You make what I like to call hip-hop for grown folks. What moment, or event, can you point to as being the birth of the current version of Illus?

I’ve actually battled with depression for quite a bit, and around 2006-2007 I was at an extreme low, and I knew I needed a change. Part of that change was the music I created. I knew there were people that could relate to depression, and people who had it much worse, but I didn’t want to make music that romanticized it. I wanted to make music that would inspire people to fight it.

Personally, I needed this kind of music. I didn’t feel like anyone was making it for me, so I decided I was just going to make music for me that made me feel good.

During this time I also met my future wife, and fell in love, and knew that I had to work hard to be a better person. The music was part of the therapy.

At the same time I linked up with J.J. Brown, and we recorded “Beautiful Day.” I feel like that was the first song where I started to sound like the artist I wanted to be.

What’s been the most rewarding aspect of writing positive hip-hop that entire families can listen to?

Honestly, just that — knowing that hip-hop fans in their 40s are enjoying my music with their children, or that it is inspiring them to feel good themselves.

I’ve had so many people tell me that they appreciate my positive music, and that it has helped them through really difficult times, ranging from fighting their own depression, to losing a child.

Connecting with people, and hearing these stories, is humbling, and has inspired me, as well.

I’ve had fans my age raise their kids on my music, and now their kids are teenagers, growing up having been exposed to my words.

It’s extremely rewarding knowing my music has connected with generations.