INTERVIEW: Wordspit (The Illest!) on The NY Hip Hop Report

Wordspit, The Illest! made quite an impression on America’s Got Talent, the NBC competition series now returning after a break due to the Olympics. Though the Brooklyn MC and his band eventually ended their run, the show’s season is not finished, and there are legions of fans hoping a wildcard spot may be in the future for these young, energetic musicians.

Of course, we’ve known Wordspit for years, watching him in the New York-area hip hop circuit, honing his signature high-energy, charismatic style of hip hop delivery. We first knew that there was something about Wordspit when we encountered him long ago, while reporting on a story for Dollar Van Demos, the mobile, impromptu music-video-in-a-dollar-van-cab series that we wrote about back in 2010. Wordspit was there that day, recording  a performance that would later be noticed by McDonalds, who placed Wordspit into a nationally televised commercial.

As much as that early exposure did for Wordspit, it was his recent run on America’s Got Talent, along with his 9-piece ensemble band The Illest! that has thrust him into the national spotlight, from the moment of their inaugural appearance which had the judges beaming and the crowd going wild.

During this week’s episode of The NY Hip Hop Report with Manny Faces, presented by Birthplace Magazine, we spoke with Wordspit about his America’s Got Talent experience, what the exposure means to him and the band, what it was like being among so many talented people and what might be next on the Wordspit The Illest! agenda.

Of course, there’s still that hope that we’ll have some hometown representation on the show, on a wildcard show that allows judges to recall acts that were previously booted. We’re betting that Howard Stern just might give Wordspit, The Illest! one more chance to take home the big prize.

“It’s been a whole lot of people rallying for us,” Wordspit says, of the public’s push to have the group return to the stage for one more shot. “It’s been a lot of people and a lot of support. I would love to come back!”

Click to listen to the full interview with Wordspit (The Illest!) on Episode 013 of The NY Hip Hop Report with Manny Faces, presented by Birthplace Magazine.