ILLASOUL ENTERTAINMENT presents "The Life of a Musician"

PinBoard Exclusive: Illa J Interview

2009-08-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

In his first ever UK interview, PinBoard sat down with the next roughest diamond in the Yancey crown…Illa J.

He tells us about his debut album Yancey Boys, artistry, reminisces on Slum Village as a child and speaks sincerely on his brother J Dilla, coming out of his shadow & aiming to prove he is an artist in his own right while still honoring family.

Featuring live footage of classic joints from Yancey Boys, Dilla & SV tracks from his debut London gig at Bar Rumba on July 23rd.

Props to PinBoard for putting this together so well. They did an amazing job! Check out their other exclusive interviews at: pinboardblog.com

Delicious Donuts Preview feat. Frank Nitt, Illa J, & J-Heart @ Root Down LA 7/30/09

2009-08-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone that came out & supported! Much love ya'll!
This is just a preview of what's to come on the Delicious Donuts Tour.
Get ready!!!

ILLA J speaks on Michael Jackson & his musical legacy

2009-07-01T23:00:00.001-07:00

History in the making! Illa J in the space lab w/ DJ Quik, Terrace Martin, & Frank Nitt

2009-06-11T12:33:00.001-07:00

DJ Quik & Terrace Martin visit Illa J & Frank Nitt @ Yancey Boy Studios

Check out DJ Quik paying his respects to Dilla...

Illa J Blog 5 -12-2009

2009-05-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

Sounds like Love

2009-05-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

Get your third eye open

2009-05-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

Smoking, Meditating to this is actually uplifting

These sounds trip me out. I understand the grind is hard and we all need to come back to a place of solitude. Everyday take time out for you and become centered so that you can be functional. Keep grinding and shining. Burn out is a killer. Peace. Enjoy, T

Who got Chicken?

2009-05-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

Oprah bought KFC for the whole country. Act fast cause it's only good for the next 24 hours. Thanks Oprah!

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090430-tows-kfc-coupon-download

Terminator Salvation - Official Trailer

2009-04-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of dope movies coming out this summer. One flick in particular, The Terminator. I am really into action movies. Probably one of my favorite movie series. Comes out May 22. Check out the trailer.
Peace out - Illa J
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puAxrOTqtr4

Another movie coming out May 22 is Dance Flick. I know that movie is going to be funny as hell so I'm definitely going to check that out. Shout out to my boy Affion!

James Brown Michael Jackson and Prince

2009-04-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

Check this vid out. I aspire to be like James one day.

Illa J Blog 4-21-09

2009-04-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

ILLA J NBA Blog on HipHopGame.com

2009-04-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

What up peoples,

Illa J will be blogging about the NBA playoffs twice a week on HipHopGame.com. 1st entry will be up last week of April. Stay linked and get the latest insights. Check it out: http://www.HipHopGame.com (search Illa J blog).

Illa J Blog 4-16-2009

2009-04-16T15:04:00.001-07:00

Russell Simmons presents "Brave New Voices"

2009-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Young poets from across America take the spotlight in the exclusive seven-part HBO series RUSSELL SIMMONS PRESENTS BRAVE NEW VOICES. Narrated by Queen Latifah, the show follows six promising teams from New York, San Francisco, Ft. Lauderdale, Ann Arbor, Hawaii and Philadelphia as they prepare for a chance to compete at the 2009 Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry Slam Championship in Washington, D.C. Goes to show the POWER in our voices. This will be an incredible show. Peace - Tiana

To watch the trailer and meet some of the poets featured in the show click here: http://www.hbo.com/bravenewvoices/index.html

Brave New Voices on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brave-New-Voices-on-HBO/52859334233

Don’t miss the premiere of HBO’s new late night series when Brave New Voices premieres Sunday, April 5th at 11pm ET/PT

2009 Rock The Bells Line Up

2009-04-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

ROCK THE BELLS 2009 is almost here!!! This year's line up is crazy (as always)! Check times & locations for this year's tour dates. Guerilla Union/Myspace: Rock The Bells 2009 Lineup Freestyle

Illa J Blog 4-09-2009

2009-04-09T17:28:00.001-07:00

Behind the scenes at Frank Nitt's "Love" shoot

2009-04-09T16:35:00.001-07:00

Illa J's "Sounds Like Love" video coming soon

2009-04-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures taken for the "Sounds Like Love" 12 inch. Top 2 photos taken by Dina Juntila. Video coming very soon.

Also, the premiere of the "Love" Video by Frank Nitt & DJ Quik produced by Terrace Martin will be coming soon. Stay Tuned.

Two funny movies coming soon to a theater near you...

