music, with 3-4 major albums; I would say is sufficient enough.