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ill e. gal I really enjoyed both your solo songs that I’ve heard in concert and on your MySpace page, and your duo album under the name “True High Class” that came out last year. What’s the latest on your solo debut? I just started recording it and I’m hoping I can have it out by fall, so I’m steady working on it all summer long. I don’t want to rush it. I want it to be really good, but I also want it to be done this year. So hopefully by the latest by the end of the year. Based on the material people have heard from you so far, which a lot of it comes from the “True High Class” album, how would you compare that to the solo material you’re working on? There’s definitely gonna be the signature sound, but I’m looking to change it up with this album. With the T.H.C. record, I was kind of angry and I had a lot to get off my chest. But now with the solo record I feel I can fully just be myself and not have every song sound the same and with the same inflection. I want to change it up and try doing a little different styles than everyone’s used to seeing. You made reference to your signature sound. How would you describe that to those who aren’t familiar yet? Very aggressive and angry and in-your-face. You know, there’s not a lot of women in hip-hop in general and a lot of them have kind of the same kind of flow and sound, coming off as sexy or what have you. For me, I’ve always felt like I’m one of the guys. So the voice that comes across – I’ve been referred to as very masculine sometimes! Why do you think that is? I don’t know. All my influences up until this point have mostly been male. I just think with the tone of my voice, it’s a little bit lower and deeper than most other female rappers. So I’m definitely looking to change it up and do some more natural-sounding stuff – not so much yelling and screaming all the time, even though that’s what I’m good at. Do you think your voice sounds lower and raspier from all the stuff you smoke between weed and the Camel Lights? That could have something to do with it. My voice is pretty raspy at times. And I’m always playing shows and always recording, so it definitely takes a toll on your throat and on your vocal chords – especially with smoking cigarettes and weed! You mentioned once that you might be singing a bit on your solo album in addition to rapping. Is that still in the cards? I’m not a really good singer, but you don’t really learn unless you try. All it takes is practice. So I’m definitely gonna try to do more singing – not just straight rap songs, but just songs in general. Not that I want to get away from the rap at all, but I want the album to be very diverse. What can you tell me about the songs you’re recording for your solo album? It’s still early in the stages. I do have quite a few tracks that are ready to go. You know, some of them are political, some of them are crowd-pleasers – not party songs, but just get-live, have fun, have a good time. And some of them, of course, are about love gone bad or hardships in life. It’s a full spectrum right now. It isn’t all songs about smoking weed? Oh, no, no. I definitely want to have some variety. Nobody wants an album that’s 13, 15 tracks about smoking weed. Even on the T.H.C. album, I think we only had one weed track. You know, I want a vast range of songs. I just want it to sound good and be complete. It is my first solo album; basically, I feel like I can squeeze so much into one album, but there will be more albums, so I think I should take it all in stride. You’re originally from near Providence, Rhode Island, but you’re working on your album in Minnesota and you just spent some time in California, where you opened for Blaze Ya Dead Homie on tour. Where do you claim as home? I’ll always represent the East Coast and Rhode Island. That’s where I’m from. I’ll never lose my roots. I’ve kind of been traveling around seeing where’s the best spot for me to do what I need to do in music. And I’m back in Minnesota now. To me, that says something. I have good friends here and great people to work with – Loonatix and Miss Tress (of T.H.C.). But I just go where opportunity arises in music. I’d always wanted to go to California and check it out. I’m glad I did go and I definitely plan on being back, but until this solo album comes out, I’ve gotta focus on that – not so much where I’m at, but being able to get it done. Here in Minnesota is the best place for me to get that accomplished. Tell me about the Loonatix camp because you work with them a lot. Are you an official member of the camp? I’m what’s considered a Loonatix affiliate at this point. I haven’t been back too long, so there haven’t been any heavy discussions about the future or whatever. But they’re my boys and they’ve done so much for me and I like to think that I do things for them in return. It’s a give and take relationship. I’ve got mad love for P.L.C. (Playaz Lounge Crew) and Ruthless. I’m lucky to have them in my life. They really helped me get where I am today. Are Loonatix producers working the boards for your solo album? Yeah, the