William Braunstein (born 1972), better known as ILL BILL, is a political minded MC from Brooklyn, New York. He is also a producer, and the man behind Uncle Howie Records. In 2003, Ill Bill declared himself to be the future. The truth is, Ill Bill is the past, the present AND the future. ...show more

William Braunstein (born 1972), better known as ILL BILL, is a political minded MC from Brooklyn, New York. He is also a producer, and the man behind Uncle Howie Records. In 2003, Ill Bill declared himself to be the future. The truth is, Ill Bill is the past, the present AND the future.

The cult leader is most definitely back. After several years of blood, sweat and no tears, the prophecy has been fulfilled with the breakout album The Hour of Reprisal. Clocking in at exactly 60 minutes and accompanied by a DVD of Ill Bill's wild night at punk rock mecca CBGB, Bill's latest effort is the surgically polished sum of his career...so far. An Ill Bill verse has never been an aimless journey through 16 bars, but rather a threatening configuration of world view, conspiracy theories, street corner politics and the most potent of all, real-life experiences that carry the listener through a perspective that stands unique; challenging anyone with half a brain to relate.

The former Non Phixion standout and one of the organizers behind La Coka Nostra is aggressively pushing the envelope, representing hip-hop in a manner unlike any other. Whether holding it down alongside iconic MCs such as Raekwon the Chef and B-Real, or masterminding stellar collaborations with the likes of the legendary Bad Brains and heavy metal kingpins Killswitch Engage, Bill confidently swaggers the line between genres with fellow visionaries DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, T-Ray, DJ Lethal and others behind the boards. Also, for the first time, a bulk of the production has been propelled by Bill himself. Additionally, in order to bring these sonic textures to life, longtime Wu-Tang Clan mix engineer Carlos Bess brought his state-of-the-art boom, ensuring that the menacing soundscapes would be as sharp as the undeniably crucial lyrics. ...show less