With over 7,000 vinyl records in his arsenal, New Jersey-based Hip-Hop producer Ill Tal has been churning out beats since 1997. Utilizing the same techniques used by the legends of the golden era, Ill Tal has managed to capture the sound that so many hip-hop fans miss – as well as add his own unique choice of samples and production. With the recent resurgence of the boom bap/90’s sound, Ill is gaining popularity among younger crowds looking for an alternative to the trap music currently dominating hip-hop.

Ill Tal grew up in northern New Jersey and was an avid fan of hip-hop since the age of 9. At age 14, he formed a rap group with some high school friends and began producing for the group out of necessity. Over the next few years, Ill Tal would gain a small reputation, which allowed him to work with several local artists throughout New York and New Jersey.

In 2002, he met then-16 year old rapper The ILLZ (aka Delgis Mustafa). Reluctant to work at first, the duo eventually formed a bond and recorded over 20 songs in his early career. Delgis credits Ill with helping him develop his delivery and recording skills. The two still actively work together.

After graduating college with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Business, Ill Tal landed a job at an independent Urban/Reggaeton record label. Originally looking to network, he instead received an education on music marketing and how the industry really operates. It was here that he learned how to market and promote himself as an artist.

For the next several years, artists were not interested in sample-based music and Ill Tal struggled to find production work. Despite the change in hip-hop, he decided to stick with his trademark sound rather than conform to what was popular at the time.

As with any trend, sample-based hip-hop came back into style. Once the producer hit the age of 30, he decided he needed to take full advantage of the new trend and put all his efforts into producing tracks for artists. Using every tool at his disposal, Ill Tal managed to gain some attention with his newest work from The ILLZ, as well as his solo instrumental album Trapped in the 90’s.

Ill Tal is currently working with several artists across the United States and actively soliciting major artists for placements. He plans on releasing several instrumental-only projects soon, while trying to gain exposure. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.