Latest / The Scene Projects / Wild Willie on Music, Community, and Authenticity in Artistry

Transcript

Wild Willie on Music, Community, and Authenticity in Artistry · The Scene Projects

0:03
Hey.
0:04
How's it going?
0:04
It's your boy, Pablo.
0:06
Are back live in the vault.
0:07
I got a very special guest with me.
0:09
I got Wild Willie.
0:11
Stop playing with him.
0:12
Hey, Willie.
0:13
How you doing, man?
0:14
I am doing wonderful.
0:16
Yes, sir.
0:17
Yes, sir.
0:17
So this is crazy, man.
0:19
This is our first time really having to talk like this, man, and being able to actually have
0:25
some dialect with each other.
0:26
We've been in some of the same groups as Bubba Starks, and that's that's how kinda how I got
0:32
in contact with you, man.
0:33
So just tell the people, man, who you are and and and what you got going on your way, man.
0:39
Well, my name is Wild Willie.
0:41
I am a DJ.
0:43
I run a company here locally called Backwoods Production.
0:47
It's a karaoke DJ slash sound guy company.
0:53
I've done that for about five years.
0:56
I've used that business to venture into now my podcast, which is Soul Impact, how music saved
1:02
us.
1:04
Because music has always been that outlet for me, and I want people to have a be able to have
1:10
a resource that when they're feeling down in the dumps or Right.
1:15
Whatever whatever the situation is that they can relate.
1:19
Right.
1:19
Because music itself is therapeutic.
1:21
Come on, man.
1:22
And that's that's that's kinda how why why I made Black Sheet Kid music, man.
1:26
I feel like I wanted these not just artists, but people all around the world to be able to
1:34
relate to the brand, relate to what I got going on, man.
1:37
So I love that.
1:38
I love that.
1:39
So, I mean, man, what's what's next for you, man?
1:42
Like, what you got going on?
1:43
What's what's some of the things you've been doing over the summer?
1:46
What's some of the high if you give us some of the highlight things you've been doing, man.
1:49
I know you've been probably torn a little bit too.
1:51
I know me and Bubba had the spring tour this this spring.
1:54
That was crazy, man.
1:56
But, yeah, give us a little insight about what you got going on your way besides this the
2:00
podcast.
2:01
And then, man
2:03
I I I do a lot early.
2:04
I do a lot of benefits for the community here.
2:08
Every July, I do a big benefit.
2:10
They have a four way drive here locally.
2:13
I donate my soundcom the music company for an all day event that just plays music to see kids
2:19
smile.
2:21
And then every November, they have this thing called the hero marathon, which they run a
2:25
26.2.
2:28
And kudos to them.
2:30
I couldn't do it, but it all the money goes to the it's called the hero marathon, and all the
2:35
money goes to a veteran.
2:36
Right.
2:37
So I also use my business to give back to that.
2:41
During the summertimes, I do a lot of festivals and, you know, stuff of that nature that would
2:47
just you know, what I enjoy.
2:50
I do I do typically do karaoke at bars, which Right.
2:55
I don't mind, but, eventually, I'd love to get able to hire somebody else to take care of that
3:01
part for me because Right.
3:03
I love it, and I do.
3:04
I love being able to bring music and being the one that brings music to bring a crowd up or
3:09
you know, that's always been my passion.
3:12
So so so so, wow, Willie, are are you a artist yourself, or are you just a like like, what I
3:18
mean, are you an artist?
3:20
I I am not.
3:21
I've been I've been looking into the free spoken word a little bit.
3:25
Okay.
3:26
Okay.
3:26
Thought about maybe getting into that, but I'm not musically talented.
3:34
Okay.
3:35
But I do a lot of stuff in the music community like that.
3:39
Right.
3:39
So so so you you you help coordinate some of these festivals and and some of these these
3:44
things and these events going on then.
3:47
Like, you you're you're you're more so setting the stage with some some of us artists to get
3:51
on.
3:53
I'm more or less I work with a lady.
3:55
Her name's Casey Smith.
3:56
She's an amazing woman.
3:59
And I do three to four festivals a year with her.
4:04
And, you know, I I didn't get into DJing to make a million dollars.
4:10
The reason why I got into DJing is I had a friend of mine five years ago did a wedding,
4:16
and they paid $1,200 for a DJ to come an hour and a half away for six hours.
