We got some exclusive interviews from a show that went down in Oslo a little while back, the first part of these interviews is with none other than J-Dilla's brother...Illa Jay. Next up we got Aloe Blacc followed by Exile & DJ House Shoes. Illa Jay Interview With Andres Reyes
Illa Jay, can you just give an introduction to yourself
Illa Jay: Illa Jay, Detroit Michigan. I represent the Yancey Boy legacy, the Dilla legacy. On the real, Im keeping this legacy going, and thats just the real. Do you feel its important to do so?
Illa Jay: Yeah, I feel like its real important. Just for the fact that people need to know the truth, like alotta people back home, just on the real they dont know the deal and when you come out here, they know the deal. Im not saying this necessarily because hes my blood, just on real shit, hes the king of that shit, of the beats. They need to recognize How long have you been doing music? I guess in general and professionally.
Illa Jay: In general musics been around since I was born. My moms and my pops are both jazz vocalists. Also my dad placed upright bass, he produces and writes songs. My mom she studied opera and also was a jazz vocalist. Alotta people in my family are songwriters and musicians and music composers, so its always been around. Then my brother ca me in and took it to another level. Damn, I didnt realize your family was that musical; I mean obviously I know about your brother
Illa Jay: Yeah, its literally in the blood. As far as me making it myself though, a year ago this time is when I started honestly making music, as far as making my own. I had always wanted to do it, but at a younger age other peoples other opinions are real important to you and being that my brother was so successful, that was a lot of pressure for me. But as I got older, I was like man, fuck other people. Honestly, people are always gonna have something to say, you cant impress everybody with your music. At the end of the day, they not paying my bills, and also at the end of the day, music, not only is it natural and is in my blood, but its something that I love and I have a strong passion for, that will always be there. I would rather be broke and genuinely happy than stacking and miserable. This music shit to me, honestly, its not really about the hustle shit. I love music that much that I would literally dedicate my whole life to my music, I love it, its my gift and Imma use it to the fullest, and thats just the real.
Damn.
Illa Jay: laughs
Where you always doing both (producing & MCing)
Illa Jay: Well, actually I recorded a joint with my brother when I was like 13 so Id always been writing, but I would say I really got serious as far as the rhymes in, Id say, about sophomore year of high school. Last year around this time I recorded my first music, I play bass guitar, I recorded my bass guitar and I had a little keyboard at that time, recording stuff. As far as making my first beats though, it was at my boy House Shoes crib in L.A. I moved to L.A. too but he moved out there before I did. I would stay at Commons house, but on the weekends I would go by Shoes house, and he would let me just take over the MP, I started making like 15, 20 beats a day, the first two days from I made like 60 beats that weekend from Saturday to Sunday. It was just there in me, he showed me the basics and shit, but I just got on there and bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. I aint go to sleep, I just kept making shit. It went from there on.
You know people are gonna make that comparison between you and your brother, how do you deal with that?
Illa Jay: I just respond to that like, J Dilla was J Dilla, there will never be another Jay Dilla. Bam, Illa Jay is Illa Jay, but dont get it twisted, I got so much influence from my brother, its hard not to especially when at my disposal I got like a million Dilla beats so of course theres gonna be a lot of influenced, but there was only one James DeWitt Yancey, Jay Dilla, Jay Dee, Dill Withers, and there will only be one. Thats how I answer that.
Have you released anything? Has anything got out yet?
Illa Jay: No, not yet. On this tour, I made an EP for this tour; like seven joints that Im selling on the tour. Its pretty much some raw shit.
Self produced?
Illa Jay: Yeah, my brother did one track. Just straight up choppin up stuff, all the beats on that, with the exception of my brothers beat. It speaks for itself. Im working on my album right now. When I get back, I go on tour with Phat Kat and Slum Village, the Carte Blanche Tour. I probably wont get back from that till like June, but after that is when Im really working on the album. Im messing with Exile on the beats, Nottz, of course theres gonna be a couple of Dilla joints. As far as MCs its gonna be Phat Kat, Guilty, you know I gotta fuck with Black Milk. I might fuck with Black Thought.
Oh shit. Is it just in the beginning stages right now?
Illa Jay: yeah, Im pretty much in the recording phase right now. Just banging out joints and then after I do so many then thats when I get into the picking phase and putting them together. Im just recording now. How would you describe your sound?
