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“Picture this: a hip-hop concert infused with the grandeur of an orchestra comprising strings, horns, piano, and a skillful DJ, all complemented by the dynamic duo of a husband-wife MC team, radiating passion and love for their craft.
Now that you have that visual, know that the performance was a fusion of classic hip-hop and R&B hits, each with the unique twist and flavor that only Thee Phantom and the Illharmonic Orchestra can deliver. From soulful renditions of Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone” to the infectious energy of Sugar Hill Gang’s “Jump On It,” they had the audience on their feet, grooving to every beat.
One of the highlights of the night was their original song, “Underdog,” which captivated the crowd with its raw emotion and undeniable talent. The chemistry between the MCs was electrifying, as they effortlessly traded verses, occasionally engaging in friendly duels that showcased their mutual respect and admiration.”
— Kecia, Kecia's Tour Life
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“An evening that showcases the exhilarating combination of hip-hop's raw energy and passion and the live orchestra's sweeping melodies! That is what you can expect when you step into the Majestic Theatre Dallas this March 31 and witness Thee Phantom and The Philharmonic Orchestra bring their highly-anticipated concert to the Lone Star State. You are in for an exciting evening because you will be immersed in a hip-hop concert like no other.”
— Majestic Theatre
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“Andrea McNeill has met many professional and aspiring artists at shows throughout the years, but one interaction in particular still sticks in her mind. At the end of a Kennedy Center performance in 2017, a woman and her young son approached the couple. The woman said her son was a cello player and told the McNeills how important and impactful it was for him to see himself represented on stage.
“When we talked to him, we said to him, ‘Continue to push forward and practice and in another few years, you might be playing onstage with us,’” Andrea says. “Fast forward a few years, this young man is 15, the third chair in his school orchestra, and playing with us. [...] He's done like four total shows with us. Those kinds of moments are the ones that are the most meaningful.”
— Samantha Thornfelt, Dallas Observer
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“A North Philly native, Jeff got his jump on combining classical music with Hip Hop when at the age of 13 he made his first mix with the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” and Beethoven’s 5th. Since then he has played sold-out shows at world famous venues like The Kimmel Center in Philly and Carnegie Hall & The Kennedy Center in New York, among other various venues across the US. In each city he plays, he builds his orchestras with local classically-trained ethnic minority musicians, providing opportunities for them to play in places they aren’t normally granted or afforded access to.”
— Mike Gamble, Gamble's Green Room
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“As many opportunities opened up for the orchestra, there was just as many “nos,” Andrea said.
“A lot of places were afraid of hip-hop,” she said. “Hip-hop is quintessentially Black, and bringing hip-hop into a classical space made people very uncomfortable.”
There was skepticism from the classical and hip-hop community. It was, as Jeffrey McNeill said, “draining” to continue spending their own money to rent venues and produce shows. “It was really tough to get booked on our own,” he said.
The couple was on the verge of disbanding, but in 2015, things began to change. That year, the orchestra was tapped to play at Carnegie Hall. McNeill brought a 25-piece ensemble to play at the famed concert hall, becoming only the third hip-hop artist to headline a show at the New York venue.”
— Earl Hopkins, Philadelphia Inquirer
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“Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra have etched their mark in music history through remarkable performances. Notably, the orchestra became the third hip-hop act to headline Carnegie Hall in 2015, a testament to their pioneering spirit and artistic excellence. In June of 2022, Jeffrey curated an extraordinary experience by assembling a 40-piece, all-black orchestra for Juneteenth at the Wolf Trap in Virginia. This event underscored his commitment to creating dynamic and culturally resonant performances that captivate audiences.
Presently, Jeffrey assumes the role of a mentor, guided by a commitment to fostering emerging talent. “We have to open more doors and create opportunities,” he emphasized, echoing his dedication to representation and inclusivity. The Illharmonic Orchestra has emerged as a platform for young musicians to shine, embodying Jeffrey’s dedication to nurturing a diverse and vibrant musical community.”
— SoulCiti, SoulCiti
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“Some may doubt the viability of combining hip-hop and classical music, but Thee Phantom, maestro of the genre-blending Illharmonic Orchestra, is used to these suspicions. In 1987, a 13-year-old Phantom mixed Beastie Boys' bratty classic "Paul Revere" with Beethoven's melodic Symphony No. 5 and brought the tape to his best friend's house for review.
