Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
King Iso uncovers his anxiously awaited new album, iLLdren, out now via Strange Music. He celebrates the arrival of the record with the music video for the new single “Feel” [feat. Tech N9ne & Matt Phoenix]. Watch the video https://youtu.be/5aQtgTmX45o?feature=shared
The song kickstarts this body of work with an openhearted lyrical bloodletting and cathartic chorus. Clean guitar underscores the verses as energy builds toward Iso’s starkly honest refrain as he hopes to “Put down the drink and drugs, so I can feel again.” The visual finds Iso, Tech, and Matt behind bars in an ominous holding cell straight out of a sci-fi nightmare. It brings the push-and-pull of their words to life.
About the song, Iso commented, “I was a teenager during my last suicide attempt. I took a bunch of pills, and I ended up at this church. I prayed to God. I wanted him to let me save that young boy who is me. I woke up the next day, and I had another breath. After I was admitted last year, I hadn’t been clean for a long time. I was smoking and drinking, and I had a bad breakdown. I felt all of the traumas come back. On the song, Tech, Matt, and I are all discussing our childhood pain and tragedy. It’s a beautiful way to begin.”
The Newport, Rhode Island-born rapper, who spent his formative years in Omaha, has braved an endless battlefield of mental health struggles only to gain life-saving wisdom, which powers his sixth full-length offering iLLdren [Strange Music]. After generating tens of millions of streams and packing shows, he issues an important and impactful message to a broken generation who needs to hear it the most. Iso hasn’t just confronted pain in his music; he’s wrangled it into an ever-evolving sonic beast. He has survived a turbulent upbringing, suicide attempts, hospitalization, homelessness, and despair and has risen up with a string of fan-favorite albums, including Autophobia [2016], Dementia [2018], World War Me [2020], and Get Well Soon [2022]. Along the way, his fiery flow burned bright on one of the biggest independent rap songs of all time “Face Off,” placing him alongside Tech N9ne, Joey Cool, and Dwayne Johnson. Beyond acclaim from AllHipHop.com, Rock The Bells, and more, he has earned high praise from peers such as Brian Burkheiser of platinum hard rock outfit I Prevail who dubbed him “one of the realest dudes and musicians I’ve ever met.” Now, he faces calls out to a generation who needs a voice on iLLdren and more to come.
