Downtown mixes a dose of 'Chemistry'

Two venues, two performances, two MC's, all in one night. A concoction made up of the male and female presence attacking the microphone with Slick-Rick spits and bombshell beatboxing, all coming from a molotov cocktail titled Ill Chemistry.

Desdamona and Carnage (Ill Chemistry), with the help of local MCs and DJs, planned an eight-hour-plus night of hip hop split between two local venues. The first, for the all-age crowd at the Java Joint, and then next at the Rox Bar for the 21-plus crowd to close out Thursday night.

Ill Chemistry is a mixture of Carnage's beatboxing (mostly) and Desdamona's lyrics/rhymes. They are one of the newest pieces that have been added to the Hecatomb record label that Carnage runs.

The duo met in 1998 at club Bon Appetite, located within Dinkytown in Minneapolis. They used to sit in the booths up front and exchange lyrics, Desdamona said.

A few years down the road, Carnage began to beatbox for Desdamona rather than having a DJ. He invited her to perform with him while working at a private foster care program, he said.

"That was the beginning of the musical connection," Carnage said. "From then on we started performing together."

They were both mingling and mixing projects throughout the hip hop scene in Minneapolis, but then started to perform as one unit. They still work on solo projects behind the Ill Chemistry scene as well as other miscellaneous industry business.

"For the past year I have been doing a lot of me and Desdamona sets," Carnage said.

The origin of their title arose from the mouths of fans.

"We didn't have a name yet, because it was really organic. Literally, not practiced," Desdamona said. "One person came up and was like you just have this 'Ill Chemistry.'"

More than one person called them this title at numerous locations and it stuck.

"We don't really physically practice a whole lot, which is part of the chemistry we have. We are so in tune with each other," Carnage said. "Honestly, she is the easiest person I have worked with."

Even though Carnage does not think of himself as a pro-beatboxer (more of an MC), he sees a solid form between the two of them, he said.

This team has some tricks up its sleeve for the future, Desdamona said regarding making the project more complex. They have worked with a DJ a couple times, they said, but they have not felt the same "ill" chemistry that they have with just the two of them.

"We've done it a few times, and we've pulled it off," Desdamona said.

She said it is all about trust and the vibe from your fellow band mate. Within performances, they try to change it up every time to keep it fresh.

The idea of the two venue performance came from Unique, an MC and booker from Minneapolis.

"The formula is not really that new because me and Desdamona have done two or three shows in a day before. But here, it's totally different," Carnage said. "Because here there is one place where somebody can get into and then not the next."

Ill Chemistry have played the Java Joint and the Rox Bar numerous times prior to Thursday night with a crowd building at both locations through each performance.

"I hope more people catch on soon," Shawn Kroll, Java Joint co-owner and local musician said.

Kroll said hip hop is strange because it goes in spurts, with the college crowd moving so much. The scene is sporadic, he said.

"He (Unique) didn't have anything to lose by booking two good shows in the same night," Carnage said. "I am glad to have him on the team."

Both Carnage and Desdamona see Minneapolis hip hop in a constant stream of change. And in 10 years, they both said they hope to see themselves on a higher plain.

"I feel like I am getting better with age, and I think Desdamona feels the same way," Carnage said.

"Yeah, I think hip hop is changing a lot. When you think of a 35-year-old rapper or older you kind of laugh a little bit, but the truth is a lot of these cats out here are over 30," Desdamona said. "And I think that its changing because the hip hop generation, the first one obviously, is already grown up now and the ones right below them is us."

The age groups of hip hop have changed, it is not all young people straight out of high school. A lot of the MCs and DJs are 30 or older (who control the scene currently).

"In our area, we are considered that next level for the ones that are coming up," Carnage said. "We are the OGs."

As Ill Chemistry, Carnage and Desdamona are constantly evolving their sounds. They are building their stage show and lyric/beat base as each show progresses.

Both of these hip hop creators are working on finishing solo albums as well as collaborating on the duo project.

Desdamona is planning on releasing her new album in mid-April 2007 both on a local level as well as national, through Fuzzy Slippers (record label).

"They used to be a strictly gospel label, and now they are taking on other artists," Desdamona said. "I can't wait for my record to come out."

This record will feature Carnage on a few tracks as well.

Carnage plans on dropping his new album in early May 2007 on the label he controls, Hecatomb.

Both of these hip hop enthusiasts have myspace pages, which can be found at www.myspace.com/carnagetheexecutioner and www.myspace.com/desdamona.