"He ejected it, threw it across the room, and said it would never work," laughs Phantom. "From that moment, I became galvanized to the idea that I would mix hip-hop and classical music and do it on a major level."”
— Genevieve Wood, Austin Chronicle
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“Think Big. In 1987, there wasn’t a blueprint for combining hip-hop and classical music. There also wasn’t a preexisting hip-hop orchestra. My wife and I having the confidence to believe that we could [do it] allowed the Illharmonic to reach the stage at Carnegie Hall and beyond.”
— Malia Karlinsky, Amazon News
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““We are a hip hop orchestra that specializes in combining hip hop live with orchestral accompaniment, and for our Wolf Trap performance, we will have a 40-piece ensemble, comprised of minority musicians from all over the country,” McNeil said. “It’s a mixture of Black music from pretty much the time Black music was created up until now.”
While McNeil is the maestro, at the Juneteenth celebration, McNeil will be joined by his wife, Andrea Colin-McNeil, aka The Phoenix, who is the vocalist and female emcee of the group.
“I dabble between living in that hip-hop space and being the emcee and singing in some parts,” she said. “This is just an overall fun experience. When you think about classical music as a genre, you don’t think about being very vocal or having dancing. What we bring to the table is a somewhat party atmosphere in a classical setting. People can be themselves, sing along and be free to come out and have fun.””
— Keith Loria, Fairfax Times
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“Led by rap duo Thee Phantom and The Phoenix, the Illharmonic Orchestra masterfully links classic hip-hop with "classical" music in a way that's wowed audiences from Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, and countless other venues. The duo joins Garrett in this week's third movement to talk about their recent developments, the Illharmonic Orchestra's upcoming Juneteenth concert, and more.”
— Garrett McQueen, Trilloquy
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“When was the last time you witnessed; strings, horns, woodwinds and piano at a Hip-Hop Concert? Add to that; a party rocking DJ, a fierce soul songstress and a fire breathing MC and that still but a fraction of what you'll experience when you catch Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra in action. On October 14, 2022, The Illharmonic will perform at Ferst Center for the Arts on the campus of Georgia Tech.”
— Creative Loafing Atlanta, Creative Loafing Atlanta
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“Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra combine Hip-Hop with orchestral accompaniment. In this video, the ensemble pays tribute to the late great Trouble T-Roy with Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s timeless classic, “TROY”.”
— Wanja, 1st Day Fresh
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“On this episode of Hip-Hop Can Save America!, aka, ‘the world’s smartest Hip-Hop podcast,” Hip-Hop meets the orchestra. We’ll hear from Thee Phantom, who has been merging the worlds of classical and Hip-Hop music for more than 20 years, delivering his Illharmonic Orchestra’s world-class mashups to stages from the Kennedy Center to Carnegie Hall. Sounds like music to our ears!”
— Manny Faces, Hip-Hop Advocacy
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“The classical music industry is long known as lacking inclusivity of ethnic minorities. Thee Phantom’s pairing with The Illharmonic draws attention to the need for equity within orchestral classical music.
Coln emphasizes the importance of representation within the industry and its promising effect on aspiring musicians of minority backgrounds.
“If there’s a person who can come to our show and say ‘I see this differently, I know I can aspire to this,’ then we’ve done our jobs,” Coln says.
Chemistry beyond artistic compatibility also drew McNeill and Coln together 21 years ago. The pair are a couple entering their 11th year of marriage.
The couple shares a love for layering the simple melodies of classical music with the contemporary vibrancy of rap and hip-hop. Growing up in North Philly, McNeill’s exposure to a wide variety of music — from Motown to Mozart — spurred an enthusiasm to mix the Beastie Boys with Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.”
— Caroline Cliona Boyle, District Fray Magazine
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““It is an absolute honor to welcome this revolutionary ensemble back to the Kimmel Cultural Campus, after hosting them last summer for a special Juneteenth virtual performance,” said Frances Egler, senior director of programming and presentations on the Kimmel Cultural Campus. “The genre-bending musicality of these artists is something uniquely Philadelphian – the embodiment of creativity and perseverance.””