Illa Jay: I would say, um, of course its gonna be influenced by, like I said, my brother. You cant help that. Its just like real I dunno, its hard to explain. I change up all time, like even with my beat CDs.
What feeling do you get from your music, or what kind of feeling do you want it to give?
Illa Jay: Just real street shit, as with every Detroit artists. Theres just something about the city that comes out, its just so grimy. Like how the city is doing economically, jobs leaving, schools closing. Visually, liquor stores on every corner.
Real Grimy
Illa Jay: Yeah, its real grimy. All that comes out through my music, as with any Detroit artist. Its just that Motown shit.
I read on your MySpace that you and Frank-n-Dank are doing this Cakeboys shit, you guys together as a group. Is that still happening?
Illa Jay: Yeah, right now its kinda on hold because Im not in touch with them. Theyre in Toronto and shit. Most definetly my album will be out first, but its still going on. Theres so much shit going on right now, actually Im doing, like me and Phat Kat, were doing 2nd down.
Oh shit! Is that gonna be you on the beats?
Illa Jay: Yeah, me on the beats. Im excited about that. He hit me up about that, and coming from someone I look up to, that means a lot. I would give him beat CDs and every time I gave him one, there would be like 50 joints on there and he would always pick at least like 6 or 7. He ended up just hitting me up, someone mentioned to him on MySpace about doing a 2nd down, and he hit me up like, yo, why dont me and you just do 2nd down and you produce it? I was like fo sho. I figured that anyways, because every beattape I gave him he picked like 6 or 7 joints, I might as well do the whole album anyways.
And thats gonna be a full album?
Illa Jay: Yeah, a full album.
Hows the tour been? Is this the first time youve been on tour?
Illa Jay: yeah, this is actually my first official tour, actually my first time in Europe too, so both at the same time.
How do you like Europe?
Illa Jay: I love it over here. Well first of all, I always wanted to travel so its nice to see a whole different side of the world, because it is a whole different world. As far as some cities, places are just way more laid back, like Amsterdam. Im just at the cofeeshop just smoking, like some regular shit.
Like nothing right?
Illa Jay: yeah, its crazy.
Vice magazine chick: Dont you think the windows are also strange in Amsterdam?
Illa Jay: as far as like the ladies in the windows? You mean the red light district shit? Yeah thats kinda crazy, people walking around with their kids and shit, posing.
What about the shows? How do you like performing live in front of European crowds?
Illa Jay: First of all, just their response to my brothers music, Im not gonna front we get love at home, but here they show so much more love and they appreciate it. I think back home, especially in Detroit, we spoiled with so many good musicians that when a real, real good one comes around, they dont appreciate it. We bring it over here and they appreciate that real shit. They show so much love, all the shows. All of them, weve had pretty good crowds at all of them but even places where the crowd may not have been as large, still the majority of them still been showing mad love. Its been dope.
How is it touring with House Shoes?
Illa Jay: Honestly, I might not even be out here right now if it wasnt for House Shoes. He stepped up forreal, like after my brother died, he stepped up as my big brother on some real shit. As far as my first hip hop performance, I mean Ive done choir and talent shows and shit, but as far as my first hip hop performance, House Shoes had a night in Detroit called Northern Lights, where he pretty much kept the Detroit hip hop scene going. That was the first spot I rocked at. Guerilla Funk Mob was there, they were doing a tribute for my brother. One of the cats from Guerilla Funk Mob was basically like, would you mind doing some of your brothers songs while we play them live, and we ended up doing a real good show. It was dope. That was the first place I rocked. Is there anything else you wanna say before we peace out.
Illa Jay: Get ready; we got some fire in Detroit. Guilty Simpson, we got mad shit coming out. I aint gonna lie, I got some shit too, I got some fire thats coming. Detroit is on the up move, watch out. Shout out to Aloe. It went from a small talk, we were just small talking, and he got on that shit and made it happen, I really appreciate that shit. Shout to Shoes, like I said if it werent for him I wouldnt be out here, thats my DJ. Dont get it twisted, even if you see me at a show and another DJ got my back, House Shoes is my official DJ, dont get it twisted. Shout out to Exile, on the real he got some amazing beats.
Thank you, forreal, thanks for letting me do this with you guys.