4:22
Right.
4:22
And I was like, that's outrageous.
4:24
I mean, it's making it where the working class can't afford, you know, can't afford to throw
4:32
parties or go out all out on a wedding because not everybody has $1,200 laying around to throw
4:39
on a DJ.
4:40
I mean, I'm being honest, that's more than my first car call.
4:46
Yeah, man.
4:47
But I did it because I have a heart for it.
4:50
I do.
4:50
I mean, being able to see music and how it uplifts and the therapeutic of music, not just
4:57
for me, but for everyone.
4:59
I mean, and you think of the big songs like Cha Cha Slide, Cupid Shuffle, the big good dance
5:04
songs.
5:04
Yeah.
5:05
Yeah.
5:06
Yeah.
5:06
You always see a smile on somebody's face, whether it's the person dancing or the people
5:14
smiling at laughing at the people dancing.
5:16
I mean Right.
5:17
Right.
5:18
And as a DJ, when I play that song well, maybe not now because I have a fractured knee.
5:23
But before, when I play them songs, I get right up beside the people I I'm entertaining, and I
5:31
do them songs right there with them.
5:33
Right.
5:33
You know?
5:34
The big thing is there's a passion there.
5:39
And whether it's learning more about the sound side or and, eventually, I would love just to
5:44
do that.
5:46
Like I said, hire someone else out to do the DJing at the bar.
5:50
But, eventually, I would be able to love just to take backwards production and turn it into
5:56
an iconic sound company.
5:59
Right.
6:00
Right.
6:04
Right.
6:05
And and you hit on you hit on something big, man, and I've been expressing this thing to a
6:09
lot of artists that I deal with on my realm.
6:12
Community involvement is so freaking important.
6:17
And I was just saying this yesterday, guys, I have done so many free shows, man.
6:25
It ain't about doing things free.
6:27
Sometimes those connections open doors and lead you to other connections, and and it's just
6:33
sometimes the relationship is way more important than the money at times, man.
6:38
And Exactly.
6:39
And like like you said, and and another another thing you hit on is the passion part of it.
6:43
Man, I still get so much joy coming in here on this keyboard, man.
6:48
It's like, it never get old to me, brother.
6:50
And it's a passion there, man.
6:52
And I feel like it's important for artists to somehow keep that fire burning.
6:57
It's easy to get discouraged, stay off of social media, become the content creator, not
7:02
the content consumer because it's easy to get discouraged looking at be looking at big bubble
7:07
stars over here all on TV.
7:09
Look.
7:09
You gotta enjoy and embrace where you are, you know, and and and I and I mean and keep that
7:15
passion alive.
7:15
I love I love where you're going with that Wow Willie.
7:19
Most definitely hitting on some good things.
7:21
So, I mean, how how far has your community involvement gotten you so far?
7:28
I'm a I'm a tell you like this, man.
7:30
Bubba's showing showing me the game, man.
7:32
Everything we need is right here around us, and once you once you build your community around
7:37
you, it's up from there, bro.
7:39
And all I can say is, man, my my for me, it's going crazy my way.
7:44
But what about how's it been for you, man?
7:46
Well, see, for me, I look at community different because, yeah, the community I live
7:52
is important.
7:53
Don't get me wrong.
7:54
Because like I said, I do.
7:55
But I'll hit on that, and then I'll explain what I mean by the other.
8:00
But just to see people's reaction, like, I've gotten gigs because I do the stuff to give back
8:08
to the community, and people see that it's not about the money.
8:12
You know?
8:13
Right.
8:15
If I and I've done there's a school up here.
8:19
I I'm not allowed for certain reasons, I'm not allowed to disclose the school.
8:27
But I do.
8:29
And there's a bunch of disabled adults and young teenagers.
8:32
And every couple years, I do a prom for them, and I don't charge them a dime.
8:39
It's not because Beautiful, man.
8:42
But to see these people and, I mean and, like, with all the stuff I do, like, the better,
8:48
there's nothing that brings me more joy than seeing someone smile because and it's gonna
8:53
sound a little selfish, but because of what I'm contributing.
8:57
Because and I don't do it for glorification.
9:01
I don't.
