No Fancy Props 

Between creating the uber successful Uncle Howie records, gaining cult status as part of Non Phixion, and killing it in the solo arena, hip hop great Ill Bill has done it all. Now he’s headed to Brisbane on his first Australian tour.

What made you decide it was time to hit Aussie shores? Everything is about proper timing and after trying to get to Australia for a while now, it's great to finally be coming. The planets finally aligned I guess.

You’ll be joined by DJ Eclipse and MC Sabac Red. What is the dynamic like performing with these guys?
I was in a group called Non Phixion with both of them for over ten years, so we have a family vibe onstage. We haven't performed together in a few years also, so this tour is kinda like a reunion of sorts.

You’re well known for a tight and brutally honest performance. What can punters expect when you head Brisbane-way?
Exactly that and a lotta hardcore hip hop music. No fancy props or choreography. Strictly hard beats and rhymes from NYC.

As a heavyweight on the scene, if you could level one piece of advice to up-and-coming hip hop talent, what would it be?
Be ready to work for years without making a penny. It doesn't happen overnight. Love what you do ‘cos if you're in this for the wrong reasons you are wasting your time. The only way to truly be successful is to love this way of life and live it to the fullest.

There’s talk of another Ill Bill album for 2011. Where are you up to with album number three?
Yeah, I stay in the studio year round so I'm already working on album three. I doubt it'll be out in 2011 though. 2011 is all about Heavy Metal Kings, which is a new group comprised of me and Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks. Our self-titled debut drops on April 5.

How vibrant is your local hip hop scene? Has the commercial urban music of the mainstream charts seeped into the underground?
The internet has taken it to another realm. It isn't even about local anymore. Especially when you're from middle America. It's about global. Everything influences and seeps into everything and vice versa.

CATCH ILL BILL WITH DJ ECLIPSE AND MC SABAC RED AT STEP INN ON MARCH 11.