| iLLvibe from Toronto, Canada |
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| Written by tricksta |
| Monday, 07 May 2012 22:01 |
 iLLvibe from Toronto, Canada takes time out to do this exclusive interview for Rago Magazine. Tricksta asks the questions… When did you start making music and was there a person or artist that inspired you to start writing songs and hit the studio? I started making music around 12-13 years of age, 16 or so years ago. I was inspired to make Hip Hop music because I fell in love with the artform. I had a history in youth of singing and writing poetry, it felt like a natural direction for my creativity. Let’s talk about your latest project, its sounding really tight. Who features on it, who dealt with the production and how long did it take to make? Café Jass is set in a Jazz Café in the middle of nowhere. It embodies the atmosphere, feel and sound of that type of environment. It’s a really unique project with features from all over Canada, USA and UK, it’s a truly international affair. Beat Thief’s production is Jazz and Soul infused smooth sounds. It started on my 2010 tour, myself and L.S. met Beat Thief in London, UK and we began working on a project. Once we left UK and headed to Western Europe, the rest of the album happened via satellite. Now in 2012, with myself and L.S. back in Canada and Beat Thief in China – we finished the album. Beat Thief is the creative force behind the feel of the album. How would you describe the music that you make? I know it’s hard to compare yourself to other artists and styles, but what kind of vibe is your music on? I rap about life, love, my challenges, travels and whatever else sits on this brain of mine. I truly try to express my thoughts, feelings and theorys about life. Important thoughts I can listen back to later in life and to generally create records that are timeless. What do you enjoy the most about the whole process of recording and writing music? Is there something that you absolutely love and is there anything that maybe you don’t like doing as much? My favourite is turning my actual thoughts into catchy music. It feels so true to myself. I also love working on a microphone during recording sessions, playing with my voice and learning how to make new sounds and do new things. Lastly, I get high from performing in front of crowds. Are you releasing your music on your own label or do you have a team that is aiming to help you get signed to a major? For me, as an artist – I do everything in house. From album design (although I do get support from amazing artists from time to time) to marketing/promotion and music video production. What I love to do, is work with other pro’s to collaborate and pull different vibes from within. On this most recent project, Beat Thief was able to take me in an entirely different direction. How are you getting your project out there? Do you have a distributor involved or maybe some shops/websites stocking & supporting your music? Free distribution from www.iLLvibeMusic.com for all distribution, I’ve had great blog support internationally. Getting radio play can be hard for unsigned Hip-Hop artists, but have you had any radio play and if so what DJ’s and stations have supported you? I have had great support, actually. Although it is of course an ongoing challenge. I have had some play in Spain, UK, France and some in Canada. Do you enjoy playing live? Have you done many gigs and what kind of artists have you supported or played alongside? I have had the pleasure of supporting legends such as Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Pharoahe Monche, Slaughterhouse, Sean Paul, Pete Rock and so many more. I absolutely love performing, I have performed more than 100 shows over the years. Let’s talk image and branding for a minute. Some artists spend lots of money on artwork and other acts aren’t that interested. How important is image, artwork and branding to you? So important. I work 9-5 for a marketing agency, and this is one of my strengths. Coming up with creative ways to interact with my fans and exciting new ideas for my music. I enlist talented painters and photographers to do artwork for my music also. What was the last album you brought and apart from Hip-Hop what other genres of music do you listen too? I purchased Musiq Soulchild’s most recent album. I love soul music. I also love Rock music as seen in my album Blunts & Roses, classic rock and Hip Hop mashed together. www.BLUNTSandROSES.com Have you got any videos on You Tube and have any ever got played on TV Stations? TV has been a challenge, but a wealth of videos released @ www.youtube.com/iLLvibeisHipHop So what does the future hold for you as an artist? Have you got any big plans that you can tell us about before you go? More music! I don’t believe there should be a cap on how much music I create or release. Check out iLLvibe: www.iLLvibeMusic.com www.Twitter.com/iLLvibeMusic www.Facebook.com/iLLvibe Interview by Tricksta |
| Last Updated on Monday, 07 May 2012 22:07 |