— Kimmel Center, Kimmel Cultural Campus - Press Release
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“There are very few rappers that I will shell out money to see LIVE. For a long time, I’ve felt that hip-hop has lost its way. We’re living in a time where anyone who makes a catchy song can be a star. With the Thee Phantom & The Illaharmonic Orchestra, not only are they a skilled group of musicians, but their leader also brings a fresh voice to the music known as Hip Hop.”
— Derrick Dunn, Reviews & Dunn
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“According to Phoenix, the show can’t be explained, but must be experienced. It’s not for people who opt to stay seated while watching.
“It’s a house party in a classical venue,” she says.”
— Michaela Ratliff, Triad City Beat
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“Undeterred by skeptical friends and hip-hop heads growing up, by the ‘90s, Phantom was interning at Third Story Recording in West Philly; and crafting beats in their spare studio—the same room in which Schoolly D made “P.S.K. What Does It Mean?.”
By the early aughts, he’d headline Carnegie Hall, while also being the first hip-hop artist to perform at the prestigious Kimmel Center (with accompaniment from members of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia).
Performing on stages across the world, Phantom brought B-Boys to a sold-out Kennedy Center—which he noted as being the same room, “where Nas filmed a performance of ‘Illmatic’ with the National Symphony Orchestra.””
— Katei Cranford, Yes Weekly
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“Hip-hop and classical music collide when Thee Phantom and The Illharmonic Orchestra come to Wolf Trap for a special family-friendly Juneteenth celebration. This all-star lineup features some of the most outstanding Black orchestral musicians from across the country performing works by Beethoven, Donny Hathaway, Jay-Z, Rossini, Wu-Tang Clan, Mozart, Mary J Blige, and William Grant Still.”
— Live Music Project
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“Phantom has since formed his own ensemble, dubbed The Illharmonic Orchestra and has toured the United States and Japan. The group has appeared on TV several times and was featured on Fox International’s “Backstage Pass”, which aired in Japan and 27 Asian countries.”
— Austin American-Statesman
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“Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra return to the Queen City, bringing their brand of B-Boy Meets Beethoven.
The ensemble combines the raw passion and energy of Hip-Hop, with the beautiful sounds of live, orchestral accompaniment. The group has performed at such hallowed venues as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, the Kimmel Center and more.”
— Black Cincinnati, The Voice of Black Cincinnati
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“The groups founder who owns the trademark for the term “Hip-Hop Orchestra” first combined Beethoven’s 5th Symphony and the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” way back in 1987. The Illharmonic has been performing since 1998 and has reached the stage at Carnegie Hall, sold out The Kennedy Center and has been rocking Concert Hall stages throughout the US. Catch Phantom and The Illharmonic on their upcoming, “B-Boy Meets Beethoven” Tour in 2022.”
— Maria "My-My" Myraine., Culture District HQ
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“McNeill and his wife had a sizzling onstage chemistry, and he beamed when he calls her his "partner in music and in life." Dressed in a studded tuxedo and red heels, "Thee Phoenix" almost steals the show from "Thee Phantom" by adding sexiness and soul to his quick rhymes.”
— Rachel Breitman, Edge Media Network
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“Thee Phantom was only 8 years old when he wrote his first rhyme. At age 12, he made his first beat mixing the Beastie Boys with Beethoven. Today, he’s touring America with his B-Boy meets Beethoven style.”
— KHOU - Great Day Houston
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“Thee Phantom and The Illharmonic Orchestra combine the raw energy and passion of Hip-Hop, with the beautiful sounds of live orchestration. Phantom first mixed Beethoven and The Beastie Boys in his living room in 1987 and the group has since graced the hallowed stages of; Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center and the Kimmel Center to name a few. Fronted by husband and wife dynamic duo, Phantom & Phoenix, the ensemble ranges in size from 10 to 50 musicians and they are currently working on a Concert Hall Tour for 2020 and beyond.”
— SXSW, Austin Chronicle
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“Mixing the formality of a philharmonic orchestra with the upbeat rhythm and tempo of an R&B show, Thee Phantom and the Illharmonic orchestra brought in the New Year at the Kennedy Center. As part of the organization's ongoing hip-hop initiative, Thee Phantom (Jeffrey McNeill) helped bend and meld genres with a remix of classical music and elements of old school rap and modern lyrics.
