Illa J

John Derek Yancey (born October 13, 1986), better known by his stage name Illa J, is a rapper, singer, producer and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan who has released two albums on Delicious Vinyl Records. He is the younger brother of the late legendary hip hop producer, and rapper J Dilla, and a former member of hip hop group Slum Village. He also released a collaborative album as Yancey Boys along with Frank Nitt. Illa J's second solo album ILLA J LP will come out via Brooklyn based record label Bastard Jazz.

Illa J grew up in a musical family. He is the younger brother of hip hop legend J Dilla, and is the son of Maureen Yancey, a former Opera singer, and a former Jazz bassist. John Yancey was the youngest of four children including a sister (Martha) and two brothers (Earl and James). The family lived in a house near McDougall and Nevada, on the east side of Detroit. According to Slum Village founding member T3, before getting into music Illa J's main focus was basketball. In the year of 2006, after the passing of his brother, he decided to drop out of Central Michigan University, and continue the family's involvement with music.

In 2008, he released his debut album,Yancey Boys on Delicious Vinyl Records. It is produced entirely by previously unused beats that were made by J Dilla and were left sitting at the offices of Delicious Vinyl over several years. Stones Throw Records released a digital instrumental version of the album in 2009. In the following year (2010), he quietly released a second EP entitled, 4 Past Midnite. In the year 2013, he followed with the album Evolution as Slum Village along with rapper T3 and producer Young RJ, and a collaborative album with Frank Nitt, entitled Sunset Blvd. In 2015 he released ILLA J LP on Bastard Jazz Records.

Studio albums

• 2008: Yancey Boys
• 2015: ILLA J

Collaborative albums

• 2013: Evolution (with T3 & Young RJ as Slum Village)
• 2013: Sunset Blvd. (with Frank Nitt as Yancey Boys)
• 2015: YES (with T3 & Young RJ as Slum Village)

EPs

• 2007: Illa J EP
• 2010: 4 Past Midnite

Mixtapes

• 2012: Dirty Slums (with T3 & Young RJ as Slum Village)
• 2013: Dirty Slums 2 (with T3 & Young RJ as Slum Village)

Singles

• 2008: "We Here"
• 2009: "Sound Like Love" (featuring Debi Nova)
• 2010: "Affair"
• 2012: "The Throwaway" (featuring Frank Nitt)
• 2013: "Quicksand" (Yancey Boys featuring Common and Dezi Paige)
• 2015: "Strippers"
• 2015: "Universe"
• 2015: "All Good Pt. 2" (featuring Moka Only & Ivan Ave)

Guest appearances

• Bishop Lamont & Black Milk - "Spectacular" from Caltroit (2007)
• J Dilla - "See That Boy Fly" from Jay Stay Paid (2009)
• Focus... - "Homage to Dilla" from Pay Homage series (2009)
• Grynch – "You Know Me (Remix)" from Chemistry 1.5 (2009)
• Roc C - "Turn It Up" (2010)
• Slum Village - "The Reunion, Pt. 2" from Villa Manifesto (2010)
• Cris Prolific - "Voyage" from Art/Money Vol. 1 (2011)
• Jonti - "The Days Have Turned" (2011)
• J Dilla - "Do It for Dilla Dawg" from Rebirth of Detroit (2012)
• Slum Village - "Greatness", "Nightmares (No Mas)", "Look at Yo Face", "How It Feel", "What You Want", "Un Fuc Witable" from Dirty Slums 2 (2013)
• Jonti - "Home" (2013)
• Potatohead People - "Explosives" from Explosives feat. Illa J & Moka Only / Blue Charms (2014)
• Potatohead People - "Seeds" from Big Luxury (2015)

• https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/illa-j/id1034961898
• "Illa J - Illa J EP (CDr) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - 4 Past Midnite by Illa J". iTunes. 21 Dec 2010. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - Dirty Slums by Slum Village". iTunes.com. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 20 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - Dirty Slums 2 by Slum Village". iTunes.com. 29 Jan 2013. Retrieved 20 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - "We Here" by Illa J". iTunes. 26 Aug 2008. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - "Sounds Like Love" - EP by Illa J & Debi Nova". iTunes. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - "Affair" - Single by Illa J". iTunes. 14 Dec 2010. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - "The Throwaway" feat. Frank Nitt - EP by Yancey Boys". iTunes. 18 Dec 2012. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - "Quicksand" - EP by Yancey Boys". iTunes. 27 Aug 2013. Retrieved 28 Oct 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - "Strippers" by Illa J". iTunes. 13 Apr 2015. Retrieved 1 Oct 2015. 
• "iTunes - Music - "Universe" by Illa J". iTunes. 22 Jun 2015. Retrieved 1 Oct 2015. 
• "Bandcamp - Music - "All Good Pt. 2" feat. Moka Only & Ivan Ave by Illa J". Bastard Jazz. 25 Sep 2015. Retrieved 1 Oct 2015. 
• "iTunes - Music - Black Milk Presents: Caltroit by Black Milk". iTunes. 1 Jan 2008. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - Jay Stay Paid by J Dilla". iTunes. 2 Jun 2009. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• Shake (10 Feb 2009). "Slum Village, Frank Nitti & Illa J – Homage to Dilla (prod. Focus…)". 2dopeboyz. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - Chemistry 1.5' by Grynch". iTunes. 6 Oct 2009. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• Indy (14 Apr 2010). "Roc C. Feat. Illa J – Turn it Up | Blackout Hip Hop". Blackout Hip Hop. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - Art/Money by Cris Prolific". iTunes. 14 Feb 2011. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• Killakam (2011). "Okayafrica Audio: Jonti feat. The Stepkids and Illa J 'The Days Have Turned' « Okayplayer". Okayplayer. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "iTunes - Music - Rebirth of Detroit by J Dilla". iTunes. 12 Jun 2012. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• "Slum Village - Dirty Slums 2 - Download & Stream". DJBooth.net. Jan 2013. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• Ran (22 Feb 2013). "Jonti – Home ft. Illa J | Ego Thieves". Ego Thieves. Retrieved 7 Nov 2013. 
• Ran (2 Dec 2014). "Potatohead People – Explosives ft. Illa J & Moka Only | Bandcamp". Bastard Jazz. Retrieved 1 Oct 2015. 
• Ran (2 Mar 2015). "Potatohead People – Seeds ft. Illa J | Bandcamp". Bastard Jazz. Retrieved 1 Oct 2015.