9:01
I do I do it truly to give back to the community, but it makes it all worth it when
9:06
you see a veteran or smile and be like, yo, this song bring back so many good memories, and
9:12
they smile, and they come over and they thank you.
9:15
Or this and disabled adults, when they come up to you and say, I I love this song.
9:21
Can you play it again in a little bit or whatever the situation is?
9:27
Moments like that, you don't get that necessarily when you get paid to do something
9:33
because people are like, we pay you.
9:35
You're gonna do it this way and blah blah blah blah blah.
9:38
Right.
9:39
Right.
9:39
You know?
9:41
And I've had that experience where I've had I've had to part ways, like, because of a place
9:47
I was doing as a DJ.
9:49
They thought they got bigger than what I really was, and I didn't wanna conform to how they
9:56
wanted my show run.
10:00
Sometimes it's about staying true to your morals.
10:03
I mean, even if you're gonna be offered a thousand dollars, but you have to change who
10:07
you are.
10:09
Is it really worth making the thousand dollars to go against what you believe?
10:13
Right.
10:13
Right.
10:13
Right.
10:13
I'm with it.
10:14
I'm with it.
10:14
I'm So
10:15
then the other part of that is, to me, I think community also includes the people you're
10:20
connected to, not just locally, but, you know, through the same project, through the podcast.
10:26
I have so many people through my podcast that I've gotten connected with that I talk to
10:31
almost at least once a week Right.
10:33
Because of that connection is formed.
10:35
And, you know, and on my show, we talk about them hard topics that no one really wants to
10:42
talk about because they're hard.
10:47
You know?
10:47
And they make you uncomfortable.
10:50
They make you wiggle in your chair.
10:53
But you know what?
10:54
If those conversations aren't being had, then how are people up the road gonna know, okay.
11:01
Willie Willie struggles with this or Pablo struggles with this.
11:05
Right.
11:06
Right.
11:06
You know?
11:07
You and that's why I never edit one of my my podcast episodes.
11:12
I'm a single dad.
11:13
I wouldn't trade at anything in the world.
11:15
And sometimes I'll be when she's not at school, she'll come up and she'll hear, daddy, I need
11:20
this.
11:20
They're in my episode.
11:21
But you know what?
11:22
I do the raw uncut.
11:24
And the reason why I do it raw uncut, I want people to see that no matter where you're at in
11:29
your life, whether you're a single parent, just just gone through a divorce, or you're dealing
11:35
with depression, whatever your struggles are, there's hope.
11:40
You can do whatever you achieve.
11:42
You set your mind to.
11:44
You know, there's a saying, and I can't remember who says it, but it's one of my
11:49
favorite sayings of all time, and it's one person with a belief is equal to a force of 99
11:55
with just an infant.
11:58
And that tells you how much it how important it is to truly believe in yourself.
12:02
And I see a lot of artists over the last four years that has one bad experience on a stage,
12:10
and they're like, I'm done.
12:13
You know?
12:13
This isn't meant for me.
12:15
And, you know, And sometimes it takes some encouraging, and, you know, society has put a
12:24
cliff note on us that suck it up, deal with it.
12:30
It's not a it's okay.
12:32
Just swallow your pride.
12:34
And to me, that's all bullcrap because at the end of the day, it's okay to show who you
12:39
really are.
12:39
It's okay to show the world that Wild Willie isn't okay.
12:45
Yeah, man.
12:46
Sometimes you gotta pop out and show them, man.
12:48
You know you know, I I I'm I'm like this.
12:52
Call me a call me a rebel, but, I mean, being humble ain't got me nowhere, dawg.
12:59
Like, we I I mean, when me and Bubba, we out and about, bro, we the most probably the most
13:06
we look like we mean something, bro.
13:08
We we're not walking in, like like, we don't belong here.
13:12
No.
13:13
It's kind of of a arrogance, of a of a confidence.
13:16
You know what I'm saying?
13:17
Of a I mean, I belong here.
13:19
I belong on this stage.
13:20
And I feel like, yeah, all that, trying to hide who we are and trying to fit into a society and
13:26
all that kinda trying to fold into a box, man, be unorthodox, man.
13:31
Be who you are authentically.
13:33
Like I said, turn that social media off unless you're gonna start creating your content.
13:38
Otherwise, they mean you're consuming too much.