main producer on my album is Professor Fresh from Ruthless. I think he makes phenomenal beats and I love to use them. He knows my style, he knows what I like, so you’re definitely gonna see a lot of him on my album vocally and production-wise. He also is my main engineer, which is nice. I have a couple other producers – Jegie out of Boston, he’s my boy (and) he makes some fire too, so I’m gonna have him on there. And hopefully MC Rentz will donate to the cause. And you’ll probably see some of my beats on there too. In addition to your official site, www.MySpace.com/illegalhiphop, you have a whole site dedicated to production,http://www.myspace.com/illegalsbeats, right? Yeah, I haven’t been doing it too long. But I enjoy it. It’s a lot of fun. And to me it’s a learning process. So when I actually create something that I want to rap over, that makes me proud. I think that says a lot. I’ve always considered myself to be more of a poet and songwriter than an actual rapper or musician. So it’s kind of a backward way I’m getting into it. But I’d like to take this production I’m learning here as far as computer work goes and take it into actually learning to play guitar and bass and drums and all that. So it’s all steps. I really enjoy making beats and I’m definitely gonna have a couple on my album. You started out writing poetry when you were really young. What was that like? Funny thing is, when you’re growing up in school, they teach you the basics, all the limericks and haiku, etc. They teach you basic poetry. I would sit and write, basically describing whatever it was – a holiday or how I was feeling. What do you think about when you’re a little kid – playing outside or whatever. The thing I noticed about it was I was a stickler for rhymes. Everything had to rhyme. So I look back to some of the things I wrote when I was in second, third, fourth grade and I think, ‘Wow, if I had only knew then that this would be my path.’ You don’t realize when you’re that young, but it totally turned out to be what I’m supposed to be doing with my life. What kind of music did you listen to growing up? I liked every genre of music under the sun. When I was a small kid, it was classic rock and doo-wop and all that old-school music. As I got older, I got into the Nirvana and all the alternative and grunge. Then I got really into hip-hop and punk. I’ve liked so many bands and so many artists! It’s hard to say, ‘Oh, it’s just this.’ It’s a surprise that I turned out to be involved with rap because of all the things I’ve liked in my life, it’s been rock. I’d love to be in a rock band someday, but rapping just seems to be my niche, so I’m gonna stick with it. What are some of the rap groups and artists you listened to early on? I was into rap back in the fifth grade – like Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. And of course I will always be a fan of the Beastie Boys. They will forever be one of my biggest influences. It wasn’t until I really got into ICP, Twiztid, Kottonmouth Kings that it clicked in my head that, hey, I can do this. They influenced me as far as going for it and actually pursuing the rapping career – big time! What was it about Insane Clown Posse, Kottonmouth Kings and Twiztid that proved so influential to you? At the time of my life when I was introduced to them, I was searching for new music. I was searching for something I could connect with. I felt like there was a point in my life when I’d walk into a CD store and honestly not be able to think of anything I wanted to go buy. Everything was so played out to me – all my old favorites. I was just searching and craving something new. And I got turned onto them and it was just instant. Everything fell into place. I realized that this is what I should be doing. There’s a whole world out there I didn’t even know about, but I really enjoyed it. It felt like my place, you know? What are some of your favorite albums by these groups that influenced you? ICP, definitely ‘The Great Milenko.’ That album is phenomenal, I think. As far as Twiztid goes, ‘Mirror Mirror’ and ‘The Green Book’ I just think are amazing. Kottonmouth Kings – definitely ‘Rollin’ Stoned.’ All those albums I can listen to anytime over and over and never get sick of it. What actually motivated you to start writing your own songs? It was like a weird twist of fate. I started having really bad anxiety problems and basically thought I was going crazy. And obviously listening to the music I did, I felt like I could relate to a lot of it and a lot of things they said was how I was feeling. So it really helped me get through a tough time. But also I just started writing. I picked up a pen, pieces of paper, receipts, anything I could find. And whenever I was feeling low and having a panic attack, I would just write, write, write what I was feeling. It was really dark and really heavy, but it made me feel better. It was like self-medication almost. That’s how I knew in my head, if this is my medicine, then so be it. This is my calling. Sometimes things are shitty and they have a silver lining. You’ve just gotta find that. No matter how hard things get, something good will come of it. So it was real inspiring. It was a real life-changing time. Was it Twiztid’s music that helped you get through those times? House Of Krazees more so. It was really dark and that was kind of the mindset I was in at the time. Because I was around music so much – I worked at Guitar Center for like six years – I just felt like the whole world was accessible to me. It just felt right. HOK was done by the time you recorded your first songs in 2002. Yet they still inspired you? They had already came and went. But it was just how simple they made it seem. I just felt like, ‘This is awesome, I love it, I can do it too.’ The sound, the sample work, everything they did – I know they’ve all advanced since then, but I just felt like I could do this on my own. Tell me about the song “Mary Jane,” which is one of the first two songs you recorded. Obviously my love for weed inspired it. And I always thought it would be cool to have a song called ‘Mary Jane,’ speaking as if I’m the weed speaking to you, enticing you to smoke me. I just always thought it was a cool song. It was like the first thing I ever really wrote and made into an actual song and it’s funny, people love that. Still, today, I play it live. I played it last night and I’m thinking in my head, ‘Wow, this song is like five years old. It’s good. It’s nice that the first song you make is so well received. That, to me, says so much. I played it for people and they actually genuinely liked it. It was different, it was new, it was something they could actually get down to, sing along to. It was really cool and I’m glad I had the opportunity to do it at that time. Some of the other songs I’ve heard you do solo – or heard on your MySpace – include “Fuct Up,” “6 Feet Under” and “Swing Ya Hair.” Are these at all indicative of what people can expect to hear on your solo album? Honestly I want to blow people away on my solo album. I look at the songs I’ve done and I’m happy to have them. I do really like ‘6 Feet Under’ a lot. That song has a special place in my heart. I look at all the songs I’ve done as a learning experience to get me to where I’m going. I feel like now that I have my sound and now that I know what I want to sound like and the beats I want to rap on, it’s gonna be more of exactly what I want. And I feel sometimes like all my music up until now isn’t exactly how I wanted it to be. Sometimes things get rough and sometimes you get beats from somewhere and you don’t know where they came from. You just make a song, people dig it, but it’s nothing exactly how you wanted it. So I’m real excited to really make something that’s me – 100 percent, no questions. When I interviewed Violent J from ICP, he said he liked what he heard of you from T.H.C. better than the early solo songs. What’s your response to that? Because that’s really all he has to go off of because I don’t have a solo album. I know he really likes the idea of the two females together because it’s pretty much unheard of. I respect that because ill e. gal solo doesn’t really have much to show. I have some collaborations, a couple songs that were put together years ago. I see where he’s coming from, but I’m definitely hoping everybody’s gonna dig the new shit. When did you start smoking weed and when did legalization become important to you? I started smoking about 10 years ago and my mom smoked me up for the first time. It was awesome – summer before high school. But I’ve basically been smoking since then. And once I realized I could get in some serious trouble if I get caught or friends get caught, you start to learn about life and how hard things can be sometimes. It’s just like, how is something natural that grows in the ground gonna be considered as bad as cocaine and heroine and this and that. It angered me that I’m somehow a criminal when I try to be a good person. It just doesn’t make sense to me. It’s kind of my anger at the stupidity of the law that really kind of grinds my gears, I guess you could say. You played the Marijuana Music Awards, right? Yeah, which was awesome, but they don’t really do much toward the legalization of it. I’m trying to get involved with more things. They do the Boston Hemp Fest every year. I love to perform at that. The people over at NORML have been super-cool to me. They’ve played a few of my songs on their podcast. I wish I could be more involved in the cause, but until I’m more established as an artist, there’s not really a lot I can do financially. Right now, all I can do is make music for the cause and someday hopefully be able to do more. What have been some of your career highlights so far? You got to open for Blaze in California, I know. Yeah, those were awesome. I’d never opened a Psychopathic show before, so getting to do the two Blaze dates out in California was an honor. And it was a good time. Opening for Tech N9ne last year in Minneapolis, that was definitely a highlight moment for my career. I love Tech N9ne and what he does. Playing at the Gathering of the Juggalos (in 2007) was huge, especially for someone like