Illa J spoke with Kiwibox Editor Steven about whether or not he's tired of people constantly comparing him to his older brother J. Dilla, if he plans on releasing a sequel to his debut album Yancey Boys, how he approached making an entire album out of his brother's beats, what he finds is the difference between living in Los Angeles and Detroit and what else we can expect from him in the near future.



If you can't see the embedded video, click here to watch it on Kiwibox TV.

Continue to Page 2 to read more about Illa J!




Following in the late J. Dilla's footsteps is a pretty daunting task. The producer/emcee essentially pioneered the soul-splattered hip-hop sound of Detroit, providing deeply affecting beats for everyone from Busta Rhymes ("Woo Ha") and Q-Tip ("Breathe and Stop," "Vivrant Thing") to Erykah Badu ("Didn't Cha Know") and Janet Jackson ("Got 'Til It's Gone"). On top of his extensive production work, Jay Dee (his rapping alias) also was lyrically nimble on the mic, releasing a joint album with fellow producer/emcee Madlib under the alias Jaylib and putting out a handful of cult classics like Ruff Draft EP and Welcome 2 Detroit. But when J. Dilla succumbed to complications in his fight against various ailments in early 2007, his younger brother Illa J almost immediately knew how to help J. Dilla's name live on. Instead of letting his brother's music remain relegated to history, Illa J decided to carry the torch from his older sibling, pursuing a career of his own based on the music of the fallen pioneer.

Inheriting the arsenal of instruments and studio equipment that J. Dilla used to create some of the most groundbreaking music of post-Daisy Age hip-hop, Illa J picked up and moved from Detroit to Los Angeles to craft his first album Yancey Boys, released on November 4, 2008 via Delicious Vinyl Records. The debut, an homage to his deceased brother, sees Illa J rapping over unreleased J. Dilla beats plucked from the Delicious Vinyl vaults, back from when Dilla was cranking out beats for DV owner Michael Ross. The result is a smooth soul-meets-jazz collection of thwacking grooves, topped by Illa J's velvet croons and whip-smart rhymes. In the wake of its release, Yancey Boys has racked up a smattering of glowing reviews and won over J. Dilla fans on the strength of the soul-dipped singles "We Here" and "R U Listenin" featuring Guilty Simpson. It's a tribute that not only establishes Illa J as a solo artist to be reckoned with, but it's an album that further enhances his brother's legacy, picking up right where J. Dilla left off.

And Illa J isn't the only one paying homage to J. Dilla. Since he passed away in early '06, J. Dilla has stayed on everyone's tongues in hip-hop, with artists like Erykah Badu, The Roots, Charles Hamilton and Termanology recording and releasing individual tracks or complete full-lengths that big up the legendary production wizard. Of course, none have been as active in keeping the memory of J. Dilla alive than his family, with Illa J and J. Dilla's mother establishing the J. Dilla Foundation in hopes of discovering a cure for lupus back in May '06. In fact, the brothers owe a lot more to their parents than just keeping Dilla's name alive. The boys grew up in a musical household, with their father playing the upright bass and piano while his mother excelled as a singer. As the boys grew up, they began to cultivate their love of music, with the much older J. Dilla getting his feet wet back in '95 producing for hip-hop outfit The Pharcyde while 10-year-old Illa J watched his brother's career take off. As time went on, Illa J realized that his calling was in music, too, and with no better reason than to big up his older bro, Illa J became the next Yancey boy to make a name for himself in the hip-hop scene.

Illa J's travels recently brought him to New York City where he was doing the press rounds to promote his debut Yancey Boys. After picking up a few LPs from some local record shops, Illa J stopped by the Kiwibox offices to talk about how and when he decided to build his brother's legacy by pursuing a career of his own. Sitting in our conference room, Illa J spoke with Kiwibox Editor Steven about whether or not he's tired of people constantly comparing him to his older brother, if he plans on releasing a sequel to his debut album, how he approached making an entire album out of his brother's beats, what he finds is the difference between living in Los Angeles and Detroit and what else we can expect from him in the near future.