Royal Illness

Q. How did the project come into existence?
A. I started creating the 'Armed Forces' project in September 2010. I've been intrigued by war,military, & politics since I was a teen and I have several family members in the Armed Forces, so I wanted to do a record for the "Soldiers" around the world, those in the military as well as those who fight for just causes.

Q. Who are the members of the band if any and please tell us about it?
A. I am a solo artist. I write my own lyrics and produce my own music. I started a recording label in September 2009, World Power Records, as well as a music production company called Royals' Pain Productions.
Q. How would you describe your sound/genre?
A. I call my genre "Hardcore Classical Hiphop". Instrumentally I am heavily influenced by classical, symphonies,choral music and I combine that with heavy basslines and hard,snapping drum patterns. Lyrically, I use Complex wordplay in an aggressive, "attacking the beat" type of manner.

Q. What formal training or previous experience do any of the members have?
A. Though I have no "formal" training, I have written & recorded songs since 1992. I started producing in 1997. I have also performed in over 100 venues in 8 different states.

Q. Are you working w/a producer on your upcoming album?
A. No.All production will be done by myself.

Q. Who would you say has been the biggest influence on the bands sound or that you have used as inspiration for your music?
A. I am influenced by musicians of all genres. From Pioneers of Hiphop like Public Enemy, Krs-0ne, Rakim, new school Hiphop like Wu- Tang Clan,Killarmy & Mobb Deep to Classical composers like Segovia, Bach, Brahms, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, etc.

Q. What advice would you give others starting out?
A. To invest in yourselves as much as possible.There is no "Golden ticket" to getting your music heard and there are very few people who will have the passion towards your music that you do.

Q. Where can people go learn more about you and hear your music?
A. You can hear and learn more about Royal Illness at:
www.reverbnation.com/#!/royalillness
www.myspace.com/royalillness
www.twitter.com/royalillness
www.facebook.com/people/Royal-Illness/545582414

Q. If you could play anywhere in the world or with anyone you wanted where and who would it be with?
A. I would love to play in Hawaii with the Wu- Tang Clan. Performing at a vacation destination I've always wanted to go to with one of my all-time favorite rap groups would be phenomenal.

Q. What has been your greatest experience so far either individually or as a whole?
A. Starting with nothing to creating my own recording label and music production company. I have always wanted to control my musical destiny & being independent allows me to do so.

Q. Do you have any upcoming events or news you would like to tell our readers about?
A. I will be shooting a video on Jan. 8th called "Profits Of War" for my 'Armed Forces' Cd that will be dropping in Feb. 2011. I will also be launching a Royal Illness website at www.royal-illnesshiphop.com, also in Feb. 2011.

Q.Where do you see yourselves or hope to be in about 5 years?
A. Getting a marketing/distribution deal and making the music I love to do independently while Touring internationally. - Aj & Dbs Corporation

Royal ILLness born Rashon Washington, is from Lexington, Kentucky. He is a hardcore Hip-Hop emcee with a slick flow and dynamic musical production. As founder of “MADD MILITIA”, which is a collection Of highly talented emcees/producers based In Lexington, Royal has performed at over 100+ venues In 8 different states performing alongside the likes of De La Soul, Killah Priest and more.

As Of 2010 Royal has started the label, WORLD POWER Records. The purpose is to bring classical Hip-Hop in the form of high quality, proficient rhymes and beats. Royal Illness and WORLD POWER RECORDS are poised to return HIP HOP music to it’s original state. With love for and of the culture, Royal Illness joins in on The Global Attack. - International-hiphop.com

......Lexington's underground hip-hop began in the early 1980s, about the same time it did nationally, but it took longer to take hold.
Neighborhood guys would hold rap battles in Castlewood Park, said Hendrick Floyd, a founding member of Madd Militia, which formed in the early '90s.
"I would put my Kangol on and put on my sneakers and look for people to battle," said Floyd, who performs as Sheisty Khrist. "It was a way to prove your chops."
Eventually, Floyd teamed with other Lexington emcees, including Royal Illness and Irk Dah Nerv, to form Madd Militia. The large group, with its rotating cast of hip-hop artists, became known as a sort of Wu-Tang Clan of Lexington.
Now, the members of Madd Militia are in their early 30s and married with families, but they haven't lost their desire to rhyme.
"At the time we really started, there were no major ventures," Floyd said. "It was almost like starting a movement."
It's a movement for which Madd Militia can take a lot of credit, said Shareef Abdullah, host of Black Fist, a weekend radio show on WRFL-88.1 FM that showcases underground hip-hop. He said his show went years without playing local artists.
"Those brothers were very active in the underground," Abdullah said of Madd Militia. "But I guess it wasn't that time yet. It was kind of hard for us to get stuff out there to the people."........ - Yvette Lanier(Lexington Herald Leader)