Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
To experience Seattle’s culture is to live through the cold, Rainy weather between the fall, winter, & spring months in Washington, only to enter into the most beautiful summer weather America can offer. Catch the drift, this album is consistent, structured, & moves along smoothly as it’s ushered by a DJ mixing & scratching every song together. Illy Wonka comes out strong on his 1st solo release with “Seattle Rain (the dirty version)” in the fall of 2004.
The CD is divided into 4 Chapters with 5 songs in each chapter (20 songs). Each chapter is individually titled, with each song tying into the mold of that chapter. Seattle Rain covers a multitude of terrain with subject matter from, “Life & Death, love, sex, economics, music, loyalty, drugs, politics, prayer, & Penitentiary life... He’s exposing real life stories & realities and presenting them in a positive fashion, in offering an alternative to the conflicts of today. Amongst all the storms & rainy weather, this album shines like the hot sun with fun songs like “Wonk, Wonk & Stomp with me”, soothing slow jams in “The Motto & Up, up & Away”, and raw street anthems with “Shut yo Mouth, I’m Like, & Ravens”. “Seattle Rain (the dirty version)” instantly becomes a Record you can cherish & hold on to for years on out for it’s cutting edge approach, timeless persona, top of the line beats, & an imprinted style & flow that compliments the entire musical piece. It also includes a bonus track at the very end starring “Willie Will of Ace Dynasty”. Other featured artist’s are Jay Bleezy, Jazz Digga, & Stevel Bay Bay/Urban Bush Camp of Ace Dynasty. Roman Lavoy, Platinum, Tru- ID, & DJ Nickels. With heavy production by Illy’s personal producer Mugzy Styles.
This album contains songs from 2001 to 2004, so this is my life within those years. Some of my personal favorite songs off the album are “Seattle Rain, Kiss, Underdogs, Girl Feel Me, Wonk! Wonk!, Comin to your city, & I ain’t gon change”….. This is an expression of ups & downs in Life, through the eyes & shoes of myself, ILLY WONKA.
I released my album on 9/11 significantly. Not in vein, in memory of the Victims of 9/11/01 in fact. And I dedicated this album in loving memory of my big Cousin Shannon who passed away May of 2004. And to me I’m representing the collapse of my life like the twin towers. Now the rebuilding stage takes action & I’m rebuilding my life from the wreckage that has brought me pain & strife. It’s had an effect into my personal life like the shock & impact of 9/11. It’s an eye opener for everyone. I want to bring the “streets” & the “church” together, because people make up the body of both. And we need to reach all, starting with our own city. My album is self expression, freely venting, it’s my therapy for the rain, through it I’ve learned, I’ve suffered, I’ve achieved, and I’m alive, all thanks to God. Seattle Rain is symbolic to my life, so I dropped the album, “This is what I’m givin em”. And the dirty version has no “swear” words”. But there’s dirty tales spoken about on this Record, all in its proper context, although an edgy record all- around for what it stands for. Stevel Bay-Bay & I (Urban Bush Camp of Ace Dynasty) were supposed to release our next album titled “The Dirty Version” before Vel’s incarceration. So I added it at the end of “Seattle Rain” to finish what we started in a sense.
My lyrics are my testaments, my environment, my feelings, thoughts, my views, & really my heart. My albums are time lines of my life. Watch how my spiritual growth builds throughout my next albums. I have a story I want to share with the world, “In Jesus name”. This is my ultimate goal, to show spiritual growth to people through this international language, music. I have a heart for people today. I want people to do the right thing & feel fulfilled in their lives. I’m planting a seed for people who may have never considered living an uplifting, positive life. I’m introducing Jesus Christ in a non traditional format & effecting a troubled generation. I’m here to do a new thing for the Kingdom. Pray for me as I continue to push forward in changing the game. I will forever honor God in my life & in my music and spread his love from Seattle to the world. - ILLY WONKA of Ace Dynasty
Discography
Ace Dynasty/Willie Will have been selected to be on the Holy Hip Hop (taking the Gospel to the streets vol.3) Compilation Cd to be distributed worldwide through EMI Gospel.
