Ill Chemistry
Encyclopedia
Ill Chemistry is a two-person spoken word
/beatboxing
/hip hop
group based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, United States
. The group consists of Carnage the Executioner and Desdamona
.
and Carnage (Terrell Woods) met in 1998 at a cafe in Minneapolis's Dinkytown neighborhood, where they exchanged lyrics. Carnage was recognized for his beatboxing abilities and Desdamona was gaining fame in the Minneapolis music scene. Each were performing separately, but sometime after they met, Carnage began to beatbox for Desdamona, taking the place of a DJ
. They began to perform as a group after that.
As they bonded as a musical act, the group lacked a name which Carnage said was, "because it was really organic. Literally, not practiced." One fan commented that the group had "Ill Chemistry", and when the duo heard the phrase come from the mouths of multiple fans across the city, they chose it as their name. Carnage also noted that the name was powerful because of the chemistry he and Desdamona share as a musical group.
In October, 2007, the group was hired to do filler acts at Minneapolis's Black Dog Cafe's Black Dog Block Party. However, a thunderstorm nearly halted the event, so to keep people from leaving, the group got onstage and started performing with the thunder as an additional beat. Choreographer
Andrew Rist, a co-founder of Ballet Minnesota
, went home and choreographed dances to several of the duo's songs as part of his Black Dog Cafe ballet project. Instead of playing the tracks from a CD, Ill Chemistry performed live onstage next to the dancers.
In 2006, the group was nominated for "Best Hip Hop Artist/Group" in the Minnesota Music Awards
.
project. Desdamona and Carnage have also released CDs individually, some of which include guest appearances by the other. First album, self titled, by Ill CHemistry is scheduled to be released in France in January 2012 (on the Hope Street collection of the nato company).
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
/beatboxing
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
/hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The group consists of Carnage the Executioner and Desdamona
Desdamona
Desdamona is a hip-hop and spoken word artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. She has won five Minnesota Music Awards for 'Best Spoken Word Artist' in the years 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006...
.
History
Ill Chemistry's members, DesdamonaDesdamona
Desdamona is a hip-hop and spoken word artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. She has won five Minnesota Music Awards for 'Best Spoken Word Artist' in the years 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006...
and Carnage (Terrell Woods) met in 1998 at a cafe in Minneapolis's Dinkytown neighborhood, where they exchanged lyrics. Carnage was recognized for his beatboxing abilities and Desdamona was gaining fame in the Minneapolis music scene. Each were performing separately, but sometime after they met, Carnage began to beatbox for Desdamona, taking the place of a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. They began to perform as a group after that.
As they bonded as a musical act, the group lacked a name which Carnage said was, "because it was really organic. Literally, not practiced." One fan commented that the group had "Ill Chemistry", and when the duo heard the phrase come from the mouths of multiple fans across the city, they chose it as their name. Carnage also noted that the name was powerful because of the chemistry he and Desdamona share as a musical group.
In October, 2007, the group was hired to do filler acts at Minneapolis's Black Dog Cafe's Black Dog Block Party. However, a thunderstorm nearly halted the event, so to keep people from leaving, the group got onstage and started performing with the thunder as an additional beat. Choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
Andrew Rist, a co-founder of Ballet Minnesota
Ballet Minnesota
Ballet Minnesota is a classical dance company in Minnesota, United States. Located in Saint Paul in the Arts Section of Lowertown, it has served the city of Saint Paul, the Twin Cities and Minnesota for 20 years...
, went home and choreographed dances to several of the duo's songs as part of his Black Dog Cafe ballet project. Instead of playing the tracks from a CD, Ill Chemistry performed live onstage next to the dancers.
In 2006, the group was nominated for "Best Hip Hop Artist/Group" in the Minnesota Music Awards
Minnesota Music Academy
The Minnesota Music Academy is a music institution in Minnesota. The Academy promotes the Minnesota Music Awards, which it gives out, and also operates a music festival called The Icebreaker....
.
Discography
Ill Chemistry has not released any CDs, although a previously unreleased track, Hold On, was one of 31 songs released in the For New Orleans two-disc compilation. The CD, released on 2007 Apr 24, was sold to benefit the New Orleans Musicians' VillageMusicians' Village
Musicians' Village is a new neighborhood built around a music center where musicians can teach and perform. Musicians Harry Connick, Jr...
project. Desdamona and Carnage have also released CDs individually, some of which include guest appearances by the other. First album, self titled, by Ill CHemistry is scheduled to be released in France in January 2012 (on the Hope Street collection of the nato company).