Описание
Delgis Jose Mustafa was born to Dominican and Lebanese parents in the province of Jarabacoa in the Dominican Republic. His honest and passion filled songwriting over eclectic and emotive music has gained him a strong and loyal following and coverage on media outlets like Fader, MTV 2, The Source, XXL, Vibe, BBC Radio, and Eminem's Shade 45 radio on Sirius XM amongst others.
"My biggest influences have always been artists like Nas, Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, Jay-Z, and Tupac but as I got older I began to find a lot of inspiration in artists like The Smashing Pumpkins, Weekend Players, Bon Iver and Radiohead. This, coupled with my love for film, has had a big impact on my overall sound."
His mixtape The Pursuit LP, released in 2009 to extremely favorable reviews, is what set it all off. "That project is so important to me. It's what gave me wings in a way. It's what made me believe that I can really do this." DJ Booth said of the project, "Fans and skeptics alike will hear a wide range of emotion, depth of character, and full spectrum of what Hip-Hop music can be."
Since then he has gone on to release three other mix tapes. All of which served to solidify his unique sound. He released all of these projects under the name 'The ILLZ'. Early in 2013 he realized that a change was necessary. "All of my life I've felt like I've been searching for my true identity. Using the name 'The ILLZ' was my way of articulating that struggle. Doubt, insecurities, and the lack of self-discovery is why I hid behind that moniker. Releasing music under my true name is so meaningful to me. It's an outward sign of an inward triumph."
Not afraid to share his beliefs he credits all of this inner strength and freedom on his Christian beliefs. "I believe in Christianity because it's true and in this truth is where I finally found my true identity. The purpose of my music is that of my life, to glorify God and help others."
2014 is set to be a big year for Delgis. At last he is set to release his first commercial project. To Know Your Place in The Universe is a reworking of his most powerful work to date. Songs like "Dreams of a Life", "Energy in Motion" and "The Sun Doesn't Know It's a Star" depict the internal struggle between confidence and self doubt. While records like "M.P.A. (My Public Apology)" and "November Sky" speak to the tough choices and sacrifices made by those chasing their dreams.
"It's amazing how these records have impacted people. The fact that any life has been positively affected by this music is huge to me. We wanted to take these songs that are composed entirely of samples and create our own sound around them. So in essence all these songs have been demos up to this point and we want to give them not new life but true life. We're on the ground floor now and I truly believe we're on a mission to get this music out to the world. So many people still need to hear this."
DISCOGRAPHY
MIXTAPES/DEMOS
- This is...(The W.C.A Sessions EP)
- The Pursuit LP
- The In Between Video Series
- :03 From Gold
- ILLZSENTIALS: The Essential ILLZ Collection
- The Darkest Hour