Describing himself as "part B-Boy, part Beethoven," McNeill and his wife "The Phoenix," combined Beethoven and Vivaldi with backbeats from Lauryn Hill, Nas, Kanye West, and even the Eurythmics. Their remixes of famous tunes like "Killing Me Softly" and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," lifted up the room, mixing the swagger of the 1980s and 90s with elegant lyrics and swift rhymes referring to modern political times.
The audience embodied the mix of classical, R&B, and hip-hop, dressed in outfits ranging from black velvet tuxedos to track pants, ball gowns, and leather pants.”
— Rachel Breitman, The Edge
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“Now, here's a little story I've got to tell about an Amazonian with some rhymes to sell...
Jeffrey McNeill thinks of himself as part Mozart, part hip-hop artist Mos Def, part superhero, and part comedian. And this isn't hyperbole. McNeill, a loss prevention specialist in Opa-Locka, Florida, spends his free time as Thee Phantom, the hip-hop maestro of Illharmonic Orchestra. The group is a high-energy performance orchestra combining hip-hop and classical music.
McNeill's ears were filled with music at a young age. His mother loved to sing around the house and his father had an extensive record collection. When he was 8, he began taking flute and piano lessons and became familiar with classical music and recitals. Soon after, he was introduced to hip-hop by way of Sugar Hill Gang's Rapper's Delight. McNeill noticed that hip-hop music was typically drum driven and lacked melody, but when he listened to hip-hop, he found that his brain created melodies on top of the beats.”
— Ethan Chung, Amazon News
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“Thee Phantom was only 8 years old when he wrote his first rhyme. At age 12, he made his first beat mixing the Beastie Boys with Beethoven. Today, he’s touring America with his B-Boy meets Beethoven style.”
— Deborah Duncan, Great Day Houston - KHOU
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“Fans of early hip hop streamed into the Auditorium Theatre August 24, ready to hear their old favorites presented alongside new compositions with beats that went way further back. Many groups represented three generations of their families, eager to share a special treat with their kids. Hip hop and rap commonly sample classical music, but use of a live orchestra during performances is rare. So, does the use of strings, brass, woodwinds, and a synthesizer throughout a two-hour concert substantially change the experience? In the case of Thee Phantom and the Illharmonic Orchestra it certainly does. A fan of classical music from an early age, as well as the old-school hip hop of his Philly childhood, Thee Phantom felt the presence of musicians was so important that he and his wife and “partner in rhyme,” The Phoenix, created their own ensemble.”
— Jacob Davis, Picture This Post
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"Our show is not the typical concert hall experience. You should fully expect to sing along with reckless abandon, get out of your seat and dance if the mood strikes you, and to leave feeling inspired and uplifted." - The Phoenix
— Staff Writer, Picture This Post
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“What do you get when you mix old school songs with a classic orchestra? A full theater of music enthusiasts who can appreciate the sounds within the music. The feelings in the instruments. People who can understand that each old school record tells a story. A story of when they first experienced love. Their first basement party. Their first heartbreak.
These feelings and more traveled throughout Chicago’s Auditorium Theater, Saturday August 24th. The Hip-Hop Orchestra was an experience featuring live acts singing and playing of instruments to covers of some of the most infamous songs of our time, with a full orchestra on stage.”
— Vee L. Harrison, Scene Chicago
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"It all started when an 8-year-old Jeffrey McNeill took a recording of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and juxtaposed it with the Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere." He didn't know what it was he'd created, or even if he'd created anything, but he knew that this was a sound he loved and that he wanted to explore it further. Fast forward a few decades, and you have an ensemble that's on the brink of something truly innovative — The Illharmonic Orchestra"
— Garrett McQueen, YourClassical.org
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“After years of touring with his Ill Harmonic Orchestra, McNeill and company began working on a set of songs that would become Maniac Maestro, a full length that stands as a culmination of decades of intense work and dedicated genre-bending. The album opens with “The Anthem” an energetic crowd-rocker that rides atop a magisterial trumpet fanfare and the classic, hard-hitting “Top Billing” / ”Impeach The President” drums. A fun and enjoyable listen, the album is firmly footed within the seemingly oppositional worlds of hip-hop and classical. This fact is driven home by a scene-stealing appearance from The Phoenix on the track “Double Trouble.” The Phoenix and Thee Phantom trade bars over uptempo hip-hop drums and a string motif nicked from Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville-Overture.””
— John Morrison, The Key XPN
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“Some people love listening to hip-hop and some love listening to classical. Yet there aren’t too many people who enjoy both — or at least enjoy both at the same time.
