Wil$on: Delivering the future of rap


South Central rapper Wil$on blends creative concepts, unique flows and deep cut lyrics that feed the soul of each and every listener. (Wil$on)

It’s deeper than rap for South Central artist Wil$on. On beats with hard drums and soul songs sampled in the background, Wil$on talks about his lived experiences. Success is on the horizon for the talented rapper, and for those reading, this article serves as a bragging right of discovery before the rapper becomes mainstream. 

The up-and-coming rapper explained “when I started rapping, I couldn’t think of a name,” so per a homie’s recommendation, he adopted a namesake that was already well-known in his neighborhood. 

“Wilson is actually my last name” he explained. He “[dressed] it up a lil’ bit and put a dollar sign on it” resulting in the birth of the stage name “Wil$on.” 

Currently averaging 18,021 monthly listeners on Spotify, Wil$on has an array of projects, singles and EPs on the streaming platform. His song “Don’t Talk 2 Me” with  Scottie Le’Jour holds the 28th spot on the streaming platform’s “Fresh Finds: Hip-Hop” chart. It’s the down-to-earth attitude that makes his deep-yet-catchy melodies relatable to a mass audience. 

“Even if nobody was listening to my music, I would still make it,” Wil$on said.

It’s safe to say that Wil$on loves coming up with dope concepts for each and every project. In his album titled “1-800-HEARTBREAK”, Wil$on explains the tragedies and triumphs of young love through a mysterious persona he created. The album cover features a person, most likely a man, with a motorcycle helmet concealing their identity. Adding to its mystery, Wil$on skews the line between his personal lived experience and allows the listener to relate on a personal level to each and every track of this project. 

True in nature, “Heartbreak Anonymous” encapsulates Wil$on’s versatile style. This song is riddled with elusive bars depicting the struggle of feeling like “a star like Patrick” yet being unhappy because of a relationship. The consistent flow switch over the soul sample flipped with 808s and drums make this song a favorite to both Wil$on and his listeners.

On the topic of production, most of Wil$on’s beats and production come from a duo by the name of cook&jango. Busy Sounds is a group of creatives from rappers to producers that Wil$on is a part of. Being based in South Central Los Angeles, Busy Sounds is a grassroots movement. That being said, it is unsurprising that Wil$on established a connection with the production duo by simply doing what he does best: rapping.

 “We come from the same, literally the same part of L.A. in South Central,” Cook said when asked about his relationship with Wil$on.

Cook goes on to explain that their connection was clear from the start. 

“He came over to our place one day, he just had some demos and even though he was just starting he was still talented,” Cook said.

From their fateful encounter, the future of the production duo seems to involve Wil$on in many ways. 

“As far as people realizing how talented we are as a collective, that’s just starting,” Cook said.

As brothers, cook&jango have no issue showing their flowing chemistry on each and every beat they produce. With a majority of their social media posts displaying mixes and beats in front of a green screen, the brothers tend to find uniqueness in simplicity. What makes this production duo special is the way in which they resonate and connect with the concepts introduced by Wil$on. Jango explained that in the production process, Wil$on “[introduces the] concept [through a] group chat and [we] have an idea of what he’s feeling.” 

Wil$on explained that “You should journal, you should write your feelings down for the day, and writing raps … Is a form of expression.” However Wil$on also enjoys making “Turn-up songs, fun songs where I’m not as serious.” 

JODY SUMMERS, a collective made up of L.A. rapper Scottie Le’Jour and Wil$on, it’s safe to say that summer 2023 can expect a lot from the group. 

“JODY SUMMERS, we got a bunch of dope tracks just lying around,” Wil$on said.

Currently, JODY SUMMERS has several projects on streaming platforms, but they just recently released “Don’t Talk 2 Me.” Having a summer-sounding style, “Don’t Talk 2 Me” is ideal for any scenario and definitely strays away from the typical Wil$on sound. Not too many rappers can perfect both a conscious sound as well as a turnup one, but to Wil$on this skill comes naturally. 

Wil$on himself is working on many different projects both on his own and with JODY SUMMERS. In the future, the South Central rapper aims to build off the persona popularized in his “1-800-HEARTBREAK” album. 

“The title of the project is called ‘Method Acting,’” Wil$on said. “It’s just building on that same world of like the heartbreak kid.” referencing the persona created in his prior album “1-800-HEARTBREAK”. 

Overall, Wil$on has seen much success since he realized his love for the creative process. 

“I just wanna, you know, make music with my friends,” Wil$on said.

Be on the lookout for Wil$on’s new EP “METHOD ACTING, act 1.” dropping April 26 on all streaming platforms.