13:41
But, yeah, man, I'm with it, bro.
13:43
When it when I made this black sheep kid music thing, I I didn't have it in my mind, like,
13:48
this is gonna I'm a do this to be like these artists over here.
13:51
In my mind, this is like, you know what?
13:53
This is for the different, man.
13:55
This for the ones that that ain't afraid to to be unapologetic.
14:00
You know what I'm saying?
14:01
Like like, if it's on your mind and this is how you wanna express your creativity, come over
14:07
here and join the black sheep kid train, man.
14:09
I got some sauce for you.
14:11
I I I I I'm totally with the getting out of the realm of trying to fit in with anything, man.
14:18
I I look around.
14:19
I see I see everybody look like somebody.
14:22
Like, you know what?
14:23
It's hard to find authentic authentic it's it's hard to find authentic people, man.
14:28
I can't say that.
14:29
What's the I can't say the other word, authenticity.
14:32
But yeah, man.
14:35
And so I'm here now to where now I'm I'm I'm I'm slowly building a community with people
14:41
just like you.
14:42
Wow.
14:42
Wow, Willie.
14:43
Just like you and Bubba and mister Thorne.
14:50
I got another friend, Corey, and and I got Jay Vaughn, and I and I got I got a little small
14:59
community here.
14:59
I'm building up some real hard hitters, man, some real go getters.
15:03
And that's what it's about.
15:04
And and like you said, the community, it ain't about just the local things, man.
15:08
You have to make sure you're taking care of your your your team that's taking care of you.
15:11
That's the ones on social media.
15:13
That's that's that's the ones streaming your music, coming to your concerts.
15:17
And that's why I I I I do a lot of follow-up.
15:21
I I I'm always in my DMs and and emailing, and I do a lot of cold calling.
15:26
You never know if I'm a call you or not.
15:28
I may just call you and say, hey.
15:29
How you doing?
15:30
That's just how I am.
15:31
You know what I'm saying?
15:31
That's me giving back to my community that God gave me.
15:34
And so that's important to me.
15:36
So, mister mister Wild Willie, what's next for you, man?
15:40
I mean, I'm planning for a nation a a nationwide takeover with Bubba next year, man.
15:45
We I'm planning for a national run.
15:47
I mean, what's what's what's what's new for you, man?
15:50
What you got coming up for you, man?
15:52
I'm not really sure, but I would love to see this podcast go to become something not just
15:59
online.
15:59
I would love to see this podcast become something where someone can go come and hear
16:06
people in person that shares, you know, maybe turn it into a seminar where people come.
16:12
I I don't know what it looks like, but I would love to see it where people are able to connect
16:17
in person and say, alright.
16:19
I heard I heard his story, and I want five minutes of his time.
16:23
And find them artists that are real and willing to hey.
16:30
I would love to help you with that.
16:33
Or
16:33
See see, why would it I don't I don't think that'd be a hard a hard pitch to a hard you
16:38
know what saying?
16:39
A hard act to pitch because you you talking about you can make go you go to a nice a nice
16:44
venue.
16:45
You can use anything for something like that, and and you get a you get a artist on the panel
16:50
for an hour to come up for an hour or so, and and the artist inviting their followers to come
16:55
see them interview live.
16:57
That'd be crazy, man.
16:58
I mean, I that's a crazy I Bubba Bubba is doing something like that with the with the
17:03
songwriter showcase a little bit a little bit.
17:06
You know what I'm saying?
17:07
To where he'll have a little set right before they actually do the music part, the live set
17:12
to where they actually interview.
17:14
But I don't know about the the the the people being in, but that'd be a crazy look, bro.
17:19
I can see something like that.
17:19
Something like a talk show there.
17:21
You're talking about going major, going big dog like a talk show almost to where now you got
17:25
audience.
17:26
You got a audience inside the building.
17:28
Yeah.
17:28
Yeah.
17:29
Summer's not just an audience, but, like, I want it to be, like, kind of a q and a type of
17:34
thing Right.
17:35
Right.
17:35
Right.
17:36
They after they tell their story and people can be like, hey.
17:39
I'm gonna just use you because we're talking, but, hey, Pablo.
17:42
How did you get through this hard part of your life?
17:44
Blah blah blah.
