Ill Bill 'The Hour of Reprisal' album

Fresh off of his successful 2 month North American tour in support of his critically acclaimed and fan-approved sophomore solo album The Hour Of Reprisal, ILL BILL is about to unleash quite possibly the most personal and creative project of his celebrated career: an uncompromising look at his relationship with one of the most influential individuals in the MC's life; his Uncle Howie. The video was directed by 23 year old Adam Calfee, who has also experienced the pain of addiction in his own family.

Bill explains "When I was a kid, I looked up to Howie. My parents split when I was little and my mom was at work all the time. My grandmother raised me and my uncle was always around. Now that I'm older, I know that he was a heroin addict with all kinds of severe issues but as a kid, I had no idea what heroin addiction was."

Those familiar with Bill's career are aware of Uncle Howie's presence in Bill's life. His record label is named after him, there's a ton of Uncle Howie merchandise out there and you may have even read about Howie in magazines such as Mass Appeal.

"Naming the label after him was a joke at first. It wasn't until much later that it took on a deeper meaning. It was my way of attaching something positive to a person who had a huge, positive impact on me" states the MC. Bill continues “He had the potential for greatness but ended up going down the wrong path. Me including him in my music is my way of giving back."

This incredible piece of animation is set to debut on YouTube today. ILL BILL concludes "I didn't even know if I was gonna put it on the record or not. I didn't want to embarrass him. I've never really gone that far... I never got that personal as far as my uncle goes. He loved it. He told me he'd be upset with me if I didn't put it on the record."

Ill Bill biography
The highly anticipated second solo album from Brooklyn's independent hip-hop kingpin ILL BILL is finally scheduled for release on the Uncle Howie/Fat Beats label. The former Non Phixion standout and current La Coka Nostra riot-starter has surgically crafted THE very album the hip-hop world has been missing and craving for far too long.

Whether holding it down alongside iconic MCs such as Raekwon the Chef and B-Real, or with their spiritual disciples Immortal Technique, Vinnie Paz and Necro, or masterminding stellar collaborations with the likes of the legendary Bad Brains and heavy metal thrashers Killswitch Engage, Bill confidently swaggers the line between genres with fellow visionaries DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, T-Ray, DJ Lethal and others behind the boards. Also, for the first time, a bulk of the production has been propelled by Bill himself.

Along with the exactly one hour long audio disc, comes a DVD of ILL BILL annihilating punk rock mecca CBGB, live and direct from the same stage once immortalized by the likes of The Ramones, Blondie, The New York Dolls and so many others. Additionally, the artwork for The Hour of Reprisal has been created by none other than Larry Carroll; the man behind numerous controversial album covers for the mighty Slayer, including their classic Reign In Blood.

Following up his recent 52 date support slot with Tech N9ne and Paul Wall, ILL BILL will head out on a lengthy North American headlining tour with Heltah Skeltah's Sean Price in tow, beginning September 11th and running until November 9th. The tour will include a performance at this year's We The People Festival in Los Angeles on September 27th, with artists such as RZA, Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello, Suicidal Tendencies, Fishbone, DJ Premier and many others.

old Ill Bill biography
The Hour of Reprisal features cover art by Larry Carroll, the man behind Slayer’s Reign In Blood, South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss, and Christ Illusion covers, and includes a BONUS DVD of ILL BILL’s wild set at the historic CBGB’s in its entirety!! The DVD also features a guided tour of every historic filthy inch of CBGB’s hosted by ILL BILL himself.

For The Hour of Reprisal, ILL BILL brought in the most special guests and friends including Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage), Max Cavalera (Soulfly/Sepultura), HR and Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains), Raekwon the Chef (Wu-Tang Clan), B-Real (Cypress Hill), Everlast (House of Pain), Necro, Immortal Technique, Vinnie Paz (Jedi Mind Tricks), Tech N9ne, and Slaine (La Coka Nostra), making the album an all-star display of rap and metal talent. The album also features several amazing producers including Necro, DJ Lethal, Muggs, T-Ray and, tracks by ILL BILL himself.

ILL BILL is the voice of disenfranchised youth without any gender, racial or cultural boundaries. He's pissed off about what affects him, as well as the world around him. That said, he even manages to apply his chaotic lyrical flow over hard, menacing tracks to a song called "Riya," about the birth of his first child earlier this year. There is truly no other rap artist alive quite like ILL BILL.

Be sure to check out The Hour of Reprisal, which streets September 11, and don’t miss ILL BILL on tour this August!!

ILL BILL with Kottonmouth Kings, Tech N9ne, and Hed(pe)
8/09 – New York, NY – Grand Ballroom at The Manhattan Center
8/10 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theater
8/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
8/12 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
8/13 – Norfolk, VA – The Norva Theatre

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Ill Bill - The Hour of Reprisal