Randy Gill Interview: The Return of II D'Extreme

On II D'Extreme

What led to the group II D'Extreme?

It's something we all wanted to do, we knew that from the start. So when we started the group, we didn't have to ask each other about what type of music, who's gonna lead or any of that drama. So there II D'Extreme was born and we'll always live. Randy Gill and D'Extra Wiley and Jermaine Mickey.

How did you meet the group's other members?

Well I met D'Extra through another buddy of ours and we became brothers the first time we met. He was a drummer and still is - the boy can play, he's no joke haha. Then Jermaine, he's my cousin, his mom and my mom are sisters, though his mom is no longer with us, she's resting now. He's keeping the dream though, he promised her as well as himself.

That's fam, so we're not only group members, we're brothers for life, through it all. That's why we're II D'Extreme, meaning though it all, big or small, no matter how extreme it is, we're brothers.

Cry No More came out of nowhere and dominated the charts. Can you give us the background from your writing of the track to getting it publicized to its tremendous success?

Well, we all had hands in writing something. I only did a little on "Cry No More," the man behind the writing for IID has to go to Mr D'Extra Wiley. He's the brains, he writes and lets us go in and put our touch on it. I mean I write a lot, but he did the writing for IID back then. Staying up late wasn't for this kid here haha. And the man's playing more keys now too, yeah we got something coming for ya now!

D'Extra Wiley did the majority of the writing for II D'Extreme, including their hit 'Cry No More.'

II D'Extreme was a very hands-on group, doing the writing/production yourselves. Can you describe the process for us?

I wrote one or two songs on each album. D'extra's the writer but we all had a part in production. I like that about my brothers. Whatever songs we write, we all have a part in how it should be sung, and no one has an ego about that.

The group has a rich gospel background, how has this influenced your sound?

A lot was from the Church and we keep God in us no matter what we sing, meaning he knows in our heart we will always remember where we came from.

Can you tell us what everyone has been doing during the group's hiatus?

Well, myself I'm doing my solo as well, and we're trying to get the IID working out trying to come back. Mr Wiley, he's writing scripts and doing his family Gospel CD, it's CRAZY! Jermaine has done his Gospel CD, and opened his own company Jmickey music Group. You'll see IID doing bigger things, trust me.

What can we expect from II D' Extreme's new album? Has the group's style changed much?

Music changes but we'll never change, we're gonna be us. That's all we can do and we pray the fans respect and love us the same as before.