Thee Phantom, a rapper and composer, writes rhymes to sing on stage while he has an orchestra — the Illharmonic Orchestra — behind him playing his own composition.”
— Emilie Burditt, Badger Herald
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“Thee Phantom, born as Jeffrey McNeill, uses his musical background to create combinations of hip-hop with classical orchestrations. Thee Phantom’s performances have spanned college campuses across the country, being one of the only hip-hop artists to headline at Carnegie Hall and the first to perform at the Kimmel Center with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The Daily Illini spoke with Thee Phantom about the upcoming release of his new album, “Maniac Maestro,” and his unique participation in the music industry.”
— Megan Bradley, Daily Illini
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“Phantom and his Illharmonic Orchestra ensemble hold the distinction of being the third hip-hop act to headline their own show at Carnegie Hall in New York City. They have now performed at over 50 colleges and universities in the last 5 years. In 2017, Phantom‘s track “A Song for You” reached over 250 college radio stations.”
— Natalie Hanson, The Orion
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“Hip Hop on Another Level!
The event title I happened upon on Facebook, "Hip Hop Orchestra" piqued my interest more than enough to not waste time and buy a ticket!
Hip-Hop....cool! mic check 1-2 (see what I did there? LOL) backed by an orchestra...check...wait...whaaaat??
Yes, I had to witness this concept LIVE and in person!
Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra which features the dynamic duo, the Maestro "Phantom" and his lovely wife "Phoenix" showed up and all the way out in Cincinnati, OH to a SOLD OUT audience! While I didn't know what to fully expect, I truly got much more! Who knew the melodic sound of the strings, horns, and keys along with slammin' beats, original lyrics, some R&B, plus a DJ and soulful vocals would mesh so well?? I didn't, but now I know! They entertained us from start to finish and had the crowd hyped & rockin!
It's a musical experience unlike any I had before and so glad I attended! If they come your way....GO!”
— Kecia, Kecia's Tour Life
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“On paper, the Beastie Boys and Beethoven are worlds apart.
But merging the two together made perfect sense to Jeff McNeil. Consumed by music by age 12, the North Philly native came up with the grand idea of mixing the instrumental of the famed rap group’s “Paul Revere” with Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5.”
“I heard all of this stuff in my head, and when I mixed it, I was so super excited about it,” he told Philly Weekly. “I took it to my best friend’s house and he ejected the tape and he flung it across the room and he said it would never work. At that moment, I became married to it because I wanted to show that it would work.””
— Gregory Dale, Philly Weekly
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“The distance between the North Philly neighborhood of Jeffrey McNeill’s youth and New York’s storied Carnegie Hall is roughly 97.5 miles. The aesthetic, economic and cultural gap between those two locales is far greater.
Like many kids growing up in the dawn of Hip Hop, McNeill quickly found himself fully immersed in the emerging culture, channeling his creative energy into the new music. True to hip-hop’s tendency of appropriating and recontextualizing older music, Mcneill began writing raps and raiding his father’s classical music collection, making tapes that reflected his curious desire to fuse hip-hop with the music of the European classical canon. After christening himself Thee Phantom, McNeill and his ILL Harmonic Orchestra have succeeded in bringing classical instrumentation and hip-hop flavor to stages around the world, fulfilling a lifelong dream of performing at Carnegie Hall.”
— John Morrison, The Key - WXPN
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“We love that you describe yourself as “part b-boy, part Beethoven.” What inspired you to combine hip-hop and and live orchestration?
Thanks to my Mother (Linda McNeill) I took flute and piano lessons as a child and sang in the church choir. My father had a sizable record collection and I can remember spending hours in the living room, on the floor listening to record after record. I started writing lyrics to my own songs by the age of 6. Mostly Pop and R&B. My father played Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight for me at age 8 and two weeks later, I wrote my first rhyme.
When Hip-Hop began, it was mostly break beats and hard drums. With the little bit of training that I had, I heard it blending seamlessly with classical music in my head. Especially the rhythmic pulsing of Beethoven, Vivaldi and Mozart. At age 12, I decided to mix Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony with the Beastie Boys’ Paul Revere.”
