The ILLZ Gets “Faded” Among Other Things In His New Video

Ahh, the power of a well put together music video. For the visuals to his song "Faded," New Jersey rapper The ILLZ went all out. We're talking murder, a botched robbery, and even a whimsical snow scene. But you've got to give it to the guy, the end result makes for quite the interesting short film/music video. See more...

The ILLZ Wants “To Know Your Place in the Universe” (Premiere Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 02/10/11 | Filed under Downloads, Underground, The ILLZ

If we've come to expect anything from My City vet The ILLZ it's the unexpected, so it shouldn't be surprising in the least to learn that his new lead single, the haunting "To Know Your Place in the Universe", isn't quite like anything I've ever heard before. And believe me, I've heard a lot. Premiere listen and download....

The ILLZ Says “Cover Me (I’m Going In)” (Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 09/15/10 | Filed under Downloads, The ILLZ

My City veteran and "In Between" creator The ILLZ (remember the caps when you spell the damn name) just dropped a new record, Cover Me (I'm Going In), and it's a poetic banger built around a sample of...wait for it...La Roux's "In for the Kill". Although their live show leaves something to be desired, producer ILL Tal proves that in the right context Roux is an unexpectedly fresh source for hip-hop samples. Listen and download...

The ILLZ Gets Visual on “In Between Video Series” Free Album (Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 08/24/10 | Filed under Downloads, Mixtapes, The ILLZ

Most artists would drop an album and then go back and film videos, but the always eclectic My City vet The ILLZ is not most artists. For the past few weeks ILLZ has been dropping flick after flick, some of which were featured in our Video Wraps, and now he's dropping the audio accompaniment to that visual feast with his somewhat confusing titled new mixtape/album/mixalbum "In Between Video Series". Listen and download...

My City: The ILLZ - DR, Jersey and All Points In Between (Exclusive Interview)

Posted by Nathan S. on 08/06/10 | Filed under Features, My City, The ILLZ

The ILLZ (make sure you use all caps when you spell the man's name) makes some of the more original you're going to hear; where does the New Jersey representer's unique style come from? Is it innate, or the product of his environment? Nature or nurture? I thought I'd ask the man himself and invite him to join our My City series. See more...

The ILLZ Gives Us a Glimpse of “The Moment You Feel Definite Hope” on New Video

Posted by Richard on 04/14/10 | Filed under Video, The ILLZ

Unpredictable but always insightful Jersey native The ILLZ gets serious on the first official video off his highly-acclaimed The Pursuit LP, for a track with the intriguingly wordy title "The Moment You Feel Definite Hope" The Kristopher Rey-Talley-directed video sees the artist wandering the streets of NYC's SoHo/Little Italy. In true hip-hop fashion, it was shot in one hour with no closed sets and no permits. Watch...

Maybe The Illz is Just “Faded” (Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 11/17/09 | Filed under Downloads, The ILLZ

You never know what to expect with a The Illz track, unless you expect the unexpected. I've heard Illz flow over Radiohead samples and spit aptly ill freestyles, and his new track "Faded" is an a predictably unpredictably cut that seamlessly mixes fearlessly honest and vulnerable lyrics with a hard-laced delivery and vocal samples from Beth Orton's folk-rock cut "Stars All Seem to Weep." See more to listen and download...

The ILLZ Gets Ill on “Melfi” (Listen and Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 10/05/09 | Filed under Downloads, The ILLZ

Regular readers of these pages know RefinedHype values originality above everything else, and that's why I've had my ear on The ILLZ for a minute. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey, ILLZ is breaking boundaries in ways that even your average boundary breaker wouldn't dream of. Check out his new track "Melfi" off his upcoming EP "The Pursuit."