E Philz

Issue # 43, Indie Music Review page 85

E Philz (born: Ian Philip Roberson a/k/a Ian Philip DeHorney) was born in July 1980 in Passaic, New Jersey. E loved music and listened to WBLS Hip-Hop on Saturday night and HOT 97 when it was HOT 103 as early as 1986.

After moving to Texas in 1992, E became more invovled in writing music and poetry as a way to connect with life and friends back home. Living in Texas and visiting Jersey every summer made E's style form into something unique. E formed close friendships with JayBee (beatmaker/producer), and Big Slugga (rapper). E wrote an essay and received a partial scholarship to the University of North Texas. While studying music, E linked up with a local band and began performing his lyrics to rock music in the dorms. This is when his love for music grew into something that couldn't be ignored.

E and long time friend JayBee moved to El Paso, where E studied Electronic Music and Screenwriting at the University of Texas at El Paso. Here he linked up with producer Terrance Hilton (Epiphany), and artists like Mike Corleone, Bigz Jarrell, Dre, J Jr, Kemp a/k/a K-Matic and END. E did a couple shows in El Paso and Juarez, Mexico and had a nice following, but then ran into hardships and had to move in order to further his career.

Going back to New Jersey in 2002, E's inspiration now came directly from the streets that helped develop him as he was back home. E then got together with long time friends Lethal Weapons (T-1, Bada Bang, Maine Mumbles) and recorded several songs produced by other long time friends, The Symphony and Tek 1. E Philz released the E Philino Street Scriptures in mid 2003. E did a show with Lock'd 4 life records and Bada Bang on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, but him & the label weren't seeing eye to eye so E never signed with them. E also worked with Smoke Masiah, Clams, D Laws, Gotti, Donny (producer), and N-Tune productions. E is known for freestyling, networking and getting people's minds right throughout Passaic, Paterson, Harlem, Washington Heights, and Long Island.

In 2006 E moved back to Austin, Texas where he has made the base for 730 Enterprizes as it is the live music capital of the world. In 2007 E released "E Philz Mixtape: The Jersey Files" which is a compilation of music recorded and mastered in New Jersey. E is currently working with JayBee, S Type Jag, DJ Loc, Young Jazz, K-9, Fat Belli Beats, Truescribe Beats, Big Slugga, and the team from back home mentioned above. E Philz was also featured on JR Writer's Unsigned Hype 3. Look out for mixtapes hitting the whole world from 730 Enterprizes. - Urban Mainstream Magazine: Jackie Stein

Voed Emcee of the month February 2009. - Rap Choice

E Philz Mixtape Volume 1: 730 Jersey Files - "Check out the hot and exclusive underground cuts from this mixtape of verbal assualt." - Rap Choice Magazine