Most hip-hop artists would kill simply to have Illus’ extensive catalog of albums and long list of impressive guests features, which include Blueprint, Apathy and Homeboy Sandman. For the veteran emcee, however, it’s only half of his story, as he’s also an accomplished comic book artist, having worked for Marvel, and he routinely turns his vinyl singles into unique pieces of artwork.
With songs that focus on everything from fatherhood, to finding superheroes in real life, Illus is currently working with HiPNOTT records on the follow up to his 2016 album, A Perfectly Imperfect Beautiful Naked Creation.
When it comes to his other artistic side, Illus recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign for a youth oriented graphic novel titled Punk Taco.
Myspace caught up with the emcee and comic book artist to find out more about music, his comic book creations, and the superpowers he’d love to have. Hop to the next page to read the full interview.
You make what I like to call hip-hop for grown folks. What moment, or event, can you point to as being the birth of the current version of Illus?
I’ve actually battled with depression for quite a bit, and around 2006-2007 I was at an extreme low, and I knew I needed a change. Part of that change was the music I created. I knew there were people that could relate to depression, and people who had it much worse, but I didn’t want to make music that romanticized it. I wanted to make music that would inspire people to fight it.
Personally, I needed this kind of music. I didn’t feel like anyone was making it for me, so I decided I was just going to make music for me that made me feel good.
During this time I also met my future wife, and fell in love, and knew that I had to work hard to be a better person. The music was part of the therapy.
At the same time I linked up with J.J. Brown, and we recorded “Beautiful Day.” I feel like that was the first song where I started to sound like the artist I wanted to be.
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of writing positive hip-hop that entire families can listen to?
Honestly, just that — knowing that hip-hop fans in their 40s are enjoying my music with their children, or that it is inspiring them to feel good themselves.
I’ve had so many people tell me that they appreciate my positive music, and that it has helped them through really difficult times, ranging from fighting their own depression, to losing a child.
Connecting with people, and hearing these stories, is humbling, and has inspired me, as well.
I’ve had fans my age raise their kids on my music, and now their kids are teenagers, growing up having been exposed to my words.
It’s extremely rewarding knowing my music has connected with generations.
You include some of your other passions in your music, most notably, comic books, and superheroes. Are we in need of more superheroes today, or are we simply not identifying many of the superheroes already out there?
Both.
I think there are a lot of inspiring, super, humans out there doing positive things, but there can always be more, and it would be great if the world promoted them, and held them up as role models the same way we idolize and romanticize the “bad guy.”
America always romanticizes the villains. It would be great if we started idolizing heroes, both real and fictional, more so.
If you could give yourself a superpower as a dad, as an emcee, and as a comic book artist/writer, what would each of those superpowers be, and why?
As a dad, I’d have the power of infinite energy, (including) strength, patience, and no need for sleep.
As an emcee, what I would really love is to be able to teleport anywhere in the world to perform for people. This way I wouldn’t have to ever be away from my family.
As a comic book artist/writer, the power to stop time all around me, and still do whatever I want. This way I could take my time, and get the work how I really want it.
Most artists struggle with deadlines, and feeling rushed, or even just that time goes by too quickly, and we can never get enough done, can never learn enough, or practice enough. I’d like to stop time all around me, and draw and write, and then get the work out to the people, and never even miss a beat.
Tell us about your current book project, Punk Taco. How’d you come up with the idea, and what’s it going to be about?
Punk Taco is a graphic novel/children’s book hybrid about a punk rocking/hip-hopping alien taco, and his band of misfits, who travel across the galaxy rocking out, and helping those in need.
He’s a fun-loving character I created with my five year old son, and we recently got the first book funded on Kickstarter. It will be available everywhere later this year.
The name of the character was originally conceived in a conversation with my nephews more than ten years ago. I brought it back up with my son one day. He cracked up laughing, and out of nowhere he proceeded to tell me who Punk Taco should be, who his friends are, his nemesis, and the world he lives in. So I took notes, refined some stories, and we worked on sketches together to create this great little wacky character that I hope everyone will love as much as we do.
In the first story, Punk Taco meets a lost refugee and they quickly become friends. Punk Taco vows to help him find his family, and the adventure begins.
Any chance you’ll be putting together a soundtrack for Punk Taco?
I really want to, but I have so little time right now, all my energy is first focused on the book. If it’s a success, and provides me with opportunities to do more, I would LOVE to do a soundtrack.
I’m hoping for an animated series, and a cool theme song that will go down as a classic, like the old Amazing Spiderman, or Underdog, theme songs.
For more profiles on up-and-coming artists, visit our Artist of the Day page.
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