Who will perform at iHeart’s Jingle Ball Village, get mentored by Grammy Winners and Win $10,000? You decide!
iLLACAT x BOOKIE
iLLACAT x BOOKIE has advanced to the Group: Top 15, which will start on Monday, October 26th.
About iLLACAT x BOOKIE
iLLACAT and BOOKIE, both born & raised in Phoenix, represent the Southside and Eastside with pride. Together, they deliver a bold, unmistakably Southwestern sound rooted in their AZ upbringing — raw, original, and built from the soil they stand on.
Performances & Content from iLLACAT x BOOKIE
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Learn More About iLLACAT x BOOKIE
What makes you the Next Music Star?
What makes me the Next Music Star is that I’m not trying to follow a wave—I’m creating my own. I’m an independent Arizona artist bringing together raw hip-hop, storytelling, funk, melody, and SouthWest culture to create a sound and identity that represents where I come from. I’ve built illaCat and SouthWestCoast from the ground up, and every step has taught me how to bet on myself. I know what it means to grind without a major machine behind you and keep pushing when nobody is handing me an opportunity. I believe a star is more than talent. It’s having something to say, knowing who you are, connecting with people, and making them remember you when you leave the stage. I’m ready for a bigger platform, and I want to show that the next star can come straight out of Arizona.
What do you love about music and performing?
What I love about music is that I can take something I’ve lived through, something I’m feeling, or something I see happening around me and turn it into something other people can feel too. Music gives me the freedom to tell my story without pretending to be somebody I’m not. Performing is where that music really comes alive for me. There’s nothing like stepping onstage, feeling the energy of the crowd, and watching people react to something that started as an idea in my head. When somebody is moving to the record, singing the hook, or giving that energy back, that connection is real. That’s what I love most. I’m not just performing songs—I’m giving people a piece of who I am, where I’m from, and what I represent.
Who are your biggest music inspirations and dream collaborators?
I’m inspired by artists and producers who created their own lane, stayed authentic, and made people pay attention to where they came from. DJ Battlecat is a major influence because of the funk, bounce, and street energy he brought to West Coast hip-hop. That influence helped inspire what I’m creating with Arizona producer BookieBeatz—our own SouthWest sound we call Arizona Boogie. Working with Battlecat would definitely be a dream, along with artists and producers who aren’t afraid to push boundaries and blend different sounds. I don’t want a collaboration just because somebody has a big name. I want to get in the studio with people who challenge me creatively and make something nobody expects. Ultimately, I want to take my influences, add my own Arizona identity, and help make the SouthWestCoast sound recognizable worldwide.
What would you do with the $10,000 Grand Prize?
If I won the $10,000 grand prize, I’d split it with purpose. I would give 50% back to my community, specifically to support youth in need. I believe success means more when you can use it to create opportunities for somebody else. I want young people who may be facing difficult circumstances to see that where you start doesn’t have to determine where you finish. The other 50% would go right back into my career—professional visuals, marketing, promotion, performances, and expanding the reach of my music and the SouthWestCoast movement. For me, winning wouldn’t just be about what $10,000 could do for illaCat. It would be about using the opportunity to keep building my dream while reaching back and helping the next generation believe in theirs.
Participation supports Musicians On Call, a 501(c)(3) charity, which brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments.