Today we’d like to introduce you to iLLy We$tSide.
Hi iLLy, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I became interested in music at an early age, if I can remember correctly, it was 4th grade. My eldest brother came home with the Nas ‘It Was Written’ album and a burned disc with his own music on it. After that, I started writing my own raps and thinking of my first ever rap name. At first, I could not keep a beat or even clap to it. I had to find my rhythm first, but my writing was always sharp. Eventually, I started to perform my raps to my class for presentations.
Growing up I never deviated from my dream. I did play sports and eventually get involved with street activities and bad influences. But neither of these forces swayed me from my goal. I always in studios, recording music that I would share with my peers. It helped that I attended three different high schools during my run. It allowed me to reach different fan bases easily and at a high clip.
I was never a good student so I played sports in hopes to attend a really good college and keep the fire going. I eventually graduated high school with no major opportunities for a prestigious school. I settled for community college at Miramar but took classes at each school so I could again utilize different networks all at once. During this time, I lost my grandmother to cancer, became homeless, lost my job, dropped out of college for about a year, and lived in a bucket suburban with my recovering mother.
It was one of few pivotal moments where my back was to the wall and the vision of my goal was becoming dim and clouded. I was no longer able to afford to chase my dream. I was dead broke. I was blessed with some income from family and from there made key investments that helped me secure a job. From there I built back up, got back in the studio, back in the zone. During the rising, I had to part with all my old music. It was lost in my grandma’s old house. All the memories were gone, I had to create something new. I donned a new rap name, iLL Thought, which later became iLLy We$tSide, and began the We$tSide album series that detailed everything from after my grandmother’s passing.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I was always an underdog. Mainly because I am just a naturally shy person unless I am in my mode. But it was very difficult to enter that zone without outside forces being the catalyst to activate this. It took a lot of belief in myself and really battling the fear of rejection for me to access that myself. Embodying myself as the rap artist I always dreamed of took me a while but once I did, I felt like I had a gravitational pull on those around me.
This dream was never cheap. I was lucky in high school to have met music mentors who owned studios in their house. They would help me sharpen my sound and precision with my flow. Occasionally, they’d let me record tracks. And it was all free, cause it was for the love. They blessed me with some chances to perform at spots that were 18 and up, and then kick me out right after the performance. That was always funny to me, but it was dope every time.
Outside of high school and having to do everything myself was never easy. I had to balance my priorities and most times after everything was said and done, I was living paycheck to paycheck in order to keep a roof over my head, wheels on my feet, something to eat, and make enough time to do at least 1-4 songs a month. Whatever money I had tucked for music I had to make choices. If I was going to record a song this paycheck, or promote the song, do a video, do a show? I was moving really slow, but I was moving.
Setbacks is probably the last and most frequent of all my hurdles. Anything in life can just happen where it stretches your funds, or even leaves you broke. I’ve gone broke at least twice already trying to do this. I’ve been fired from a lot of jobs because of me calling out or coming in late because I had to make choices whether or not I’m going to take advantage of an opportunity or just skip it and stay solid for work.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I make music. I would never limit myself to just hip hop. But I am first and foremost, a hip-hop recording and performing artist. I am able to compose lyrics and instrumentation, as well as audio engineering. Poetry is my heart and I display in the simple and complex forms through my music. My sound is not limited, as I have worked artists from different genres and different regions. I specialize in west coast music. My personal sound is a remix of G funk/Gangster rap with R&B and Boom Bap. This gives my listeners the vibes of California and everything that comes with it.
I’m known for upbeat, inspiring, and body-moving music. The energy I emit is tough to match, but it is also welcoming. Not only my music, but even myself is enough to start a dance floor. My music is fun to make, fun to dance to, and gets you going.
What were you like growing up?
I was always funny but still shy. I would like to think of myself as someone who was always down, if you rock with me, I rock with you ‘til the wheels fall off. It sounds weird but as much as I was shy, I was just as outgoing. I did get into a lot of fights all throughout elementary and middle school. Not so much in high school because I would never wish to risk my sports unless it was outside of school.
I’ve always dreamed of being one of the best rappers. Accolades, sales, social impact, I dreamed of being a leader. Because of this, I was always in a group, and in that group was either the leader or close to it. I was able to make decisions, keep promises, and walk my talk.
On the inside, I always battle myself. I feel like it is my mind against my spirit. There are two strong opposing forces that clash and either makes me shy and reserved or the magnetic extrovert. I would like to say my glass is always half full. I have always loved video games, anime, sports like football, track & field, martial arts, soccer, and basketball.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illy.west.side/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illyescobar
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hiphophead1904
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/illywestside
