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What do you get when you bring together two of the state’s most influential hip hop artists who just happen to be great friends? Ill Chemistry. And that is exactly what Desdamona and Carnage the Executioner bring to the stage.
Desdamona and Carnage have come together to finally release their first full length album, self titled “Ill Chemistry”. What’s the catch? The album was released in France, not America. The American release will be coming, but for now, it’s only available overseas.
Desdamona is best known for her incredible success with spoken word, bringing home the “Best Spoken Word Artist” award with five consecutive Minnesota Music Awards. Her talent on the microphone in a hip hop environment however, has not gone unnoticed. Her work in the local hip hop scene has built a following for over a decade.
Carnage the Executioner is another icon when it comes to Twin Cities hip hop. His live performances have swept fans off their feet for years. He has the beat-boxing ability to transform sounds with unmatched range and creativity.
The duo has worked together since 2005, but until now, they focused on independent projects. When the opportunity arose for a record deal with the French label; Nato, it didn’t take long to jump at the opportunity. The new album features Carnage’s intricate beats produced by nothing more than his own mouth and a looping pedal. Meanwhile, Desdamona tears apart the mic with a vengeance, destroying any preconceived notions or myths that a white woman doesn’t belong in hip hop.
So far in France, the album has seen nothing but spectacular reviews. In a country where most of the population doesn’t understand the English lyrics, Ill Chemistry has created a record that has taken France by storm. The development and recording of this album spanned from July – September 2011 and they give a lot of credit to their success with this project to Paul Marino, the sound engineer with Nato. According to Carnage, he is the reason this new album sounds so developed.
Ill Chemistry will be joining I Self Divine this Sunday at the 7th St. Entry fresh off their return from France. The show will also be featuring I.B.E. and Maria Isa while Plain Ole Bill and Kool Akiem handle the turntables. The show is 18+ with a $10 cover. Tickets should sell out, so either get there early or grab your tickets before the show at Fifth Element, The Electric Fetus, or The Depot.
I had the privilege to sit down with Ill Chemistry right after they returned from their French adventures. The interview that follows shows a perfect example of what happens when you bring together two artists with creativity, talent, and a strong work ethic.
The name Ill Chemistry is a huge representation of your live performances. What is it that spawns the chemistry you two have together?
“Respect. There is a respect that we both have for one another. We are actually both really good friends, so we know each other well enough to know what to expect. We both know what each other are capable of. If either one of us falls off, the other is always there to catch them.” – Carnage
“Trust. When we started working together back in 2005, we both have had things under our belt already. We weren’t both just starting out; we had already created names for ourselves and earned respect within the community. Since we already had that, there weren’t any insecurities whatsoever. We never really rehearsed or practiced much, it was all about experimenting and having fun.” – Desdamona
“I used to be a social worker and it all started when I was speaking for a group about self-esteem and asked Des to come speak to the group and read some of her poetry. The group asked her to rap, but she said she couldn’t without music. So I offered to beatbox for her. At this time she didn’t even know that I beatboxed, the rest is history.” – Carnage
“Afterwards, we both just looked at each other and laughed. That was easy.” – Desdamona
This is the first full length album you have done together as a duo, but you have worked together for some time now. Why did it take so long to release a colaboration album?
“We had put together a small EP to take on small tours and ended up selling a lot of them, but we were more focused on our own solo stuff and teaching. We still were consistently supporting each other on our individual work.” – Desdamona
“It’s actually better that we waited as long as we did, because the album is so well-developed. It wouldn’t have sounded anything like it should have been. We put together the best product possible because we were able to focus more on the music.” – Carnage
The album was released on French label, Nato. What led to Ill Chemistry connecting with Nato?
“Jean Rochard with Nato actually has a pretty strong connection with Minnesota music. I also toured with Ursus Minor and got to know John through them. He like what he saw in us and gave us a chance.” – Desdamona
“He actually told me later that he had seen me beatbox for Los Nativos at the Black Dog Block Party and knew that he wanted to sign me years before.” – Carnage
Paris has a strong reputation for its independent music scene, so does Minneapolis. Do you see any similarities between the two cities?
“People really love music there, and that’s exactly the same thing in Minneapolis.” – Desdamona
“And there are also people within the communities that are out there working to keep the music alive.” – Carnage
Are there any major differences besides the language barrier?
“I think that we are a little spoiled here, because we can basically go out and see a show any night of the week. There’s a bit of more saturation in Minnesota.” – Desdamona
“There’s a deeper appreciation for the music in France I feel. People go out to shows there and spend the entire time focused on the music; nobody is moving around or talking. They are just putting all their interest into the music. Here in Minnesota, everyone goes out to the show to get drunk and sloppy.” – Carnage
When can we expect a release here in Minnesota?
“Never! Haha.” – Carnage
“We’re shooting for March. Nothing is verified yet, we just have to lock down the last details, but it should be soon.” – Desdamona
By first glance, some might not understand what brought you two together, breaking both race and gender expectations. Do you feel you are disbanding any myths or superstitions within hip hop?
“Yeah, people think that within a group there has to be one leader. It’s not like that with us. We are both putting in 100% input and any decisions are made by both of us. Also, that there can’t be a male and a female working together in a group. There’s nothing going on between us, we’ve been doing it for years now, and it works great.” – Carnage
“Myths serve the people that believe in them. If someone chooses to believe in any of those myths, that’s because they choose to. We’ve both witnessed discrimination within the scene in our own ways, and we’ve both learned and grown from those experiences.” – Desdamona
Desdamona, what types of discrimination have you been subject to due to being a woman in hip hop?
“I address a little of it in the music. I have had people come up and tell me, “Normally I don’t like female MCs, but you were dope!” They don’t even realize that what their saying is offensive. I’ve even had people come up and ask if Carnage writes for me.” – Desdamona
You are both considered to be major influences within the Minneapolis music scene. The Twin Cities has gained a reputation for a strong local hip hop community. What do you feel has created this environment which has allowed hip hop to flourish?
“I think that when anyone has a certain level of success, it can ignite something within the community. And Minneapolis has had a strong music scene for years now. To see the success that a lot of our local artists have had, that fuels the fire a bit too. When you say Minnesota hip hop around the country, people can list off names now.” – Desdamona
For more information:Ill Chemistry on Facebook