me who’s been going for five years. And luckily they invited me back this year to play again. To me, that’s awesome. I get a lot of love from the juggalos, so it’s great that I get to go do that. Let’s see, last night all the Loonatix got a chance to open for Potluck and the Sub Noize Souljaz and DGAF, so I got to go up there and rock a show with those guys, which was a lot of fun. What was it like performing at Psychopathic Records’ Gathering of the Juggalos since you’d been there initially as a fan? It’s strange. I’d been going since 2003 as a straight-up fan. In 2004, I did the emcee contest, which was my first time onstage ever. And I totally biffed it. Then the next year I went as a fan and obviously knowing that I had this dream and I wanted to do this and still trying to get it together. And then all of the sudden it’s like the switch turned and all of a sudden I’m going to the Gathering and people are coming up to me, taking pictures with me, asking me to sign autographs and it’s like, ‘Oh, my God. This is craziness.’ It was a complete (180) from fan to artist. And I know this year is gonna blow last year out of the water. It’s a really good feeling. And of course I still go there as a fan and have a good time, but it is more work now than play! So you were performing at the same festival as Ying Yang Twins, ICP, Twiztid and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony last year. Oh, yeah, and some big bands have played there as well – Powerman 5000 and Mindless Self Indulgence, who I love – both of those bands. It’s a good time. It’s just going uphill and that’s all I can really ask for. Tell me about the look you’ve established for yourself with the green dreads and all. The way I dress is definitely 100 percent me. Sometimes I feel like I could step it up more, I could dress better. But right now I’m kind of living the scrub life, so I think I’m doing a pretty good job considering. I just like to be comfortable and I like to be me. When I originally got the dreads I was definitely going for the piece of weed kind of vibe. But I’m always trying to change it up. I have this look with the dreadfalls and people expect it, but who knows what the future holds. I definitely like to change up my look a lot. What can you tell me about your group, Imagine? Imagine is me and Professor Fresh. We’ve been working on a couple songs thus far. Because we’re both trying to get our solo albums out, it’s kind of taken a backseat. But we very much enjoy working with each other and I definitely feel like an album with us will definitely go places. It’s not too often that you see a guy-girl rap duo. And it’s not just rap. We’re definitely getting more into making just songs. I’m definitely excited about it and as soon as his solo album’s done and mine’s heavily underway, we’ll definitely get cracking and hopefully have that album available next year. PLC from Loonatix camp actually came in second in the Underground Psychos talent search Psychopathic held a while back. You entered the contest as well and that’s how you met them. Are Loonatix the main rappers out of Minnesota? Yeah, as far as the type of music we do, definitely. They hold it down. Here in Minnesota, there’s a lot of backpack rap. And because Atmosphere is from here, that’s a big scene too. It’s different, but Loonatix definitely hold down Minnesota as far as underground hip-hop goes. Is there much of a rap scene in Rhode Island now? It’s cool. Rhode Island’s just so small. Obviously, you’re near big cities. You’re near New York, you’re near Boston. And there’s definitely a lot more out there available to me than I previously thought. It’s cool with Kryptik and Lewn and Mastamindz – they’re really holding down the whole New England area. I love being back there and working with those guys. But I don’t know if it’s because it’s my home and I’m from there, but sometimes I feel like I just get stuck. Being somewhere that’s a little bit foreign and not so comfortable is more of a fire under my ass. Knowing I have to do this if I want to eat drives me. Making myself have to struggle helps me get things done. (Rhode Island) is not the best place to be for the music I do, but where is?! Any final thoughts? What else do you want people to know about ill e. gal? I just want people to know that I’m hungry, I’m driven, I have tons of ideas and I’m a hard worker. And I plan on doing whatever it takes to make my mark in this world. I feel like I’ve come such a long way since I’ve started. I had all these steps to climb to get where I’m at and I look back and I’ve done everything that I initially set out to do. I released an album, I’ve played big shows. So now it’s like a whole new list of steps. I’m just gonna keep grinding. People like it. People are definitely interested. And I hear it all the time – there’s not a lot of female emcees. And it’s so true. I feel like I can keep getting people’s attention and keep them interested and keep growing as a musician and as a writer and as an artist and just make it in this world basically.
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