iLL-Literacy, comprised of Dahlak, Drizzleton, and N.I.C., is a hip hop group based out of Oakland. I actually stumbled across Dahlak when I was searching for poets, and if the name sounds familiar you may remember him from Def Poetry Jam. But he’s also a pretty dope rapper, and the group is pretty dope as well. As far as the EP goes, I’ll let them describe it:

Toggling between daydream and full-blown hallucination, the result is iLL-Literacy’s first record, iB4the1.  Colliding influences from afrobeat and hip-hop as much as Plato and X-Men, their freshman effort plays more like the soundtrack for a never-ending shroomtrip than a standard rap album.  It pays homage to a wide range of inspirations, while constantly reaching for the new.

Personally, it reminds me a bit of some Kid Cudi (only not as sad) or Janelle Monae (only not as wild) funk infused alternative hip hop stuff as far as the sound. I for one can get with it, and if you’re looking for something a little outside of the norm, then I think it’s definitely worth a listen. iB4the1.1 is the first installment of their first album iB4the1, and here are two cuts for you to check out.

The HereNow

Finding Emo

Download: iLL-Literacy – iB4the1.1 EP