BAND BIOGRAPHY

THE ILL FUNK ENSEMBLE

A slick mash-up of hip-hop, neo-soul, R&B and rock that’s been compared to The Roots, THE ILL FUNK ENSEMBLE has been described as “soul for the masses” (Technorati.com), “airtight on all levels” (JamSphere Magazine), “brilliant” (The Signal Magazine) and “about to change the face of hip-hop music” (Indie Band Guru). 

A fixture of the Albany, NY music scene for more than 17 years, ILL FUNK has racked up an impressive resume; winning awards for their original albums, collaborating with Quincy Jones (famed producer of Michael Jackson’s Thriller), and sharing stages with multiple Grammy winners like Naughty by Nature and members of the Wu Tang Clan.  They’ve been featured in dozens of music and entertainment publications, including Okayplayer, and have had their music played all over the world.  

Few artists in the area can boast this level of accomplishment, but ILL FUNK remains close to their roots; a club band, offering an array of original music and classic covers that is as entertaining as it is unique. 

It’s for these reasons that THE ILL FUNK ENSEMBLE is repeatedly mentioned as one of the best bands in Upstate New York and will continue to offer a high quality hip-hop, soul, pop and R&B experience. 

AWARDS and ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

  • Songwriting credits with Quincy Jones for the use of his song “The Streetbeater” in their original song, “Bringin’ The Heat“.
  • Shared stages with Naughty by Nature, members of Wu Tang Clan, Mr. Cheeks of The Lost Boyz, JT Taylor of Kool and the Gang, and many others
  • Won The Artists in Music Award for Best R&B Soul Album in February of 2013 in Los Angeles, CA
  • Supplied music for MTV’s Road Trip Nation
  • Has performed all over the Northeast at major venues that include The Palace Theater, Proctor’s Theater, Alive at Five, The Saratoga Racetrack among many others.

RAVES FOR THE ILL FUNK ENSEMBLE

  • “…about to change the face of hip-hop music…” – Indie Band Guru
  • “Soul for the masses” – Technorati
  • “(The Duality is a) GREAT album… 90 out of 100″ – The Signal Magazine
  • “…airtight on all levels…” – JamSphere Magazine
  • “4 out of 5 stars” – Music Review Unsigned Magazine
  • “Their musical genre mash-up is flawless” – Indie Licks
  • “Real lyrics with soul…” – Red House Reviews
  • “…sultry and charismatic…” – The Raffo Review
  • “(A) genre-busting, generation-bridging mix of rap and soul” – Greg Haymes, Nippertown.com

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