|
Breaking both musical and geographic boundaries
the Portland, Maine based Ill Natural sound
is "Hip Hop Soul"; a seamless combination of
the dynamic energy of hip hop and the organic
root down voice of soul music. The result is
a sound that evokes and provokes - responds without
being reactionary, and moves asses. If this seems
contradictory, it shouldn't - but you should
get used to it. Real hip hop is coming out of
Maine.
That states reputation as a collection of hardscrabble
and headstrong individualists is reflected in
the groups unique sound and refusal to join in
the chorus of bullets and bitches music that
dominates rap . Most current hip hop is stuck
in the tar pit of hos and zeros, money and murder. Ill
Natural's music is a refreshing, and optimistic
return to a time when hip hop wasn't just sold
but shared.
"Our music is full of clever word play and rhythmic
rhyme patterns that entertain, expose, and educate. An
evolvement of Hip-Hop and R&B Soul. The
sound is nostalgic with a new edge to it.
Gem Jones
Comprised of MC's J Sizzor, Chicago's Gem Jones,
the aptly named chanteuse K-Soul, and DJ Newscreen,
the group has been tearing up shows as openers
for the likes of Ying Yang Twins, Snoop,
and Cassidy . Their first release solidly
established the quartet as torchbearers for the
lost true school of hip hop. Their latest, "Well
Worth The Wait" finds the group distilling
their sound to a 21 st century funk. From Mesmerized's stripped
down jungle backbeat, Lets Go's raucous
and amped up groove to Soul Pusher's future
pop, the album combines hip hop, soul and funk
effortlessly.
"The sound of our music is unlike anything that's
ever been heard before really. You
can tell who some of our influences
are in our music and hear some similarities
to those same artists but the makeup of our group
has never been done before so therefore our music
isn't really going to sound too much like anything
you've heard. It's hip hop soul taken to
a new level."
J Sizzor
For Ill Natural, positivity
means a lot more than just conscious music.
K-Soul has recently been recognized by The
Phoenix as one of Portland's most influential
women, and the group collectively founded the
3 on 3 Tournament - a yearly charity
drive that combines round robin tournament basketball
and live music. Raising awareness and money for
cancer research through the Jimmy V. Fund, the
event has proven a resounding success.
"The 3 on 3 Tourney started with a idea to give
back to the community by enjoying some of the
things we like to do, Basketball and music. It
was a great way to advertise as musical act and
help raise awareness for different charities
like the Jimmy V. fund. There are Djs spinning
during the games and later a free concert in
the same park. So far we have had 3
successful tourneys with over 35 teams and representation
from all over New England."
Gem Jones
Ill Natural straddles the worlds of soul and
hip hop, old school and new school, with an elegance
that makes it look easy. For them, dynamic is
not simply a description but a philosophy, conscious
is not just a mindset, but a call to real world
action. Ill Natural is not just two words but
four people, 3 MC's and one voice - well worth
the wait. |
