ILL CONVOY
From The Secret History of the Cedar Valley
Contents |
Band Members (1998 - Present)
- Charles "Chuck T" Easton: Vocals, Production
- Clint "Phunkdaphied" Fuller: Vocals
Former Members
- Dr. Shotsky aka Willie Nailer
- Captain Waldo
- DJ Disturbance
History
iLL CONVOY started out in 1998 as a hobby for five college friends. After several discussions with fellow co-creators, Willie Nailer & Clint "Phunkdaphied" Fuller, about starting a classic hip hop group, Chuck T purchased some home recording gear and the group went to work. Over the next year or so the group recorded tons of material at home on the 4-Track while they learned what it took to make music. The only real goal at this time was to make some funny songs they could play for their friends....and attempt to freestyle after drinking too much booze.
Then in late 1999, a good friend of the group, Aaron (K9) Wherry, who was singing for the local band, Desolut!on, at the time, told Chuck T that he had booked iLL CONVOY as their opening act at the legendary Steb's. This was huge because Steb's was not known for booking hip hop acts, let alone a group that had never performed. But they were booked, so they needed to prepare. Four of the five original memembers (Captain Waldo passed on performing), started planning out their set list and practicing. This was also the time that Chuck T and Phunkdaphied put the iC promo machine to work!
The iC blew the roof off of Steb's in February of 2000 when they hit the stage for the very first time. The high energy performance and rather large crowd for an opening act immediately got the attention of Steb's owner Sherm McNeil. Within two months, iLL CONVOY became one of the first (maybe the first) hip hop acts to headline at Steb's for their now legendary 4/20 show. The rest of the year or so was spent playing anywhere possible trying to spread the iC slogan of "A positive hip hop experience."
By summer of 2000, the group was going through changes and saw Willie Nailer and DJ Disturbance leave the group. This bump in the road didn't keep Chuck T and Phunkdaphied from recording their first studio produced album, "Change the Game." After taking time off to record, the iC started performing again all over northeast Iowa. In early 2001, iC set another standard, being one of the first groups to book and headline an all hip hop show at Steb's.
In April of 2001, the iC stopped performing and recording as Chuck T moved out west. The group has never officially broken up, but Chuck T has continued working on solo material while Phunkdaphied is enjoying life in hip hop retirement. The iC did reunite in the summer of 2002 for a reunion show at The Reverb.
Update!
The iLL CONVOY is back! The iC returned to the stage in July 2009 for the Stebs Summer Reunion Show and have been playing regularly around the Cedar Valley. Their new album, "5 for 5" is available on iTunes and Amazon right now!
Discography
- iLL CONVOY: No Assembly Required (Tape Only 1998)
 Tape Only 1999 |
 Summer 2000 |
Old School Flyers
 April 2000 |
 June 2000 |
 November 2000 |
 October 2001 |
 July 2002 |
Venues Played
- Steb's (RIP)
- The Reverb
- Club Shag Nasty's
- The Boathouse
- Gabe's Oasis (Iowa City)
- Gipp's Basement
- Tyler's House
- The High Rise
- Random Parties
- On your sister's stereo
Record Label
- MoonSalt Music
Contact Info
- moonsaltmusic@yahoo.com
External Links
Friends & Collaborators
- Aaron (K9) Wherry
- The Itty Bitty Titty Committee
- Rebel & Selo Project
- Gabriel Wilkinson
- Desolut!on
- Soul Fusion
Where are they now???
- Chuck T - Minneapolis, MN
- Phunkdaphied - Cedar Falls, IA
- Captain Waldo - Davenport, IA
- Willie Nailer - Omaha, NE
- DJ Disturbance - ???
Memories/Anecdotes
Gabriel Wilkinson - I remember many a night working at Steb's when the mighty Convoy took the stage. It was always an enormous party and my wife always ended up drinking some Hard Liquor!
