Beverly Wills (B Wills)

[The Sojourner's Truth - April 18, 2012]

The Young Scholars Program was one of those things government got right.

The program took inner-city elementary kids who had above average grades and started preparing them for higher learning at an early age.

Before getting kicked out, I spent the early 90s in this program and loved it. Then, at the end of the 90s, my little sister Kai’lah received her invitation to join the program.

At this point, I was 20 or so and in my first full year at The University of Toledo but I made sure to take time to be with my parents and sister as she attended her introductory luncheon. Seated at our table was another new inductee to the Young Scholars Program, the future B. Wills.

Our families had a ball, even traced family trees with the far-off possibility someone had married someone else that may have made us relatives. From being pre-teens and over the years into adulthood, I watched my sister and B form a fam-like friendship.

They’ve held each other down through ups and downs even as both of them found not many of their other friends were life-long. Because I’m involved in the local music scene, I remember the buzz around B.Wills starting to bubble even in the early Myspace days.

Then I watched him grow, evolve and get better and better until he’s someone you HAVE to mention when you speak of music in this city.

My company has always shown him love and respect and he’s always returned it.

We’ve supported each other’s music, events and successes.

We’ve discussed situations we’ve both faced. We’ve both had people say stuff about us to each other, unaware that we have been tight for years.

So now, with a new project and a new event on the horizon… Toledo’s own Mr. 106 & Park is ready to break his silence on a few things.

Here you go, Toledo. This is for y’all.



MICHAEL

How did you become one of the hottest rappers in the area? It’s a direct question, but just spell it out for everyone. How did you do it?



B. WILLS: I remained true to myself and consistently outworked everyone while still showing love. I paid attention to all of those that came before me from around my area and made sure to never repeat the mistakes they made. Truth is a lot of cats only want to be “Local Celebrities.” They’ll have a hot single, get it played in the club a few times and then that’s it, they’ve made it. That’s totally fine, just not for me. The things rappers speak of in their rhymes, I do it. Every rapper claims to “Put on for their city” and “have the city on their back” but in actuality only care about themselves getting on. It’s a never ending joke, they do everything in their power to get the people behind them and the second they have that support and reach a certain amount of success their like “Peace, see y’all when I see y’all”. Toledo to me is like that chick that everyone talks bad about but regardless you still love her. Say what you want but she’s mine and I’m proud of her.



MICHAEL

I’ve watched you become a household name in Toledo.

Which is something very few artists have done.

What are the pros & cons that come with being this known in this city?



B. WILLS: It’s a love/hate thing. There’s people that truly appreciate me repping the city as much as I appreciate them supporting me. I never in a million years thought I’d be the guy signing autographs and taking pictures, even speaking at schools. Mike, you know how that feel.

Then on the other hand you’ve got the hate. “Where I’m from, when you go the hardest/ You don’t become a hero, you become a target”, probably the realist rhyme I’ve ever written and it’s 100 percent true. A lot of people don’t approve of my appearance,( the skinny jeans, the hair, the piercings) and feel like because of that, ‘why should I be the one leading Toledo?’. Guess I should rap about selling drugs and Coogi, yea, then they’ll definitely love me lol.



MICHAEL:

What is your overall goal as an artist?



B. WILLS:

To inspire and influence anyone with a dream that’s scared to be themselves due to what most people would think. That’s worldwide, not just Toledo. Everyone’s so scared to be themselves and I hate it. At the end of the day I want to show the world the positive side of Toledo that anyone rarely talks about and gets to see. The last few times Toledo was on national TV I took part in that, that’s a true blessing. From Glenwood Ave. to television, you can’t tell me nothing.





MICHAEL:

What music do you listen to? Like, what five artists are most frequently on your personal play lists?



B. WILLS:

Top 5 would be Rick Ross, Sade, Drake, Wiz Khalifa & Nipsey Hussle.







MICHAEL:

What makes the perfect single? What makes the perfect mixtape?



B. WILLS:

The perfect single to me is the one that you’re most comfortable with performing. That single can open so many doors for you but if you can’t bring that song to life in person there’s no point. Far as the perfect mixtape, I’d have to say individuality. Straight like that. If you need an example make sure you download my new mixtape “Shawn Michaels” April 27 via LiveMixtapes.com. Just keeping it real as the kids say.







