Biography
London-based production duo iLL BLU have shaped the leading edge of U.K. dance and hip-hop from the late 2000s onward. Early ties to the U.K. funky and garage scenes led the pair to issue singles on Hyperdub and Numbers. in the first half of the 2010s, after which they adopted a broader dance approach in the middle of the decade that brought collaborations with vocalists such as James Morrison and Bibi Bourelly. Additional production work followed for British rappers including Shystie and Sneakbo, while the early 2020s saw them fully engage with U.K. drill through releases like “Magic” and “Dumpa.”
James Grant and Darius Ellington launched their partnership as iLL BLU in 2008. Remixes and productions crafted for Shystie, Princess Nyah, MJ Cole, and Roll Deep quickly positioned the duo among the most prominent names in U.K. funky, culminating in their 2010 Hyperdub debut “Bellion” on Kode9’s respected imprint. The Meltdown EP surfaced on Numbers. the following year, succeeded in 2012 by Illusions on Madtech Records and the second Hyperdub outing “Clapper.” A move toward wider audiences marked the mid-2010s, evidenced by the 2015 single “Lonely People” featuring James Morrison and their co-production of Nick Brewer and Bibi Bourelly’s “Talk to Me.” Several big-room house tracks appeared in 2016, among them “Win or Lose” with former Inner City member Ann Saunderson and “Antidote” featuring Kahlia Bakosi, both issued on Armada Deep. Further singles edged toward hip-hop and Afroswing, beginning with 2018’s “Chop My Money” alongside Krept & Konan, Loski, and ZieZie, before a series of U.K. drill recordings followed: 2020’s “Magic” with OFB, Bandokay, and Double Lz, “Dumpa” featuring M24 and Unknown T, and 2021’s “Routine Check 2.0” uniting the Mitchell Brothers with Sneakbo.
James Grant and Darius Ellington launched their partnership as iLL BLU in 2008. Remixes and productions crafted for Shystie, Princess Nyah, MJ Cole, and Roll Deep quickly positioned the duo among the most prominent names in U.K. funky, culminating in their 2010 Hyperdub debut “Bellion” on Kode9’s respected imprint. The Meltdown EP surfaced on Numbers. the following year, succeeded in 2012 by Illusions on Madtech Records and the second Hyperdub outing “Clapper.” A move toward wider audiences marked the mid-2010s, evidenced by the 2015 single “Lonely People” featuring James Morrison and their co-production of Nick Brewer and Bibi Bourelly’s “Talk to Me.” Several big-room house tracks appeared in 2016, among them “Win or Lose” with former Inner City member Ann Saunderson and “Antidote” featuring Kahlia Bakosi, both issued on Armada Deep. Further singles edged toward hip-hop and Afroswing, beginning with 2018’s “Chop My Money” alongside Krept & Konan, Loski, and ZieZie, before a series of U.K. drill recordings followed: 2020’s “Magic” with OFB, Bandokay, and Double Lz, “Dumpa” featuring M24 and Unknown T, and 2021’s “Routine Check 2.0” uniting the Mitchell Brothers with Sneakbo.
Albums
Singles
