Today for some reason I was thinking of VA artists that I know and I had a FUNKEY FLASH BACK of ILLUMINESSENCE. I met them back around in 2002-2003 and I had not started FFB at the time. Music sort of had a hold on me for a while, I wanted to do some things in the biz and just so happen these fellas needed some help with PR. During that time I was always in the streets and knew a lot of people because I used to hustle gear out the trunk with my boyfriend. So I was going through a career change being young and trying my had at various businesses. Illuminessence is from the 757, Ocean View to be exact and you will definitely hear in their music that they repped VA to the fullest. I came on board with them for a while and we were doing shows down at the beach, I can't remember the name of the club at that time but they were making some moves and making a buzz here on the scence.

We set up some commercials on 103 Jamz, I setup a freestyle battle and had people pay to enter and we had great turnouts. I had them setup for this event at Harbor Park where they had up and coming artists perform and you know I had to style them lol. Back then the throwback were the things so they wore those and I customized the kicks, I had custom sweatbands and all that and they were looking the part and trying to perfect their craft.

The sad part was they did not have good management, people in different directions and no one could agree, so I think they were getting discouraged and so forth and it fell apart. I was trying to contact record labels and all that and I was reaching people strangely enough but I guess it wasn't meant to be.

I posted up a few tracks off their album called, "THE VIEW". Most of the tracks were produced by another talented young guy named, Science Beatz. Wow he is another guy so talented that is amazing as well, I mean he plays actual instruments, I been in the lab with him from beginning to end. Anyways ILLUMINESSENCE had a that VA feel for sure but you can tell their influences were like Nas, AZ and that whole early 90s hard core north east movement. With more time and more work, they would have been great.

All I can say I can listen to this album like every song and I can't say that for many people. There is a track too with my boy, Mike L, and you will be hearing from him soon, he is back and forth from LA to Portland making that music jump off. Great R&B singer, very talented.


I don't know where Illuminessence is today or Science but I definitely wish them the best and hopefully they are working on this music.

Tell me what you all think about the tracks below. I got the whole album if you wanna hear more I will post more songs. VA peeps probably definitely be feeling it.

Actually I just found a Myspace page for them, but they have been on in a while

ILLUMINESSENCE MYSPACE



Virginia Chemistry ft Vagabond


Someone Else ft. Mike L


Circle of Life