MICHAEL:

What are some of the ridiculous rumors you have heard about you and please take a moment to set the record straight.



B. WILLS:

Here we go! Funny thing is that I never take the time to set records straight cuz I could care less if people know a truth. The NUMBER one rumor is that I’m gay, by far. For the record I love gay people as much as any others but no I’m not gay myself. Maybe it’s because of the hair or maybe even the fact that my clothes fit, who knows? All they gotta do is ask their chicks, they know what it is! The other rumors vary so much, that’s pretty much the main one. Maybe I should rap about being in the trap with my Tall T and goons.







MICHAEL:

Professionally, a lot of people want to be down with you. Say they’ve worked with you, all kinds of stuff. What are your past/present professional relationships with various companies or entities in this area? Set the record straight on who and has not been a part of your success so far.





B. WILLS:

DOPE question. Most don’t know but I’ve been without any management or a team for about two years now. Everything from BET, the touring, mixtapes, it was all me. Not looking for a pat on the back but I want for people to know the truth. Embrace of Embrace Enterprises definitely played a huge role in my success, I learned so much from her, it was more than business. Charlie Mack and the entire Juice 107.3 family, I look at them as my actual family for real. There’s so many people, from all the DJ’s to club owners, I’m appreciative of each and every person, sincerely. Far as people claiming they’ve worked with me and saying I’m affiliated with them, I appreciate the compliment but keep it 100. To anyone that truly wants to work with me, let’s get this money!



MICHAEL:

Explain the idea behind “Derwin Davis” and how it’s been received so far.



B. WILLS:

I had gotten the email that I would be going back on BET’s 106 & Park for the W.O.W Championship and I couldn’t think of what song to perform. I was literally watching “The Game” on DVR and it hit me. I’m about to go back on BET, why not make a song about their highest viewed show? It’s the championship, the world will be watching. Next thing you know I performed the song and a producer backstage informed me that I was third biggest trending topic worldwide on twitter and I won. Then Pooch Hall (who plays “Derwin Davis) began tweeting about me and since we’ve formed a cool friendship, one of the coolest and most supportive people I’ve ever met. The rest is history. The song is currently on radio and iTunes, the response has been better than I could ever dream. Shouts out to DJ One Tyme for being the first to spin it on radio, greatly appreciated that.







MICHAEL:

The alias “Beverly”, the streaked hair, the clothes… no matter what anyone says, you or someone around you understands packaging.

You at one point were known just as much for fashion and image just as much for music.

Explain how you’ve been able to create that lane for yourself.





B. WILLS:

I always did what I wanted to do. I really don’t care what people think of me, dead serious. I’m not trying to be different or follow any trends, this is me. People don’t understand that it’s not about talent in this industry, your actual talent only plays a portion. You have to appeal to the masses all the way around. Don’t get it twisted, if I wasn’t doing music I’d still be rockin skinny’s with the funky hair. It was easy musically to create my line because I speak on true events from my life. It’s impossible to sound like anyone else when you’re doing that.







MICHAEL:

What does the rest of 2012 hold for B.Wills ?





B. WILLS:

Well they say the end is near so hopefully a lot before but December. Seriously though, 2012 will be the greatest year of my career so far, I’m more than sure of that. My new mixtape “Shawn Michaels” releases April 27 on line and I’m actually having the release concert in Toledo that same night @ The Zodiac. Most concerts are expensive so I made sure that the tickets are only $10 and it’s an all ages show so everyone from junior high school kids to adults can come. It’s gonna be a HUGE night for me and Toledo. Tickets are on sale now @ Hot Kixx (5250 Monroe St. across from Krogers). I’ve got a few surprises for that night so just make sure you’re in the building!







So there you have it. Be in the building for his show, make sure you get the mixtape and if you can… try to calm down the hatred. Producing and packaging my own artists, I always use B. Wills and a few others as examples. Because no matter what has been said about them, they are more polished and ready than most in this area. And if you know anything about getting close to that deal, and what it really takes to gain access to those majors, it should be easy for you to appreciate and hard for you to hate.



Oh yea, let me give my little shout-out to the WJUC family as well.

