The music industry is a land mine of politics, bad deals and fake friends. It takes more than musical talent and hard work, you need to network ferociously and you need to self finance that journey. This proves difficult in an industry where “faking it till you make it” is part of the game. Financial education is not at the forefront of the gold chains and fast cars lifestyle. To move within the circles required to perpetuate the interests of one’s rap career you will require a certain level of financial freedom. Most deals are made long before the paper is signed, it happens in the Coachellas and the Art Basel’s where you met that one person, who introduced you to the right person. Having cash flow is an integral part of scaling any business, the music industry is no different. Sahil Contractor goes by the stage name ‘Signature illi’ and is an outlier in the sense that he achieved financial success before his music career took off. A different kind of rags to riches story, Sahil focused on getting money before he heavily invested into his music career. Proliferating his Wingstop franchises across the Chicago area, Sahil is now in a position to give back to his community and fund his music career. This financial foundation has allowed the young musician to focus less on being Sahil the entrepreneur and more like Signature illi the rap superstar.     

Signature illi’s latest project “Alter Ego” is a synopsis of his life thus far, the lyrics illustrate his rags to riches story. With a dedication to unifying his community illi believes in giving back through his Wingstop franchises he has amassed over the years. As the holidays approach during this pandemic themed year illi and his Wingstop team will be giving free food to anyone who needs it. Firm believer in wielding hip hop as a positive influence and giving back whenever he can. The 25 year old indie rapper has taken an inverse path to success, but the trajectory is undoubtedly going up, 2021 will be the year of the illi.