— ReverbNation, ReverbNation Blog
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“TThe heat of a summer night is sitting on your neck as you and your boy stare down the barrel of a shotgun. It’s 1 a.m. in Philadelphia and you can tell by the look in his eyes the gunman wants to kill you, but suddenly he pauses, his expression softens, and he lowers the gun. He recognizes you as an MC that performs in the neighborhood and decides to let you live, leaving one final instruction before he departs: “Keep rapping.”
Facing death has a beautiful way of waking us up. For Jeffrey McNeill – professionally known as Thee Phantom, leader of Illharmonic Orchestra –fatefully escaping that situation was a caramel macchiato straight into his veins.”
— Monique L. Hatch, SoulCiti.com
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“Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra are back with a banger! Their new track, “Diabolique (Shut Sh!t Down)”, plans to do just what the title insinuates. Produced by Thee Phantom and featuring violinist, Al Whizzy (Alan Lawson), the song takes aim at the formulaic repetitiveness and lazy offerings of some of today’s major label rappers and producers.
With it’s speaker rattling kick, diabolical piano riff and virtuoso violin runs, the track is pure fire by itself. When you add haymaker punchlines from Phantom like, “The only way You and Me in the same sentence, is separated by Ain’t Fucking With”, what you have is a banger that is sure to be on repeat.”
— Digiwaxx, The Blast by Digiwaxx
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“Holistic hip-hop Featuring strings, horns, piano, a DJ, a soul singer, and a rapping MC, Thee Phantom and his Illharmonic is not your typical hip-hop act. They specialize in blending the vigor of hip-hop with classical instrumentation to create a new subgenre. They will play at Cafe 939 with an ensemble of musicians from the Berklee College of Music. Nov. 8, 8 p.m. $10. Cafe 939, 939 Boylston St., Boston. www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=000f53383255e33d0928be1acf2bc727”
— Raffaela Kenny-Cincotta, Boston Globe
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“Philly native Jeffrey McNeill is one of the few Rap artists who can legitimately promise listeners & those who attend his concerts something they haven’t seen or heard before.
Under the MC moniker Thee Phantom, McNeill hit upon the formula by mixing the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony … when he was 12! McNeill took the concept & ran with it, forming the “Illharmonic Orchestra” & going on to garner attention from all over the world for his distinct blend.
This Friday, Thee Phantom & an Illharmonic featuring local players headlines Over-the-Rhine’s Washington Park for its free, weekly “Friday Flow” concert.
The event kicks off at 7:10 p.m. with “Def Comedy Jam Poets,” Tracy Walker plays at 8 p.m. & Thee Phantom taking the stage at 8:45 p.m.
A documentary crew is following McNeill on tour for the planned From the Hood to Carnegie Hall film, so be sure to look your best!
7-10 p.m. Free. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rh”
— Mike Breen, Cincinnati City Beat
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“JEFF "THEE PHANTOM" McNeill has always been about elevating the hip-hop craft to new levels.
But when McNeill & his Illharmonic Orchestra take the stage at Grape Street this evening for a "Philly Unplugged" event, he'll show just how far hip-hop has come as he fuses a live orchestra with his energetic rhyme style.
The result? Hip-hop bliss in A minor.
"I'm looking forward to this show. We have a female vocalist, a DJ, strings and horns," McNeil said recently. "It's not your typical unplugged show. We're definitely hip-hop, and we got a few surprises for people."
"Thee Phantom is one of the city's more original artists for his blending of two genres that otherwise would have nothing to do with each other. He pulls it off effortlessly," said hip-hop artist Gary "Lex" Sweeney.
McNeil has been surprising people since he began melding hip-hop with orchestral backing in 2000 with such releases as "Storming the Bastille." He first hit the local hip-hop scene in the 1990s.
”
— Damon Williams, Philadelphia Daily News
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“McNeill was immersed in music from an early age, singing in a church choir and taking piano and flute lessons. He was introduced to hip-hop at eight, when his father played him The Sugarhill Gang’s seminal 1979 track “Rappers Delight.” He was instantly hooked.
McNeill created his first rap two weeks later, and cut his teeth in MC battles at Philadelphia house parties. But he still had strains of Beethoven and Vivaldi running through his head. “The first beat I ever made at age 13 combined Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” with the Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul Revere’,” he recalls. “Hip-hop at that time was mainly drum machine-based with sparse instrumentation and melody. Having taken piano and flute lessons, hip-hop and classical just seemed to fit. I had no idea at the time what I had created. My best friend thought it was awful and said that it would never work. I vowed to prove him wrong.””