17:46
And be able to reflect upon what make it more intimate because It'd be hard, man.
17:52
Dope dope idea, man.
17:53
Dope idea.
17:54
But, you know, I've seen a lot.
17:57
You know?
17:58
And I'm so thankful for my podcast because, like, I started, I think, June 11 was my very
18:04
first episode, and I'm already 30 episodes in.
18:10
You got me beat.
18:11
You got me beat, brother.
18:13
But I dedicate a lot of time to it, and I've had to learn a balance.
18:19
Sometimes that lot of time was overflowing into my personal life causing some issues, then I've
18:26
had to limit because I was doing five or six interviews a day, and I was like, I can't
18:30
function.
18:31
Right.
18:31
So then it comes down to staying true to who you are.
18:38
You know?
18:39
I and I've been so fortunate.
18:42
I interviewed Charlotte Root on my podcast, and I've actually started working with her for a
18:46
little bit.
18:47
Awesome.
18:48
Next year here in Missouri, we're actually gonna be putting on a two different concerts to
18:54
raise the upper money for Operation Combat Veteran Suicide.
18:59
Okay.
18:59
Okay.
19:00
And, you know, I'm talking and it all started because one artist that I interviewed on my
19:07
podcast wanted to do something to get back to veterans because he was a veteran himself.
19:15
And I reached out to Charlotte with the ideal.
19:17
She's an amazing woman.
19:20
And she's like, Willie, I think and I told her I wanted to run with it.
19:24
She gave me permission to run with it.
19:26
That was two weeks ago, and I've already got, like, four or five artists agreed to it.
19:31
And the thing about it is and I'm up front with all these artists.
19:34
Is
19:35
Yeah.
19:35
Well, Willie Willie, don't don't don't leave me out either.
19:37
I'm a I'm a veteran as well, man.
19:39
Hold on.
19:39
Don't don't forget me.
19:40
Throw me in the mix too, man.
19:42
Well, if you wanna come out and talk, that's that'd be great.
19:45
But what I'm the genre I'm kinda going for is, like, a country classic rock kinda feel.
19:51
Okay.
19:51
And because to me, I think that music sits better with veterans than rap or hip hop.
20:00
You know, I think veterans relate to it a little better.
20:04
You know, coming from a family of veterans, you know, That's what I want.
20:12
I want them people that be able to, you know, use my platform to say, hey.
20:20
These people really do need help.
20:22
22 a day is outrageous.
20:25
You know?
20:25
Well, Willie, I I tell you this.
20:27
Pablo most definitely ain't come in with no damn country country acoustic blues and rock.
20:33
But Pablo got a vibe, man, that is is is impeccable, and it's man, it's undeniable, man.
20:41
Me and Bubba didn't ate it up all across the country damn near all all all spring long, man.
20:47
And I hey.
20:47
I would be honored to bring some of this, man, to some of the things you got you got going.
20:53
Because, eventually, I'm pretty sure we're gonna cross paths somewhere because Bubba got
20:57
the operation combatant suicide with the veterans.
21:02
And, I said, I'm an army veteran as well.
21:04
And so I'm down here doing a lot of community reach outreach with the veteran suicide,
21:09
homelessness prevention, all that stuff down here in Memphis.
21:12
So I'm pretty sure we're gonna be crossing paths somewhere.
21:15
I was just in the Saint Louis area as well, man.
21:17
So I was able to go out there and do a lot of mental health.
21:22
I was able to reach out to a lot of mental health agencies and different doctors out
21:28
there.
21:28
And then so putting everything together, man, I think we can we can create a real wave a real
21:33
wave of of change and a real force out here, man, for our veterans.
21:37
Like I said, I'm a veteran myself.
21:38
I'm I'm in this place right now not paying rent because the VA love me.
21:42
So to all my veterans out there that may hear this, you have resources.
21:46
And if you're struggling, please hit up your VA housing coordinator, and they can get you off
21:50
the streets.
21:51
I was just damn near homeless.
21:53
I was just living in my car.
21:54
I was just on tour above it.
21:55
I was just struggling a little bit about me.
21:58
I was just on tour.
21:59
What you don't know is I was I was homeless anyway, so it wasn't enough for me to be on
22:03
tour.
22:03
Shit.
22:04
Hell, yeah.
22:04
That's right.
