Born and raised in Brooklyn's own Sumner Housing Projects (aka Sumnerville, aka Outta Bounds NYC), ILLA made the transition from street Pharmacist to rising MC stardom. As Brooklyn's fastest upcoming MC in the late nineties and early 2000s he was recognized as the next Biggie Smalls by many seasoned vets in the rap game. After making a memorable appearance on Mobb Deep's Hell On Earth LP ("Can't Get Enough Of It"), ILLA had the misfortune of falling victim to the streets.

As a result of this encounter with the law, ILLA had to do a 6-year bid in VA, and postpone his spot as BK's next boss. Upon his release in 2002, ILLA picked up right where he left off before his incarceration. He recorded at a break neck pace and, found himself being placed in DJ Kay Slay's "Best of Freestyles" top ten for his "3 Million Freestyle". Soon after, Ghee recorded "Medicine Rap" featuring Prodigy of Mobb Deep. The song made it's way onto DJ Kay Slay's Street Sweepers Vol. 5 edition mixtape. After the Street Sweepers mixtape flooded the streets, ILLA GHEE appeared on Mobb Deep's LandSpeed released "Free Agents" Mixtape, which sold over 650,000 copies.

Still unsigned but working at a feverish pace, ILLA GHEE managed to appear on DJ Big Mike's West Coast Mixtape, Mobb Deep's Murda Muzik Soundtrack, DJ Mello's Chemical Files Mixtape, P-Cutta's Street Wars 12 Mixtape, DJ Premier's Step Ya Game Up Mixtape, DJ Onpoint's Exclusive Radio Mixtape Vol. 1, DJ Kay Slay's Street Sweepers Protect Ya Neck Mixtape, and the Payola Bros. Street Beef Vol. 8.