INVINCIBLE
“She’s dope… for a female”
That phrase alone holds no relevance to this months artist of the month Invincible. She’s dope… for an MC/lyricist/rapper/embodiment of hip hop culture. Blind I has kept an eye (no pun intended) on Invincible for some time now, awaiting her jump from the shadows of guest appearances & compilations into the limelight of her long awaited solo debut entitled “Shape Shifters” . Blind I’s No recently caught up with Invincible while she was out in Los Angeles & had nothing but positive feedback upon meeting her. “She’s trill!”, No said,”Truth in in the music to the fif! The D must put sumin’ in the water” .
No got a chance to sit down with Invincible & tap her brain.
The following is what he found…
- When did you first fall in love with Hip Hop & what was it?
I moved to the states in 88 from Palestine/Israel and English was my second language I fell in love with Hip Hop and it helped me learn English faster. I would listen to it constantly and transcribe the lyrics, if i didn’t know what a word meant i would look it up.
- Growing up who were your influences?
Gang Starr was a big influence, as was A Tribe Called Quest, Brand Nubian, Big L, and Bo$$ (Detroit shit!). My first CD i ever bought was Paris’s “Sleeping with the Enemy”. In high school i started listening to and doing shows with more and more independent artists from Michigan (Athletic Mic league, Binary Star, to Slum Village) and also started collecting vinyl from all the NY independent labels at that time (fondle em, makin records, etc) which inspired me to want to put my music out myself.
- When did you first start to spit?
I started “rapping” when i was 9-with my best friend over Casio beats lol…but i officially started to SPIT and take it seriously when i was 15- that’s when i began freestyling and writing daily…sneaking into open mics…i had a special knock at the back door of the club with the bouncers at all three open mic spots in Ann Arbor. After a while me and my DJ got sick of me having to sneak into my own shows and we took abandoned buildings over that his boy’s dad owned and turned them into all ages “clubs” for the nite. I started doing shows and recording in Detroit when i was 16. I moved to NYC to pursue it further and work with my crew ANoMoLies when i was 17. I’ve been non stop ever since.
- Why the name “Invincible”
One of my boys i started freestyling with was also a graff writer. He gave me the name cuz it starts with the same letter as my govt name (ilana) and it looks good tagged. I researched into it more and the word appears mad times in the “Art of War”. The most “invincible” strategies are based in knowing yourself, knowing your enemy, and strengthening your weakest links.
- How did you link up with Waajeed?
Me and Waajeed met at a record store on Woodward and MLK/Mack (in Detroit) back in 98 for a quick minute. We reconnected several years later when me and Karreim Riggins were recording a joint at Studio A for the “Detroit Experiment” Project. Jeed was down the hall in another session. Then a few months after that i ran into him and Ta’raach at the Detroit Electronic Festival, they invited me to come through and collab with them on a joint-and “the rest is history”.
- Whats the craziest battle you have been in?
When i worked on the lyricist lounge show, writing lyrical sketches, me and Thirstin Howell III got housed together…We would freestyle and battle each other 24/7 for a month straight. It wasn’t even about winning after a while just sharpening our swords.
- Do you feel a sense of pressure to push harder due to you being a female MC?
I used to feel that way when i was younger, because people would say original things like “do you write your own rhymes?” and “you’re good for a girl”and they would get to me. But i’m at a point now where I’m my own worst critic regardless of what anyone says. I want to evolve each time i create or it’s not worth my energy.
- You recently were on a tour with Bahamadia & Jean Grae, How were the turnouts & response to the gully version of the Lilith Fair?
The tour was actually with Bahamadia and Stacy Epps-(but MAD PROPS to Jean!)
and it was RIDICULOUS. every single night we tore it down and the crowds reaction was overwhelming. All the people told us it was the first all female hip hop show they had EVER seen, and most of them said it was their favorite show of the year. The standout show on the tour for me was in Amsterdam when all the Bgirls from Rotterdam came out at the end of Bahamadia’s set and killed it while DJ Statik played a James Brown tribute set, a few days after the legend’s passing.
- What artists would you love to work with?
I feel honored to work with the cats i’ve already worked with: Finale, Waajeed, Anomolies, Lab Techs, Wordsworth, Elzhi, Guilty, Black Milk. Some artists i haven’t collabed with yet that i would love to are Jean Grae, Bahamadia, Pharoahe Monch, and Meshell Ndegeochello.
- Tell us about Shapeshifters & what this project means to you.
ShapeShifters represents my versatility as an artist, being able to adapt to different topics, flows, and styles. Its also about making change within yourself and in the world, transforming through the music and beyond. Alot of the project is like an intro to invincible 101, since people still haven’t heard me do my thing except for guest appearances, but its also on some sci fi, futuristic type vibe too. If hiphop samples the past, who in the future will sample hiphop and for what? (stars wars music here)
- What can we expect from Invincible in the near future?
ShapeShifters is my looongawaited debut solo album being self released this spring. Waajeed and Lab Techs produced the majority of it, with heat from the Beatminerz, DJ HouseShoes, and Belief.
Look out for my first single: “Sledgehammer!” and “In the Mourning” off of ShapeShifters already out for free download, then the “Locusts” Documentary-Music video and the launch of Emergencemusic.net (my label!) in February. Also bout to be on a 12″ with Black Milk and Finale coming out through Mello Music really soon…not to mention MAAAD shows!!!
- Any last words?
big up to blindiforthekids.com for the love! Wutupdoe to Waajeed and bling47.com , ANoMoLies, Finale, and Detroit Summer; thanks for holding me down fam!
Wake up world…lookout for the D-takeover!!!
Blind I Artist Of The Month Mix - December 2007 - Invincible
Download Here - Blind I Artist Of The Month Mix - December 2007 - Invincible
ALSO!!!
Be sure to get Her NEW single Sledgehammer! - Download Here
Enjoy!