22:06
I came back.
22:07
I was living in one of my auntie's houses.
22:09
Shit was kinda crazy.
22:11
But, yeah, I I I didn't have nothing of my own.
22:14
Came back to Memphis, had a housing voucher waiting on me.
22:17
That's how fast it works.
22:18
So if you're going through something, if you're going through some mental stuff, you know what
22:22
I'm saying, you're not crazy.
22:23
We all need help.
22:25
It's okay not to be okay.
22:26
Go to your local VA.
22:28
You know what I'm saying?
22:29
Hey.
22:29
A matter of fact, tell them El Pablo one time sent you.
22:33
But yeah.
22:33
Yeah.
22:34
Yeah.
22:34
Yeah.
22:34
Yeah.
22:34
I love what you're doing, man.
22:36
I love what you're doing for the veterans.
22:39
Wow, Willie, because it's so important, man, because these are the protectors of the
22:44
country.
22:45
These are the ones that gave it all.
22:47
They didn't didn't give a damn about getting blown up, man.
22:50
These were some crazy some insane some of them some of them just didn't didn't give a damn,
22:56
man, about about nothing besides what it means to carry this American flag, man.
23:01
And I'm talking about I I would if if if I could do it all over again, I probably would,
23:05
but now I got attached arm.
23:06
I had an arm put on a few years ago, and it's like, you know what?
23:09
I can't do it.
23:10
I I ain't the 18 year old I was back then running two miles in four and a half minutes.
23:15
You know what I'm saying?
23:15
Running running the mile in in four minutes and twenty nine seconds.
23:19
You know?
23:19
That's that's that's like it's all it's right under it's like a nine minute two mile.
23:23
We're damn near sprint in two miles, y'all.
23:26
So all my veterans out there, y'all know what I'm talking about.
23:29
But
23:31
Oh, yeah.
23:31
Even if you're not a veteran I mean, not that veterans aren't important, but this goes for
23:36
anyone.
23:37
You're struggling, especially mentally, get help.
23:40
I mean
23:40
And get help, man.
23:41
Right.
23:42
And I I know what it's like if you feel like you're at the end of your rope and there's no
23:46
hope.
23:46
I I'm personally not a veteran, but it runs so deep in my family.
23:52
I mean, I have PTSD from my marriage and my childhood.
23:57
So the struggle's real.
24:00
And, you know, at the end of the day, you gotta look at it as you gotta take care of yourself
24:05
before you can take care
24:06
of anybody out.
24:07
Wow.
24:08
Wow.
24:08
Willie, I can't I can't help but ask this.
24:10
Did you just say you got PTSD from a marriage, man?
24:13
Yes.
24:14
And a childhood.
24:15
Gosh.
24:16
I mean, it was that bad?
24:18
Oh, it was horrible.
24:20
We both played our part.
24:22
We both played our part.
24:24
I'm not blaming just her, but it was it was a very toxic marriage, and god delivered me from
24:29
it.
24:30
And, you know, but that's the thing.
24:33
Yeah.
24:35
People you know, just because you're going through a divorce or you lose a child, whatever
24:42
the situation might be, you're you're not alone.
24:45
There's people that have gone through what you're going through.
24:50
Find you a support person.
24:52
Find you a mentor.
24:53
You know?
24:53
And even if you're an artist and you're not struggling mentally, you're just struggling
24:58
with your career, find an artist.
25:01
You know?
25:01
And you mentioned Bubba.
25:03
He he has been a a tremendous mentor.
25:05
My man.
25:06
Especially for on the podcast level.
25:08
Great mentor, He just keeps challenging me even more.
25:13
Be like, you're doing great here, but let's let's see what where you've been taking.
25:17
You know?
25:18
And Right.
25:18
Right.
25:18
I go back, and and those of you that are artists, you know, you gotta be willing to
25:23
listen to your own stuff.
25:27
Because if you can't listen to your own music, how do you expect somebody else to?
25:31
Right.
25:32
But I used to never watch an episode one.
25:35
And it's not because I didn't like my voice.
25:37
It's just because I knew what I talked about in the episodes, so why did I need to watch the
25:43
episode?
25:45
But then Bubba told me, how do you expect someone else to watch them if you can't?
25:54
Right.
25:54
Right.
25:54
Right.