— Daniel Grunebaum, Metropolis Magazine (Japan)
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“Many hip-hop artists spend their days scouring record bins for choice samples to rap over, but rarely do they go out and find an actual orchestra. As rapper Thee Phantom, Jeff McNeill is doing just that.
McNeill has played at New York's famed Carnegie Hall and the Kimmel Performing Arts Center in his hometown of Philadelphia, but he chose the theater space at the Ginza Apple Store for his Japan debut. Accompanying him will be a 10-piece Japanese orchestra.
McNeill says hip-hop hit him "like a ton of bricks" when he heard it in the 1980s — so much so that by his early teens he had tried making his own track by mixing the Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere" with Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. He credits that experiment with putting him on his musical path.”
— Mike Hamilton, Japan Times
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“Time Out Tokyo watches genres collide, as Beethoven meets the Beastie Boys in the hands of Thee Phantom, an up-and-coming hip hop artist with a classical twist, jetting into Tokyo mid-April to take on the Ginza Apple Store, Japanese orchestra in tow.
Hip hop and a live orchestra? What's that about?
I grew up with access to a wide range of music. I sang in the church choir in addition to taking piano and flute lessons as a child. When I was exposed to hip-hop, it seemed to naturally fit with classical music. The first beat I ever made in the late '80s, combining Beethoven's 5th Symphony with, 'Paul Revere' by the Beastie Boys.
”
— Jon Wilks, Time Out Tokyo
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“This is first and foremost a Hip-Hop show, albeit a genre-blending one, with an old-school feel.”
— Caitlin Derose, Buffalo Artvoice
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“In 2002, Phantom was the first Hip-Hop artist to perform at the Kimmel Center, appearing with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Who knows? Maybe Carnegie Hall will be the next stop for Thee Phantom. Represent. Rachmaninov.”
— Matt Smith, Philadelphia Metro
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“Classical and hip-hop are two genres of music that are unlikely to show up in the same CD collection, let alone the same song. That's not a barrier for Thee Phantom, a musician from Philadelphia; he has skillfully blended orchestral music with hip-hop since age twelve.”
— Jessica Maloney, GW Hatchet - George Washington University Newspaper
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“Two seemingly opposite musical forces collide this evening when Thee Phantom performs his brand of classically infused Hip-Hop at Rittenhouse Square Park. Phantom combines the essence of Hip-Hop with the essence of Classical Music to create a sonic mixture sure to appeal to a cross section of music lovers.”
— Damon Williams, Philadelphia Daily News
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“Now this is some Hiphop ish!!.. dope track! production is tight, lyrics and flow is onpoint. Breath of fresh air.. I love that boom bap sound. He rides the beats.. dope track”
— DJ Kristyles - Cleveland - RapAttack, NostaticRadio.com
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“I will be adding "A song for you" to rotation. From the hard copy, I liked track number 3 the best. The stripped down acoustic version allows for me to hear the emotion as the song builds up.
Thanks!”
— Paula Porsche, WVCW Radio - Virginia Commonwealth University
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“on first listen.....it just sounds like a sweet soundin tune. the piano intro is so captivating. the initial beat drop is expected, but perfect. lovin the intensity of the rhymes and your cadences as well. who's singin in the breakdown/reprise? that's a lot of soul in that voice, full of articulated emotion. intense and emotional track but bangin!”
— DJ CJ Wilford - Italy - "A Song for You" Professional Review, (U.nited C.rates C.rew)
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“Thee Phantom is one of the originators of Classical Music/Hip-Hop fusion. he has a long-running hit on college radio, "Storming the Bastille" and will do his thing alongside the Illharmonic Orchestra, Verso and DJ Pac-Midi at the Rotunda.”
— Damon Williams, Philadelphia Daily News
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“Speaking of amalgamating musical genres, Thee Phantom will headline the evening show at The Rotunda on Saturday January 24th. Lauded for his inventiveness at combining classical music and hip-hop, Thee Phantom will front the show while the Illharmonic Orchestra backs up the adept lyricist.”
— Lloylita Prout, Philadelphia Inquirer
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“The Entertainer - I thought the classical component lent a full-bodied, elegant side to the song that meshed perfectly with the back beat and rap; a perfect meeting of two very different worlds, if you will. Not the first of its kind that I've heard but definitely one of the best.