2009-04-03T17:46:00.001-07:00

Wayans Bros. are literally family over here and I'm excited to see their new movie set to be released May 22, 2009. I want to congratulate Damien Wayans on his making this his first directorial debut. This flick is written by Keenen, Marlon, Shawn, Damien and Craig Wayans. Congrats to lil Damon as lead. The film is a spoof of popular musical and dance films that include Save the Last Dance, Hairspray, Step Up, How She Move, You Got Served, Flashdance and High School Musical. Shout outs to Erik Willis and Dwayne Wayans on the music scores and Shane Miller in production. The cast has so many hilarious actors and actresses. A few to mention is David Allen Grier, Marlon Wayans that plays Mr. Moody (oh Lord just wait till you see his character), Howard Alonzo, Affion Crockett who plays A Con and Craig Wayans who plays Truck. The whole damn family is up in this flick. This is definitely a Wayan's affair. Keep a look out for it! Peace - Tiana

Another funny movie to look out for is Frankenhood coming May 5th. Starring DeRay Davis, Charlie Murphy, Bob Sapp and many more. Special shout out to my boy Eugene Long co-starring. Trailer coming soon.

Illa J Blog 4-1-09

2009-04-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Shout out to Nick at Diamond Supply Skateboard shop off Fairfax Blvd, Los Angeles. Cool cat, check out his myspace page at www.myspace.com/nickavelli

Q Tip Spinning at Santos NYC

2009-04-01T21:35:00.001-07:00

Illa J - Gas'd Love is Real

2009-03-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Illa J - GAS'D LOVE IS REAL from GAS'D on Vimeo.
www.myspace.com/imaniwaddy

NBA MVP discussion between Illa J & Frank Nitty

2009-03-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

Illa J & Frank Nitty talks about who should be the NBA MVP...

De La Soul at the Key Club

2009-03-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Chillin with De La at the Key Club in LA last Thursday night. The energy was electric. As you can see, the crowd was so hype. They straight killed it 4 real!!! Special shout-out to Pos aka Plug One. One of the nicest, humblest people you'll meet.

Plug One

De La Soul "Much More" & "Stakes Is High" LIVE

At Illa J's Photo Shoot for Next Single "Sounds Like Love"

2009-03-10T20:32:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful sunny day here in Hollywood, California. The Illasoul crew were hanging out at Illa J's photo shoot for his upcoming single "Sounds Like Love" featuring Debi Nova. A lot of exciting things are happening over here in Floss Angeles lol. Stay tuned & stay linked with us. illasoul.blogspot.com. Tell a friend. Peace - Tiana

New Blog

2009-03-05T22:43:00.000-08:00

Illa J, 2dopeboyz, Delicious Vinyl, and Audible Treats Invite all Aspiring Emcees To Enter the "Illa J Remix Contest”

2009-03-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the recent release of the instrumental version of Illa J's highly acclaimed album Yancey Boys, we are proud to bring you the "Illa J Remix Contest." After downloading the hook-included instrumental versions of "R U Listening" and "Showtime,” contestants will have two weeks to rap their best verses based around the concept of Illa J’s hooks, and submit their versions of the songs to be judged by Illa J and his label, Delicious Vinyl. Two winners will have their submissions released by Delicious Vinyl as digital singles for free download AND they will also receive a 16 bar verse from Illa J for inclusion on their own personal projects.

Got the skills to hang with the Yancey Boys? You’ve got 2 weeks.

To view rules and to enter, please visit: http://2dopeboyz.com/2009/03/04/a-2dope-illa-jj-dilla-contest/

Timeless - A Suite for Ma Dukes

2009-03-04T02:44:00.000-08:00

There are really no words to describe this night. It was magical. If you were there, you know exactly what I'm talking about. We were very fortunate to experience history in the making. To hear Dilla's music played through this 40-piece orchestra gave us an experience that we've never heard or felt before. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and his 40-piece orchestra managed to set the entire Luckman Fine Arts Plaza afloat with "Timeless: Suite for Ma Dukes." Special thanks to Ma Dukes & all the special guests who performed & were a part of this "timeless" event.

