And we are back for another solid edition of WIB meets and on this one we get to chew the fat with the man called Typ-iLL. A very intelligent brother with a world wide perspective on things. Waste little time and get to the nitty gritty.

 

For the benefit of anyone who’s been living in an underground bunker for the past several years…who on earth are you?

On earth? Well on earth I go by I’m Typ iLL.

How did you get started in music, and what drives you to continue?

I got started in music by just enjoying writing rhymes. The professional side of it came much later in life.

Do you remember the first recording/song you ever made?

Absolutely. Casio Piano keyboard and a Talkboy (shouts to Macaulay Culkin). The ‘90s man.

If a movie about your life in music was to be made, what interesting/strange moments and stories would you share to make the movie cool?

That’s a cool question. Honestly, I would really have to think about it to make this movie dope. I would definitely use my experiences of writing music when I was overseas in Iraq. I would also use my time as a teenager living in Los Angeles for 4 years. Both major parts of who I am today.

Are there any other interesting facts about you that hardly anyone else knows?

I enjoy playing chess. I like to help people out any way that I can. I’m a member of the Veterans Advocacy.  Hmmm…I’m one semester away from receiving my bachelors in business. People tell me all the time that I should be more open about my accomplishments and hobbies, but Ive always kind of just did what I did and if it got out then so be it.

What is the greatest thing about working in the music industry? And what would you change if you had the opportunity?

The greatest thing about working in the music industry is meeting the people and bonding with artists, producers and deejays. I’m cool with a lot of people in the game but the ones who I truly connect with is a recipe for beautiful music. There are a few things that maybe I would like to have changed but as of now that’s not my place. I am grateful to even be in the circle of greats, and it’s my job to keep the culture moving forward!

Looking back, what have been the most important moments in your life so far?

That’s a pretty vast question. So many moments in my life that helped shape me. From being a father for the first time to serving proudly in the military.  Hanging out with legends in Hip-Hop and seeing how the greats move and operate. I am thankful to be where I am today.

What has been your biggest challenge…and how did you overcome it?

Some of my biggest challenges in life are still going on. But a few that I have overcame would be adjusting from my return from war. It took me several years to adapt to civilian life. The support of my family and friends kept me from going over board, and of course the men and women I served with. They were always there for me when I had to vent. It’s a tough pill to swallow when you spend years in an environment where your job is to fight and stay alive, literally. That’s the simple way to put it. It gets much deeper then that, but ill leave it at that for now. Other challenges is navigating through this music game. You really have to put your best foot forward and you don’t get too many chances to make an impact around other artists and people who are apart of this industry. I try to make a lasting impression and just stay focused and true.

Who are your heroes? Why do they rock your world?

I don’t have any specific heroes but any man or woman who works hard, stays true to themselves and their loved ones and is one for the people. A genuinely good person and citizen of the world is my hero. I also always thank anyone who has fought for this country. No matter the reason, it takes a brave person to do that, and even braver to come home and stick to their guns and adapt, even when there is so much BS from those in society who have no idea what it’s like to fight.

When you’re sitting on the porch age 97 what would you like to look back on and smile having achieved?

Im not sure yet, I have so much more to go. Just making it to 97 will be a blessing lol. I would say coming home from war in one piece. Being able to work with music greats like Statik Selektah, and being around and talking and learning from people such as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Buckwild…the list goes on.

What has been your strangest celebrity encounter?

Like I said, I lived in L.A. so I’ve met many celebrities. I remember one time when I was 13 I bumped into Arnold Scwarzenggar. His daughter went to the same dance school as my sister. So after their recital I saw him and approached him for an autograph. He said no at first but I told him I wasn’t going to stop bothering him until he did so. He said he didn’t have a piece of paper so I took a napkin out of my pocket and borrowed a pen from his security.  I think that was the beginning of my realization that I can accomplish a lot with persistence and confidence.

What are the greatest songs, albums, books, games, movies, TV shows, websites you’ve ever come across?

I am such a Nas fan. So I have his whole catalogue. I also am heavy into WW2 history, so Saving Private Ryan is in my top 3 favorite movies of all time as well as the board game ‘Axis & Allies’ that I used to play religiously with some of the homies. Instead of wilding out on a Saturday night, sometimes we would buy a bunch of 40s and blunts and just stay in and play that game. It’s kind of like ‘Risk’ on steroids. And Entourage is the only TV series that I ever watched from the very first to the last episode. Big fan of Wahlberg too.

Name 5 songs (yours excluded) that we would expect to find on your iPod or Music Player.

5 songs isn’t fair man lol. I got a lot of joints that are special to me. I don’t really listen to any songs unless they mean something to me. Never been one to listen to music just because the beat and hook is dope. I’ll name five albums that I know didn’t leave my cassette or CD player for at least six months.

• Dog Pound – Dog Food; That album was my best friend when living in Cali. I had to cop it again few months ago! (it’s currently in my Cadillac now…Crooked I, Statik and myself were just in Manhattan last week rolling around to it.)

• Jay Z – Blueprint

• Nas – Life is Good (Illmatic, too). Life is Good helped me stay focused and keep writing when my music career wasn’t treating me the way I wanted it to.  Nas has always been inspiration for me to keep pushing.

• Do or Die – Po Pimp

• And the last album would be a toss up between Gangstarr’s Moment of Truth, or Mobb Deep’s The infamous. I really used to ride deep with these.

*All these albums came at a time in my life that helped me get through some tough times growing up. Hip-Hop man…

Where can everyone reading this interview keep up with your adventures?

If you rock with me you can find me on all social media outlets…

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/typ_ill

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Typ_iLL

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TYPILLArtist

• Website: http://www.typill.com

Any final thoughts?

Im just appreciative of anyone who has supported me and all that. I am always working towards a better tomorrow and staying positive. And go check out my that Veterans Day LP produced entirely Statik Selektah. Another proud moment of my life—not only did I get a great project working with him, I also got a brother in the process. Thank you for having me fellas.  #Salute

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