Invincible (rapper)
Invincible | |
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Birth name | Ilana Weaver |
Born | Champaign, Illinois, US |
Origin | Detroit, Michigan. US |
Genres | Hip hop |
Labels | EMERGENCE Media |
Associated acts |
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Ill Weaver, also known by the stage name Invincible, is a rapper born in Champaign, Illinois.
At the age of 1, she moved to Israel, returning to the United States at the age of 7 - first living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, then moving to Detroit, Michigan.[1] Invincible joined the Anomalies crew in 1997[2] and has collaborated with Finale, Suheir Hammad, and Waajeed of the Platinum Pied Pipers.[3]
Early life and career
Invincible learned English by listening to hip-hop albums; she has stated that she would write down the rhymes and use the dictionary to decipher the words. After two years, she started making their own songs in English and stopped speaking Hebrew by age ten.[2] At age of 15, she started performing at open mic nights and getting into Detroit's battle scene in its late-1990’s heyday. Invincible's passion for activism was sparked when members of the Ku Klux Klan gathered and spoke at Ann Arbor's City Hall, which was down the street from their high school. She was disgusted with what she heard, but felt she couldn't do anything about it.[1]
Her music reflects her deeply held belief in social justice, but does so through narrative, powerful imagery, and a commitment to finding the perfect rhyme. She split her time between youth organizing with Detroit Summer's Live Arts Media Project,[4] the US-Palestine Youth Solidarity Network,[5] and constant touring, she blur the line between art and activism.
Ilana Weaver released her debut album, ShapeShifters, in 2008 on Emergence, a record label she co-founded.
In 2010, she performed at the Can A Sista Rock a Mic? festival in Washington, D.C..[6] That same year, she received attention after the music video for "Ropes" was banned on mtvU, MTV's college-targeted channel, after it was deemed "too problematic" because of its suicidal nature.[7] The ban was later lifted.[8]
Invincible has been compared to rapper Eminem.[2] She has been positively reviewed by Washington Post,[6] Spin, being described as "a compelling and fiercely political artist"[9]
Ilana Weaver identify as gay and gender-nonconforming and is Jewish.[7]
References
- 1 2 "Invincible Interview". Rap Genius.
- 1 2 3 Swan, Rachel (2008-07-16). "Invincible in Two Worlds". eastbayexpress.com. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- ↑ "Platinum Pied Pipers - Triple P". hiphopdx.com. 2005-08-17. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- ↑ Lynden, Jacki (2008-12-08). "Reclaiming Detroit Means Reinventing A City". wbur.org. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- ↑ Nagaraja, Tej (2008-07-18). "Outervisions: A Review of Invincible's "ShapeShifters"". indypendent.org. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- 1 2 Merry, Stephanie (2010-06-01). "Nightlife Agenda: Capital Pride and Can A Sista Rock A Mic festivals kick off". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- 1 2 Clark, Anna (2010-05-04). "MTV bans female rapper’s "suicidal" video". salon.com. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- ↑ Harling, Danielle (2010-09-20). "MTVU Lifts Ban On Invincible's "Ropes" Video". hiphopdx.com. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
- ↑ "Invincible - Shapeshifters". Spin. August 2008. Retrieved 2013-03-27.