Interview by DG
When Jae Skeese and producer ILL Tone joined forces for The Good Part, Vol. 1, the goal wasn’t just to make another rapper-producer project. It was about pushing each other creatively while keeping the foundation of lyricism, honesty, and musical risk intact. With Skeese’s sharpened delivery and Tone’s meticulous production, the project captures a moment where hunger, experience, and vision collide. We caught up with the duo to talk about mindset, process, collaboration, and why the culture still has room to grow.
Q: The title suggests a turning point in the journey. At this stage in your career, what makes this moment feel like the “good part”?
Jae Skeese: The good part of my story currently is that it’s still being written, meaning I still have time to create more plot twists, have more success, learn from more failures, and create the ending I want. It’s pretty much all up to me and where I want to take things, and that’s the position I’ve wanted to be in for so long. Up until I started making money from my music, I felt like the work I was doing was out of necessity, as opposed to doing what I wanted to because I wanted to do it.
Q: Before committing to a full project together, what early moments convinced you both that the partnership had real potential?
Jae Skeese: Honestly, for me it was that with Tone as an engineer, he was never scared to tell me his opinion on what I was working on at the time and what may sound better just from his perspective. You can record with some engineers, and they will just record you and do whatever you ask them to, and they may be great at it. But when you can establish a trust and rapport with an engineer where you put the music first, great things can come out of it.
ILL Tone: For me, I knew we could make something special when I realized Skeese wasn’t shy to challenge himself—whether it was a particular beat with a different cadence or arrangement, or even a song structure that wasn’t in his norm. Skeese is the type who doesn’t hold back and is willing to put in the extra work when he hears something he truly believes is special.
Q: When people imagine the creation of this album, what’s the real atmosphere in the studio while the music is being built?
Jae Skeese: I think it really depends on where my energy is that day. There are times where I want to take risks, try something I’ve never tried, there are times where I know exactly what I want to say and how I want to say it, and there are times where I do a take and want to keep it even though I messed up a line or word because of how raw it is. Tone and I went through probably 300+ beats in making the album, and each time we listened to beats, I think my energy at the time was different. I think you’ll hear it in some of the different ways I approached the beats we used and how songs are structured—or unstructured.
ILL Tone: For me, I think the process always starts with a good conversation catching up on what’s new, what’s good, what’s bad, and just talking about life while establishing real camaraderie with one another. Then it usually segues into the music what new arrangements are on the table or what needs a second listen. At some point, we catch a vibe and try our best not to get in the way of the magic, just letting it flow as it will. Life usually sets the mood.
Q: At the foundation of this album, was there a creative philosophy that guided the direction of the music?
ILL Tone: If I had to pick from one of those, I’d say mindset. But I also think it started with our prior chemistry on songs like “Million Dollar Dreams” or “Fruits of the Labor.” It was more a mindset of knowing what we were capable of if we put our minds together and trying to capitalize on what we knew was possible.
Q: Skeese, there’s a sense of urgency in your delivery on this record. What fuels that intensity? And Tone, how do you shape the production so it amplifies that energy instead of overwhelming it?
Jae Skeese: It comes from a feeling of being slept on. I see so many artists getting credit for how dope they are, how creative they are, how they push the envelope, etc., and I just feel like I’m tired of being left out of the conversation. I wanted this album to reflect that frustration in a way, and I wanted to give listeners a true look at the caliber of emcee I am. On this album, you truly hear it in my delivery and tone at times.
ILL Tone: From a production standpoint, I stand firm on leaving egos at the door and always putting the song first. Just because something sounds dope as an instrumental or has a fire breakdown, it’s important not to force anything that doesn’t work. Subtracting or substituting elements when necessary is also key. It’s your job as a producer to highlight the best of an artist while always putting the song first.
Q: Being part of Drumwork Music Group, what lessons have you absorbed from working around Conway the Machine?
Jae Skeese: Knowing the caliber of artist you get when you think of Conway, you know you’re dealing with a top-tier lyricist who can exist in many different arenas in terms of production, storytelling, delivery, and all the things that make an emcee great. I focus on doing my best to reflect that given my association but also always strive to remain myself.
Q: The album brings together strong collaborators. What did working with voices like Stove God Cooks, Corey Gunz, and Talib Kweli add to the overall experience?
Jae Skeese: I wanted to stand with some of the best in the game who would have the ability to push me creatively and also bring value to the project through their uniqueness.
Q: Why did “S.W.G.M.” feel like the right introduction for the project?
Jae Skeese: “S.W.G.M.” just has one of the illest beats on the project. To me, it sounds futuristic, like on a Timbaland-type level. It’s honestly probably the most unique beat on the album. We wanted the first record we released to let people know this album is going to sound different but still have that element of great rapping with a message, which is what you normally get from me. Then that hook it just reminds you that whatever you see or want, you can have it if you manifest it. You’ve got to see it in your mind first.
ILL Tone: I agree wholeheartedly. It just felt right to show people the creative possibilities of what this project could be, while also delivering a positive message about pushing forward, going after what’s yours, and seeing the results of hard work and achieving your goals.
Q: How have live performances and freestyle platforms sharpened the edge you bring to records now?
Jae Skeese: Those things for sure honed my skills and just showed how sharp my blade is. I remember all the love I got after the Charlie Sloth Fire In The Booth freestyle dropped. From that, I just want to make sure that any time I’m putting something out, I’m reaching the standard I set for myself—or exceeding it.
Q: Looking back on the process, what lessons from each other will stick with you moving forward creatively?
Jae Skeese: Always remembering to put the music first. Sometimes I want to rap 48 bars on a beat that Tone makes, but we want to make palatable records. Sometimes the record doesn’t call for that. So, it’s just finding a happy medium where I feel satisfied as an emcee and as a songwriter. Tone is really good at reeling me in sometimes when I’m overdoing it.
ILL Tone: I’ve learned from Skeese that a lot of the time it’s about approaching the day—or the song—with intention and deliberately channeling day-to-day life experiences into your music. He has an excellent way of using music as a venting tool, transforming real-life experiences into fuel to make his music even stronger.
Q: In today’s landscape, how do you personally define what authentic hip-hop really is?
ILL Tone: I think hip-hop is a way of life, and the music reflects your creativity when it’s expressed in that form. When you talk about “real” hip-hop, I believe it’s real when it’s unapologetically you—without rules or restrictions. If it feels authentic to you, that’s what’s real. Making art without compromising yourself or giving in to others’ standards—that’s what makes it hip-hop in my eyes.
Q: When listeners finish the album from start to finish, what do you hope resonates the most?
Jae Skeese: That bars still matter and that hip-hop is alive and well.
ILL Tone: That lyrics matter, that topics matter, and that hip-hop still has room to push the envelope creatively—both in content and in sound.
Q: Why was presenting this as a true collaborative release important for both of you?
Jae Skeese: Because we made this album together. Creatively, we made decisions together. I did the rapping, Tone did the beats and mixing. We came up with the idea for the cover art together. All of this was a collaborative effort, so it was only right we release it in a way that reflects that, so everyone knows what it is.
ILL Tone: I just felt that not pushing forward with a project with the chemistry we built would have left too many “what if” questions and done a disservice to what we could—and ultimately did—offer our fan-base.
Q: With Vol. 1 setting the tone, what does the long-term vision for this partnership look like?
ILL Tone: Honestly, it’s about just having each other’s back. Beyond Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, this game can test you at times, so it’s better to have as many good people around as possible. Keep working, keep progressing, and always operate with the best intentions. I’m confident there’s a lot more coming from us as a collective, while also continuing to fuel each other’s growth.
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