Short answers, pulled from the story.
Illbient is a genre of electronic music and art movement that originated among hip hop-influenced experimental musicians from New York City in the early 1990s. It is characterized by dub- and industrial-influenced layering of beats and soundscapes, hip hop-influenced use of breaks and samples, and a progressive approach to beat programming that encompasses world music and electronic music.
The word illbient combines the hip hop slang term "ill" and the word "ambient." DJ Olive and DJ Spooky, both pioneers of the genre, have each claimed to have coined the term.
DJ Olive and DJ Spooky are the best-known pioneers of illbient. Other notable figures from the original scene include Raz Mesinai, We, Byzar, and Spectre.
WordSound was a record label run by the illbient artist Spectre. The label released work by many of the artists connected to the original illbient scene in the early 1990s.
Subsequent illbient artists include Techno Animal, Sixtoo, and Odd Nosdam. These acts followed the founding generation of New York City-based musicians who established the genre.
Illbient blends dub and industrial influences with hip hop techniques like breaks and sampling, combined with a progressive beat programming approach that incorporates world music. The genre is deliberately individualistic, meaning each artist brings a distinct variant to the form rather than following a fixed template.