25:55
And it's really true.
25:56
I mean, I watch them probably three or four times because and I take notes.
26:03
Always improve.
26:04
I'm not saying change who you are, but there's always room for improvement.
26:08
You look at day one podcast with Bubba versus the podcast that just came out last week, and
26:15
it don't even look like the same production.
26:17
Right.
26:18
Right.
26:18
Right.
26:19
So it's about staying true.
26:21
And that that is probably my biggest one to anyone, whether you're a veteran, you're
26:27
someone going through this, a hard time, or already struggling, stay true to who you are.
26:34
And if you lost that person because of a relationship or a situation or whatever the
26:39
case is, find a way to find out who you are.
26:45
The most important thing, and not to sound cheesy, but love.
26:50
You can't expect to love somebody else when you don't love yourself.
26:53
Live in love, people.
26:54
Live in love, people.
26:56
It's been my motto a long time.
26:57
Love, peace, and unity.
26:59
Say that.
26:59
Live in love, man.
27:01
Love.
27:03
I love it, man.
27:04
I love it.
27:07
I love it.
27:08
And and and and to and to feed off that to feed off that, man.
27:12
I I've been through so much, man.
27:14
Lot of lot of y'all out there know a lot of my story.
27:17
It's in my bio.
27:17
A lot of well, the first bio I had, the first press article, this it went viral.
27:21
You hear a lot of the story in there.
27:23
But don't be afraid.
27:27
Right?
27:28
Like, because I I I I'm the biggest fan of my own music.
27:31
I swear for a guy.
27:32
Bubba will tell you this.
27:33
I don't listen to music.
27:34
I don't listen to much music.
27:35
I when I met Bubba, I was listening to his songs for almost the first time because I I
27:40
don't listen to music.
27:41
I I'm I'm a big huge fan of my music.
27:43
And only only way I'm gonna listen to your music is if you're in my community.
27:48
So, like like like like, Asher Asher is in my community.
27:51
I listen to Asher's music.
27:52
Hakim the great, you're my community.
27:54
I listen to his music.
27:56
Bubba's Bubba, I listen to his music.
27:58
You know?
27:59
But if I don't know you, I'm probably not gonna listen to it.
28:02
And I'm really big on perfecting my craft.
28:04
I love that, man.
28:05
You have to as an artist as an artist, get uncomfortable.
28:13
Change the flow up a little bit.
28:15
Challenge yourself.
28:16
You know?
28:17
If you was promoting your music this way last year, no.
28:20
Try to up it the next year, the or the year after, however you do it.
28:24
But I'm I'm the same way, man.
28:26
At this point, I I have Bubba as a mentor.
28:29
Now it's like, no.
28:29
Who am I gonna mentor?
28:31
I'm not a I'm not as I'm not good as a mentor as Bubba is because Bubba is freaking awesome.
28:37
It says we got ten minutes left on this on this thing, man.
28:41
But yeah.
28:41
Yeah.
28:42
Get a mentor.
28:43
Believe in yourself.
28:45
Go hard.
28:46
And you know what?
28:47
Don't don't not accept criticism because then you can't grow.
28:52
You know?
28:52
And, man, Wild Willie, it was an honor, man, and an honor and a privilege to have you with
28:58
me today.
29:00
People, tap in with Wild Willie.
29:03
Hey, Wild Willie.
29:03
How did we find you, mister Thornton?
29:05
You wanna tell them how we find you, brother?
29:07
I am all over the place.
29:10
Literally, you can search in Soul Impact.
29:14
Music saved us.
29:17
I'm on Amazon Music.
29:18
I'm on Apple Podcast.
29:20
I'm on Spotify.
29:24
You can search the same project on YouTube and look up solar impact on there because I'm on
29:30
the scene project network.
29:36
You can find me on Facebook.
29:39
I'm just and if you Google solo impact, how music saved us, it'll pull me up.
29:45
I mean, I'm pretty much everywhere.
29:47
Man, this is your boy Pablo one time.
29:49
We are live in a vault, and I got Wild Willie here with me.
29:53
Look.
29:53
I love y'all.
29:54
The motto is love, peace, and unity, and we out of here, y'all.
29:58
Peace.
29:59
Hey.
30:00
I love y'all, man.
30:02
That's gonna be a wrap.