Illamadi - Duppy Your Disco

In 2003, his clothing label featured in the infamous Pow video by Lethal B, In 2006 he won the Diesel U Music award for the best newcomer. He’s worked with some of the best musicians from the UK underground music scene such as Black The Ripper and Calibar.Mostly recently he's worked with the R’n’B singer D Walker who also features on his current single ‘D Shit’. Illamadi is a musician and fashion designer from London who be perfecting and experiment his style over the past few years of his career. I thought I’d catch up with Illamadi to find out a little more about where it all started.


What do you do and where did it start?

I do music and fashion. I started my own clothing label back in 2003 where we 1st premiered our label Lyrics4lyrics in the original Lethal B - Pow video. I started music seriously in 2006 when I won the DIESEL-U-MUSIC award for best newcomer. In 2007, my 1st single Top Boy was signed to All City Music record label. Ever since then, I‘ve been releasing material every year. In 2008 I released my single Moving, in 2009 I released the follow up Moving Remix ft the F64 King Black The Ripper which was an underground hit and brought my name to the forefront of the music industry. Last year I hooked up with a friend of Wretch 32's, a rapper called Calibar for my release single ‘On The Grind’. Now, I’ve started this year off with the release of my debut FREE mixtape Duppy Your Disco and a video with UK R’n’B singer D.Walker

Who are your audience and how do you appeal to them?

I have a range of sounds and styles so my audience varies from the grime kids to funky ravers to road rap heads to soul lovers. I have performed in a lot of places from Essex to Wales and even in a gay club!

Who would your ideal collaboration be with and why?

If I could collaborate with the artists that have worn our chains I would have gone clear a long ago! Michael Jackson ideally, but that’s not physically possible anymore. A lot of US artists are easier to access now so collaboration with any current artist would be ideal. Producer wise would have to be Kanye West or Dr Dre


If you could change something about your career what would it be?

I wish I started earlier, and upped the work rate a lot more during each of my releases and done a lot more shows, but this year I will aim to make up for it.

What is the concept behind your new song 'D-Shit' ?

It’s a refix of the Chris Brown and Tyga song G Shit but our version is about the cold weather were having and how that equates to 'Wifey Season'.

Name two artists that have influenced you and why?

MJ and Biggie as their music stands the test of time and I think every artist would want that for themselves.


How do you promote yourself as an artists?
I use various mediums including social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook Youtube, Radio as well as music videos on Flava and Channel AKA. Every music related event I or my team go to, we take promo CDs with us because I’ve learnt that you never know who you’re going to bump into.

Where do you see yourself in 2011?

Hopefully in the UK top 40 somewhere because this is now or never for a lot of UK artists. As urban music is IN now so to speak, we have to make the most of it otherwise a new phase might come in and the labels and buyers might look elsewhere.

For more of Illamadi and his music, you can check out his current single now D.Shit -Illamadi ft D Walker as well as contact him via Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.