Nightlife...Songs in the Key of "D" (Dilla edition)

2009-02-21T00:42:00.000-08:00

I know it's a little late, but here is a recap of February 14th, Valentine's Day 2009. This wasn't just a special evening because it was "Love Day," but because this was an evening in which hundreds of people came together in honor of James Yancey aka J Dilla. Whether or not you shared this day with your girlfriend, boyfriend or lover, everybody celebrated their love for Dilla's music & his legacy. If you were in Los Angeles and went to Nightlife last Saturday, then you know what I'm talking about. Just to see the long line outside of the Echoplex (the new location for the Beat Junkies' Nightlife), which was wrapped around the building, caused so much excitement in everybody. Love was definitely in the air. Special thanks to the Beat Junkies for making this night possible - shout-out to Rhettmatic, J.Rocc, Babu, Mr. Choc who killed it on the tables! Special shout-out to Affion who came thru & performed "DFTF" with Illa J. Also, thanks to everyone who made a donation to Ma Dukes. Here are some pics and footage from last Saturday. It was definitely a special & memorable night. Enjoy! - Tiana

Now this one is for the ladies who didn't have anybody to hold and kiss that night. It's all good, Illa J has a special song just for you ;)

Timeless - A Suite for Ma Dukes

2009-02-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

If you are here in Los Angeles this Sunday, February 22nd and planning on making it an Oscar evening, you should probably think twice. I promise you, you do not want to miss "Timeless - A Suite for Ma Dukes." If you are a Dilla fan or a connoisseur of good music, you'll definitely want to be a part of this musically historic event.
Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson will pay tribute to the late, great J Dilla by interpreting his music with a 40-piece orchestra. Their EP, "A Suite for Ma Dukes" has recently been released and will be performed live for the first time.
There will be opening sets by DJ House Shoes (www.myspace.com/djhouseshoes) and J.Rocc
(www.myspace.com/funkypresident). Plus some very special guests will be in the house.
*for more info please visit: www. vtechphones. com/timeless
*Presale Tickets Available @ TICKETMASTER. COM and The Luckman Box Office +1 323 343 6600

Illa J @ Amoeba Records in Los Angeles

2009-02-17T21:58:00.000-08:00

Last week, on February 11th, Illa J had an in-store & performance at Amoeba Records in Hollywood, CA. The turnout was incredible. Much love to everyone that came out that evening. Special thanks to Debi Nova who made a surprise guest visit. The duo performed "Sounds like Love," which is the next single off the "Yancey Boys" album. A big shout-out to Jeff Weiss, who wrote a great in-depth article of Illa J which can be found on LAWeekly.com. Copy & paste the link:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/play/weiss/live-at-amoeba-records-illa-j/

Thank you J Dilla

2009-02-11T00:33:00.000-08:00

There were thousands of Dilla tributes in honor of James Yancey aka J Dilla across the globe this week in celebration of his life and legacy. James Yancey was born February 7, 1974 and passed February 10, 2006.

I'm sure the angels in the heavens also had their hands up every time they heard "Raise it Up" across the globe.

Dilla has made such a huge impact on so many people. I wouldn't be surprised if they made his birthday a national holiday.

We celebrate a man who not only was the most gifted & talented producer of all time, J Dilla was the perfect example of someone who lived out their purpose to the fullest. He was a messenger. As if God lent him to us to bring people together. Dilla was unselfish with his gifts and gave each and every one of us a piece of his heart through his music. His love and passion for his craft inspired so many and literally changed people's lives.

May we all lead a life that brings inspiration and change. Thank you J Dilla. R.I.P.

- Tiana

SF J Dilla Tribute & Illa J Record Release Party

2009-02-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

Last Friday's show in San Francisco was the shit!!!

The energy was crazy & all the peeps showed so much love.

Big shout-out to Noah, Tommy, G-Wrex, Sake 1, Fran Boogie for

putting this event together. & as always, Rhett killed it!

Thanks for the love & support. Can't wait to go back to the Bay.

Official LA Record Release Party @ The Rootdown

2009-01-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

Rootdown at the Little Temple was the official record release party for the "Yancey Boys" album. Thank you to all that came out. We had a "fantastic" time.

First Video Blog from the studio

2009-01-27T15:47:00.001-08:00

What Up Y'all!!!

2009-01-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new era...
It's time to step our game up...so while you're on your journey, keep this in mind.

Preparation + Opportunity = Success. In basketball terms, shooting that game winning shot over and over in practice, so that when the opportunity arises in a real game situation, in the 4th quarter with 3 seconds on the clock, you are prepared to deliver...swish...all net.

January 7th, 2009

2009-01-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

What up everyone! If you don't already know, this is Illa J. I'm a songwriter from Detroit, Michigan living out in Cali. First of all, just wanna say "Happy New Year!" I know everybody is making their New Year's resolutions. I feel you. I'm working on taking my game to the next level too. This might help you on your journey...I read this quote from Steven Sondheim." Having just the vision is no solution. Everything depends on execution." You got the playbook, now it's time to execute the plays. Well, I'm about to get back on my grind. Peace out!