Atlanta, GA. (Top40 Charts/ Capitol Records) - Bay Area emcee Willie Joe didn't necessarily start out with the intent to build his career in the South, but through a series of brave moves and hawk-like focus, his career is taking off Jazze Pha's Atlanta-based Sho 'Nuff label in association with Capitol Records. Willie Joe's debut album, The Come Up, will be released this year, and the young artist has a lot to offer via his "Bay to the A" movement as the time nears.
In the past two years Willie Joe has built his buzz off of good old fashioned hard work. He has been riding high off of several popular street singles - "Get 'Em Get 'Em"; "Bay'd Out" featuring Mistah FAB & Clyde Carson; "Hey Playa" f/ Jazze Pha, Lloyd & Jody Breeze; and "Get On It" featuring Keak Da Sneak. The songs were spawned by two indie street albums, Let's Go and Free Agent, and four significant mixtape releases, The Bay to the A, Thrax On Wax, The Signing and Bay'd Out, all of which earned him love from both his home state and the Southeast region. He's also taken hold of audiences in other areas, including New York, Washington, Mississippi, Alabama and even Nebraska.
In February, Willie Joe is teaming with Jovan Dais to release the Good Ass Music street album (Feb 14) and the Thrax On Wax II mixtape (Feb 28). Good Ass Music will cater to Willie Joe's ever-growing female fan base, offering some club-friendly cuts and seductive ballad-inspired flow. Thrax On Wax II is a strong follow up to the wildly contagious (2005?) mixtape Thrax On Wax.
Immediately following, Willie Joe is joining forces with Rebel Rock/Atlantic phenom B.o.B. for the CaliGeorgia project (Mar 8). The two have been good friends for some time, and the music promises to combine the best in free-flowing lyricism, songwriting and production from the duo. Exactly one month later, Willie Joe will unleash Bay'd Out II, an obvious (and necessary) follow up to Bay'd Out, which is becoming the most bootlegged music amongst high school students in the Bay Area right now.
Thus far, Willie Joe has worked with the likes of producers DJ Toomp, Jonathan "JR" Rotem and Don Vito, and will be enlisting Khao, Bink and of course Sho 'Nuff's Jazze Pha for The Come Up album. Guest spots on the major label debut will include Too $hort, Mistah FAB, J.Holiday, E-40 and more.
Rising from the foundation of two staunchly independent music arenas, Willie Joe takes pride in his movement, aptly titled "the Bay to the A". "It's more than a phrase to me," he says. "They got concerts 'from the Bay to the A,' you hear rappers that don't really be in the A, talkin' about 'from the Bay to the A,' which is cool and it's all good. But I really feel like I'm the real meaning of that. I'm really from the Bay, born and raised and I came to the A and brought that Bay sh*t. I showed the similarities between both cities and made everybody accept me - so I really live by that."
For more information on Willie Joe, go to www.tygereye.net/williejoe, www.myspace.com/williejoe and www.youtube.com/williejoe