Hes performed 2 years in a row at the Annual Holy Hip Hop Awards at the Earthlink Arena in Atlanta, GA 2004 & 2005.
Hes opened up for National Artists such as Petey Pablo, Devin the Dude, Gospel Gangstaz, Kelli Williams, Grits, Fred Hammond, Spice 1, Do or Die, Bushwick Bill, & T- Bone who co- starred in the movie & soundtrack The Fighting Temptations staring Cuba Gooding, Jr. & Beyonce Knowels in 2004.
ILLY WONKA performed with 3 Time Dove Award Winner, and Grammy nominee, Bryan Duncan & the Nehosoul Band at the Rhythm Kitchen in Downtown Nashville, TN in 2005.
Hes also casting in a roll for an independent Seattle film as himself (ILLY WONKA). He begins shooting the film in the summer of 2005. This is a Hip Hop Drama titled, "Cultivated". Cultivatedflix Productions L.L.C in 2005.
Hes done acting work as an extra for a CBS TV series filmed in Seattle, WA called The Fugitive in 2000.
Hes appeared on local Public Access T.V doing interviews & live performances in King County, Pierce County, & Kitsap County in the state of Washington, broadcasting to over 500,000 viewers in each county from 2002- 2005.
ILLY WONKAs receiving radio airplay from KUBE 93.3 fm (Seattle, WA), KRIZ 1420am (Seattle, WA), WDTR 90.9 fm (Southfield, MI), KPRZ 1210 am (San Diego, CA), WFHB fm (Bloomington, IN), WAJC fm (Raleigh, NC), Power 750 am (Raleigh, NC), & WFSK 88.1 fm (Nashville, TN).
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Homegrown out of Seattle, Washington (USA) (206)where I was born & bred along-side a strong musical upbringing with my family heavy into writing, singing, & playing instruments in Churches and Night Clubs. My Dad played & toured with such acts as Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, & Kenny G. My family often traveled city to city/state to state performing live at other churches & events. Im proud I was raised with the Love, Fear, & knowledge of God. I'm of multi-cultural decent & I'm using Hip Hop to uplift & empower all people regardless of their race, religion, color, or beliefs. I consider myself one of the chosen voices called to speak life into the ears & hearts of the listeners. I present the realities of life in a constructive form & fashion, only to provide solutions to the situations we face today. Call me a "rebel with a cause" for going against the traditional grain and doing the opposite of what most people think Hip Hop/Rap, is all about & stands for. See I stand for challenging the system, the streets, the church, the media, & our morals, in a society that is plagued with violence, drugs, sex, hate, & greed. Im set on pushing the game forward & staying consistent in sharing my motion picture type stories for the world to feel.
Now on my 23rd year of life, I'm bringing a brand new excitement to the game, something refreshing & innovative with a popular sound but still strait original. I'm focused on keeping my music cutting edge, original, street credited, appealing & powerful. I'm also a well rounded & seasoned producer/writer, I started writing songs around 12 years old. Im so dedicated to creating the best works of art, striving for perfection is a must for me. And by no means was my lifestyle ever perfect because of my upbringing. I endured the storms & suffered from mistakes countless times head up before learning through trial & error while I was heavy in the streets and world. I'm sharing my "fight" with everybody by taking them on a personal past & present expedition from adolescents to young adult hood. As well as dealing with the harsh realitys of life (violence, sex, crime, death, poverty, health, incarcerations, etc). I'm a leader by example, & I'm holding the torch for my fellow AD Fam incarcerated (Stevel Bay Bay, Boog-y, & Yo Majasty). With our other 3 members of Ace Dynasty (Willie Will, Jazz Digga, & Jay Bleezy) holding the fort with me, we've been motivated & loyal in supporting our fellow AD counterparts. With a determined drive to succeed & faith to move mountains, Illy's a force to be reckoned with. Having a mass appealing sound and persona, ILLY WONKA's sure to capture underground & mainstream audiences worldwide. "With God with me, who can be against me? Hey look, the future's here.... Check for me now". (1LOVE)
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