I’ll be in touch soon y’all.



Toledo, let’s have a good summer!



Peace.



Email: ugemusic@gmail.com

Twitter: @mercuryuge

Youtube. www.youtube.com/ugemusic

And my new addiction, instagram: @mercurygram

Email ugemusic@gmail.com - The Sojourner Truth Newspaper

I'm a mixtape addict. It is a love/hate relationship that has the power to make me smile or make a Frisbee out of the CD. The art of the mixtape is known by few and the proof of what a good —no, great — mixtape can do is on the top of Hip-Hop charts, in the form of Cash Moneys Drake and Nicki Minaj. Regardless of how you feel about the two, they are the perfect example of a build-up to multi-platinum success.

Artists have used this as an avenue for building a street buzz since the beginning of Hip-Hop. The mixtape made the listener feel exclusive and offered an introduction to an artist before they went and got all “shiny.” Toledo has experienced a surge in this returning trend and I am reviewing the summer’s best to get you through the family road trip, ready for the club and something to wash your car to.

B.Wills — Beverly Scissorhands with DJ Mr. King: On a CD filled with punchlines and laughter, Beverly Wills brings the excitement with fast-paced, upbeat freestyles with original tracks to match. Wills is the “Red Bull” taking you on a long ride with a young fly sound, content and flow reminiscent of current chart toppers. This high-energy CD will keep you awake for that long drive or calorie-burning workout.

U.G.E. Presents B.M.G. “Outa Space The Mixtape”: BMG brings it back with his OuttaSpace project with DJ Sid Deluxx of Soulbeat Music Group. Why is a DJ important? Deluxx provides segues between songs, which helps keep the mood of the CD constant. BMG offers content of a man who is about his family and his work. The struggle is one you can hear with simmering anger and frustration of a man who is sincere and diligent in his quest to make it in the rap game. Not because he wants to party, have a lot of women and indulge in drugs, but because others depend on him. The feeling he is able to convey through a mixtape makes it all seem possible.

Free download: www.ugemusic.com

T.Diamond — “Bars: The Mixtape”: Another artist out of the U.G.E. camp, T.Diamond drops the DJ and concentrates on rhymes over 10 Hip-Hop beats. He keeps the flow of the tape moving with intros and outros aimed at friends and foes but in true T.Diamond fashion he has his own way with the ladies. This is a summer fun mixtape, which means you can take it anywhere. T.Diamond possesses a playful flow reminiscent of the late 1980s (think Dougie Fresh, Slick Rick and The Fresh Prince) with a modern edge. Cocky and confident, he lyrically invites you to his playground, but make no mistake — he is coming for the competition, he just makes it sound fun!

Free download: www.ugemusic.com

Swill Gates — “Everybody Hates Chris”: Soulbeat Music Group artist Swill Gates is already the talk of the town as the summer’s must-have CD. This mix tape sounds more like an album Gates should be promoting. If you are into rappers that degrade women, party and curse a lot, this may not be the mix tape for you. Boasting original tracks from some of Toledo’s best production “Everybody Hates Chris” proves to be a treat for those who love the basics of Hip-Hop.

Swill Gates has a laidback flow with witty metaphors and grooves that showcase the life of a grown man.

Online: www.soulbeatmusic.net.

Now you have the knowledge needed to show some love and support to a few of Toledo’s finest. - Toledo Free Press Newspaper

If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to raise an artist to a national platform.

Finally, Toledo was on national television for something other than a group of racists in white sheets, a shootout at a club or kidnapping. Toledo was on national television because a native proudly announced his hometown in front of a live studio audience on the highest-rated show on BET.

The week that led up to rapper Beverly Wills’ performance on “106 & Park’s Wild Out Wednesday” proved that this community is capable of uniting and supporting a fellow Toledoan. Facebook and Twitter profile pictures all across the 419 were changed to a flier urging others to vote for Beverly Wills. I lost count of the number of times I texted “B” to 79922.


Beverly Wills

So the day came. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010. 6 p.m. “BET’s 106 & Park” has started. Many Toledoans’ Facebook status mentions Beverly Wills, instructing everyone to watch and get ready to vote. We’re ready to see if all our support will pay off.

