Ill Camille NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

May 25, 2018 | Abby O’Neill -- Los Angeles rapper Ill Camille hooked me during my first trip through her sophomore album, Heirloom. Her lyrical prowess and storytelling were so moving, I immediately reached out to her on Instagram and asked if she would like to perform a Tiny Desk. “Please don’t make me cry right now. Tiny Desk!?!? You don’t understand. I’ve been praying on this“, she replied. “This (message) made my year and my band is ready!“ Ill Camille strays a bit from the hip-hop zeitgeist. She raps about love and family serving as the source of her strength, the importance of self-worth as a woman, and the necessity to nurture oneself from within. That core keeps her secure even when confronted by the despair of poverty and the difficult grind of a young artist. And you can hear all that front and center in her music. Her voice is like a cool drink on a summer’s day: smooth, clear and replenishing. Her refreshing self-awareness and raw honesty are inherent in each song, pairing nicely with the jazzy,