Amil

Born to a Black father and a European/Cherokee mother, Amil grew up moving through every borough of New York. Classic rap acts such as Run-D.M.C. shaped her earliest tastes; as a child she would copy their delivery and rehearse rhymes over their beats. At twelve she began performing at local talent shows, quickly building a following as one of the area’s emerging female rappers.

In 1997 she joined Major Coins, a connection that introduced her to Jay-Z while he prepared Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life. He had planned to use one of the group’s women for guest vocals, yet Amil accompanied her bandmate to the studio by chance and was asked to freestyle instead. After Major Coins disbanded she chose a solo route, aligning herself with Roc-A-Fella and joining the 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour.

Following the tour she made guest appearances on projects by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, and Funkmaster Flex. Late in 2000 she issued her own debut album, All Money Is Legal, through Roc-A-Fella; her voice had already been heard on Jay-Z’s hit singles “Can I Get A...” and “Jigga What?”