Tillavision Talks Death Row Records’ Legacy and Decentralized Rapper Lil Bitcoin
Synonymous with West Coast hip-hop, Death Row Records is an iconic music institution responsible for celebrated albums by some of rap’s most legendary talent — including Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. This year, for its 30th anniversary, the storied label launched an immersive virtual museum. “The Death Row Experience” was created by Flux88 Studios and Los Angeles-based 3D artist Matt “Tillavision” Penttila, who is renowned for his digital experiences and work with both classic and contemporary hip-hop icons — including Nas, Busta Rhymes, DJ Khaled, Drake, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, among others. In fact, he has created 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality content for the likes of Swae Lee, Pop Smoke, JuiceWRLD, Young Dolph, Lyrical Lemonade and more this year alone. For the 28th anniversary of the classic album “Doggystyle,” Death Row tapped Tilla and Flux88 again — creating an exclusive collection on Crypto.com NFT.
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Penttila has been an active participant in hip-hop culture since he was a teenager — starting as a b-boy and DJ on the city’s local scene, and eventually going on to work with artists such as 50 Cent, Kanye West, RZA, Scarface, Kid Cudi, Machine Gun Kelly, M.O.P. and others as part of production duo The Kickdrums. Leaving the group at the turn of the teens, Penttila joined a friend at his company LiveMixtapes.com — where Tilla picked up animation to create promotional material for the platform’s exclusive releases. Though visual art had been a childhood passion, he found himself reinvigorated creatively when he discovered 3D design — teaching himself programs like Cinema4D.
A play on the word “television,” incorporating an abbreviation of the artist’s last name, the Tillavision moniker is a projection of what he predicts the future of entertainment will be. Tilla is one of the masterminds behind decentralized crypto avatar rapper Lil Bitcoin, billed as the “the world’s first artist to debut via NFTs,” and Crypto Money Records — which he describes as a “meta label,” a term coined for agencies offering metaverse-related services for avatar talent. Living eternally on the blockchain in the “Crypto Money Mansion,” Lil Bitcoin’s appearance, personality, intelligence and abilities evolve over time.
As the story goes, Lil Bitcoin is a teenager created and raised by Father Santoshi of Santoshi Labs to bring power and wealth to the people of the metaverse. Santoshi teaches Lil Bitcoin the way of the blockchain, how important decentralization is to the metaverse and that it must be held sacred and protected at all costs — warning the young artist about the dark “Fi-Opps” forces run by powerful banking families that want to destroy the blockchain and all things rooted in decentralization, in effort to dominate and control all universes.
Crypto.com NFT caught up with the accomplished digital artist and crypto enthusiast to discuss everything from Death Row’s legacy and his relationship with the iconic label’s catalog to his creative evolution and working with hip-hop royalty.
Read the Q&A with Tillavision below and visit the “Death Row Records 30th Anniversary” drop page for more information.
I saw that Crypto Money Records was behind the “NFT NYC” mixtape; how was the conference?
NFT.NYC was amazing. We knew it was going to be a party, so we created the soundtrack! Crypto Money in-house DJ Diamond Handz put together a dope mix. We rented two buses and hopped from event to event, and brought the gang along. You may have seen some of Crypto Gang in Times Square with the picket signs, “THE METAVERSE IS OUR TURF.” That’s our slogan.
What’d you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Death Row and Bad Boy. Then I got into Jay-Z, Nas, etc.
How was working on “The Death Row Experience” for the 30th anniversary?
It was amazing [to work] with the Death Row team and all involved. I had the honor and pleasure [of speaking with] John Payne, a Death Row day one, and [got to] pick his brain about his past experiences and views on the future.
What is your relationship with the music and history of Death Row?
Death Row was [my] introduction to rap, really — [the] “Doggystyle” tape! I swapped out the cover so my parents wouldn’t see it, and hid it under the bed mattress. I spoke to a lot of other kids with similar experiences. Later, Death Row became our anthems — party anthems, chilling anthems — it was our life soundtrack, as teens.
“Death Row became our anthems — party anthems, chilling anthems — it was our life soundtrack, as teens.”
What was the Cleveland hip-hop scene like, when you came up?
Cleveland had a dope hip-hop scene. I was into the four elements. B-boying was at the underground parties I was at. The back rooms of the clubs, they [were] playing breaks and b-boys [were] battling. It was raw.
From b-boy to producer to digital animator, can you walk us through your evolution as an artist?
It was a natural progression. At first you lose yourself in the music — that was my b-boy stage. You’re just reacting. Then you become curious, which leads to DJing. After you learn that, you want to make the music you play — so you start to produce. Then you want to create visuals for your audio. The goal is the become a true artist, master of all.
You racked up some serious credits as a producer; why’d you stop?
[It’s] just temporary. I go with the flow. I did music for 10 years and didn’t pick up a pencil. When I began to draw again, I fell back in love with my childhood passion for pen and ink — which led me to digital art and 3D.
How about your evolution as a visual artist; I understand you’ve done work in other mediums as well?
I met an artist named Scott Hove, who makes some amazing cake-inspired sculptures. You just gotta see it to understand. He really inspired me to get off the canvas; that’s when I started experimenting with foam — the same stuff cosplay people use to make their armor costumes. It’s really dope to play with. I made a whole series of statues, masks and other works. It was a good exercise. I hope to do more.
What do you like most about working in 3D and digital art?
Stepping into our dreams, into our imaginations. If you can think it, you can create it — and show people literally what’s in your mind. That’s amazing.
“The goal is the become a true artist, master of all.”
What inspires or motivates you artistically, in general?
I just wait for the visions. They come to me, and I only react how I know how to: I get to work.
What do you consider “good” art? What makes art “good” to you?
Good art comes from an authentic art. True art. That’s it.
What’s more important: technique or message?
Message, absolutely.
You’ve had the opportunity to work with everyone from hip-hop legends to contemporary superstars; how do you approach animating for someone like Nas or Busta Rhymes as opposed to newer artists like Cardi B or even Young Dolph (R.I.P.)?
My process is always the same: I take whatever subject I’m given and I go down the rabbit hole — I listen to all the music, I listen to all the interviews — the whole time I’m sketching, I’m writing things down. After some time, the vision comes to me. I try to honor the subject I’m working on.
Do you have any reflections on working with Dolph, in his wake?
R.I.P. He was one of my favorite rappers. He really loved the 3D art we were creating and thought it was dope. He hit me up for input on NFTs and how to move in crypto art. He was down to earth to talk to and made you feel comfortable. His music gave me confidence, always in rotation for years.
Tell us about the NFTs in this collection; what inspired them?
I tried to take iconic elements of the brand and put them through my crypto filter. I’m influenced by futurism and hip-hop culture, and blending them together.
How’d you get into NFTs?
I saw FEWOCiOUS drop a piece for $20 thousand [in] November 2020. I had been following his work for several years, from my friend Joey Fingaz. That got me curious and doing research.
Were you into cryptocurrency or blockchain technology prior?
Ethereum HODLer since 2017!
What are some of the weirdest or most unbelievable projects you’ve worked on?
[The] quarter million dollar WorldStar chain was crazy. [I’m] working on a new project, “Bitcoin Wine,” that is very awesome — tokenizing 10,000 actual bottles of wine. I love creativity. I’d say [the] Crypto Money Meta Label is the most ambitious and wild thing I’ve ever worked on.
How do you see the virtual experience space evolving?
I’m really into Web3 and pushing the boundaries of digital experience. Web3 is the future!
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Editor’s Note (Sept. 29, 2022): an earlier version of this article was originally published on Nov. 24, 2021 and has since been edited and/or updated.
