Ill Bill-The Grimy Awards

Ill Bill-The Grimy Awards/Independent-(2013)

Artist: Ill Bill

Album: The Grimy Awards

Label: Independent  

Producers: artist, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Psycho Less, others

Brooklyn’s Ill Bill has paid his dues in the game dropping classics after classics with La Coka Nostra and Non Phixion. His first two solo albums have kept his name relevant to the hip hop world. After the four year hiatus, Ill Bill has returned with his third opus “The Grimy Awards.”

            The album cohesiveness is right up Ill Bill’s alley from his lyrical dexterity. In addition, he knows how to select beats that fit his rhyming style. The album starts off with a nicely smooth beat with the cuts and scratches on the self-produced “What does it all mean”. As the album flows along, this is where Ill Bill flexes his lyrical muscles. Tracks like “Acid Reflux”, the piano beat laced by Beatnuts Psycho Les on “How to Survive the Apocalypse” to Pete Rock’s assisted “Truth”, are examples in which there is no question that Ill Bill can hold the microphone on his own.  

            The guest appearances added spark towards the album. The hyperactive riot track “Vio-lence” featuring Lil Fame and Shabazz the Disciple brings the ruckus while the DJ Muggs assisted “Power” brings out the best out of the Ill Bill, O.C. and Cormega. Ill Bill commentates about his life in the streets on the Large Pro track “Carnarsie High” asking “are we learning how to live or how to die while Premo ends the album well with “World Premier” where he pays homage and reminisces about the 90’s rappers in the golden hip hop era.

This is a well packaged album in which Ill Bill brings the old 90’s feel back with sampled beats, scratches and phenomenal guest appearances. The rugged lyrical best fits Ill Bill according to beat production. When you have an album with the likes of Pete Rock, Large Pro and DJ Premier to name a few handling the production, of course it’s a win-win situation. However, this album only goes to the golden era hip hop fans that miss the true essence of the art form while many fans will feel lost. It’s frustrating when a completed album like this doesn’t satisfy everyone’s taste; it isn’t for everybody. Then again, Ill Bill doesn’t mind as long as he makes quality music that transcends to generations, not a quick fix track that lasts a couple of months.

             Strong Tracks: “Acid Reflux”, “Power”, “Carnarsie High”, “World Premier”

            Weak Tracks:  None

            Rating:out of