This edition of “Wild Out Wednesday” was all male rappers. Great; Wills might have competition. The first act was introduced, and upon first glimpse, he showed promise. Equipped with fashionably coordinated dancers and a charming southern slang, he might just be good. Then his music started. Ten seconds of his performance was enough for every Toledoan watching to know he wasn’t going to be a problem.

After a few more music videos and mindless banter from the hosts of the show, it was time for Act 2, Beverly Wills, all the way from Toledo, Ohio. Facebookers and Tweeters went frantic, making sure everyone was ready to vote.

Wills performed solo. No dancers to distract the crowd, no hypeman to overshadow him. And by himself, he had the crowd repeating his chants, and voluntarily cheering him. After he was done performing his allotted segment of his song “Everybody Wanna Be Me,” he rapped without music for a moment. Wills had a special message for everyone back home in Toledo, glued to the television, ready to vote for him: Forget the chicks and fame; I do this to make Toledo proud.

How proud were the people of Toledo? Proud enough to keep Beverly Wills in the lead through the duration of the show, and make him victorious at the show’s conclusion. Beverly Wills is the first artist from Toledo to win “Wild Out Wednesday.” And he won because his city stood behind him. Wills said that performance “felt like a job; the city did everything to get everybody watching, so I had to make sure they watched something good.”

Beverly Wills has been invited back to BET for Blaze the Stage, a competition where the best “Wild Out Wednesday” performers are showcased in front of label executives and the biggest urban radio station in the country, Hot 97 in New York. People have gotten record deals from Blaze the Stage.

Wills summed up the experience by saying “not often do you do in reality the things you picture in your brain.” Congratulations. Dreams do come true. - Toledo Free Press Newspaper

He’s a 21-year-old who dreamed of being a high school guidance counselor — and Hip-Hop pays his bills. Talk about an oxymoron.

If you knew Beverly Wills when he was just Brandon, you probably don’t talk to him very often today. The Toledo rapper says, “people don’t call and ask about my daughter or how my days went,” but are offended when he charges them for his musical services.


Beverly Wills

After performing all across Ohio and winning an Ohio Hip-Hop Award for Best New Artist, why would his services be free? Oh, yes, that’s right: you’re not allowed to take your craft seriously before you leave your city and become a national superstar.

And that’s single-handedly why most artists never leave their city and become national superstars.

Beverly Wills has come a long way from the kid who rapped in high school for fun, looking up to Ma$e because he looked like the urban kid’s dream: flashy, rich, a braggadocio and a ladies’ man. Nowadays, Wills is seeking more intangible measures, like his daughter’s affection, or seeing his music help people going through the same struggles he has survived.

Honesty is a quality too often lost in Hip-Hop, masked by desperate attempts at success through a make-believe life. But with his personal style of music, Beverly Wills says he “can’t rap about a Maybach because I don’t have one.”

It’s because of Beverly Wills’ ability to reach people through his dynamic personality and raw emotion that his popularity has grown, not only in Toledo, but internationally. Social networking plays a huge part in his success, garnering him “more attention from an ethernet card than pressing CDs.” A month ago, he learned he has fans in Croatia, who eagerly pass his music around. Hope he has a passport.

Never forgetting where he comes from, Beverly Wills’ new project is titled “T.O.L.E.D.O.,” an acronym for “This Opportunity Lets Every Demon Out.” This is his first true representation of himself, with completely original music and very personal lyrics. After trying to follow trends and only make club music, he is now only focused on being himself and showing the world that he’s more than just a “swagger rapper.” As the world will see very soon.

On Dec. 22, Beverly Wills will compete on the highest-rated television show on BET. “106 & Park’s Wild Out Wednesday” is a segment for artists to display their talent, then berated by a studio and at-home audience via text message. Wills says he expects to win, but “making it there speaks volumes.”

However, if he wins, to him it only means to “keep pushing.”

Beverly Wills understands what most artists don’t; a television appearance doesn’t guarantee success, and the bills come every month regardless. So while being on the show is an honor, it doesn’t put a recording contract in his hands. But that doesn’t mean he won’t need your support. Watch BET’s “106 & Park” on Dec. 22 and vote for him. - Toledo Free Press Newspaper