--Ash Rhodes
Music Director
KRFH - Humboldt State College”
— Ash Rhodes, KRFH - Music Director Feedback for "The Entertainer"
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“This is really good. A very unique combo that works incredibly well. It creates a really nice and somewhat chilling vibe. It's a hit, love the melody.”
— Rudy Haeusermann, "The Entertainer" Professional Review on Music XRay
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“Thanks so much for your submission, “The Entertainer”. What an awesome track. Fantastic rapping, solid beat, strong chorus melody (and that soprano descant line in the verse is unbelievably gorgeous). The mix functions really well, and I think the aesthetic you’re going for is really cool and is an avenue that hasn’t been fully explored yet. It’s a very smart, well-done composition & recording.
Andrew Fox - Music Director - Stacks of Wax Recordings”
— Andrew Fox, "The Entertainer" Music X Ray- Professional Song Review
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“In the late 80s Conwell Russell Middle School wasn’t quite ready for pre-teen visionary, Jeff McNeill. His low-fi mash-up of the Beastie Boy’s “Paul Revere” and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony fell on deaf ears around the lunch table, hence his self-deprecating lyric from “B-Boy Meets Beethoven:” “He used his own stereo/ pause, record/ He put it on tape and took it to school/ played it for some kids who thought he was a fool.”
Armed with a deep well of respect for his old-school influences, and a lifelong fascination with classical music, McNeill reinvented himself as Thee Phantom in the late 90s, working with classical musicians as much as possible. “I still get the wide-eyed look when I bring a string quartet onstage,” he says, from his home in Upper Darby. “Then we bust out with a cover of ‘Lean Back’ or something, and people are like, ‘Oh! This is hip-hop.””
— Bruce Walsh, Philadelphia Metro
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“Growing up, Jeffrey McNeill could find anything in his father's record collection "from Motown to Mozart." Every sound in that spectrum made an impression on the artist who now calls himself Thee Phantom, but it was the classical music that stood out as especially passionate and expressive.
McNeill took flute lessons, and although he didn't continue with formal training ("It's not the sexiest instrument. Nobody lies in bed at night dreaming about naked flute players."), he learned to read music and continued to grow in his appreciation of classical music. It was the start, as they say, of something big.”
— Katie Haegle, Philadelphia Weekly
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“Since his emergence in Philly's indie-music scene as a solo artist, Thee Phantom's unique juxtaposition of hip-hop and classical music has really taken him places. From college campuses in Texas to packed New York City nightclubs, Phantom's b-boy meets Beethoven style has left an undeniable mark on any and all who have seen him.
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— James Johnson, Philadelphia Daily News
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“While other underground MCs were rockin' LaTazza and The Five Spot, Thee Phantom was conquering the Kimmel Center. And while his peers are hoping to book a gig opening for Lil Wayne, he's got his eye on Carnegie Hall.
Backed by a crew that could play your wedding — a violinist, a cellist, a harpist, etc. — rapper Jeff McNeill has perfected the most complicated of pop blends: classical and hip-hop. He calls it introducing Beastie Boys to Beethoven. "I was just messing around and took Paul Revere and blended it with Fifth Symphony."
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— Deesha Dyer, Philadelphia City Paper
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“Jay Z and Kanye West have used string players for effect - silly props for award shows, perhaps. But to North Philly MC Thee Phantom, blending the beats & rhymes of hip-hop with the sweep of cellists & violinists is serious business.
Thee Phantom's epic, stately sound makes more sense on the Kimmel Center's stage than it might during a basement rap bash. Making Of An Underdog features handsome arrangements of strings, rich choral vocals, & warm brass. His rap's clarity, its singsong flow, & the simmering instrumentation behind his melodies allow ample room for Thee Phantom's positive lyrics. As a storyteller, he makes his point on "Underdog" & "Inspiration" and gets out of the way of the grand, elegant music. "Hip-Hop's Love Ballad" is cheery & romantic. "B-Boy Meets Beethoven" seems as silly as it does stoic. But none of this means that this MC, or his Illharmonic Orchestra, lacks grit, hardness, or humor. Thee Phantom is one overachieving underdog.
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— A.D. Amorosi, Philadelphia Inquirer
