Water Ice (Visual Remix)

Here's a visual remix I put together for Water Ice (With A Gaseous Center). The original version appears on Evil in the Mirror. This remix is exclusive to the video! The only question is, what happened to the second verse? Gasp! Double click the video to open in Youtube and view the lyrics.

Become a fan of Will C. on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/willcmusic

Follow Will C. on Twitter - http://twitter.com/willcwillc

"Evil in the Mirror" on Itunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/evil-in-the-mirror/id318451188

"Evil in the Mirorr" on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Evil-Mirror-Will-C/dp/B002DHME5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288723280&sr=8-1

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Zodiac Extension (Video)

Zodiac Extension (from "Evil In The Mirror" )

Crank this shit up and get busy!

I decided to put some visual accompaniment to "Zodiac Extension." Things just got weirder!

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Synthetic Genetics

Uhhh... yeah.

Who can tell me where the footage is from?

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New Article: "Will C: On Melle Mel, Macs, And Why He’s Not Edan"

Hip Hop Connection Digital recently put up a new interview where I discuss the new album, among other things. Check it out here or below:

Photography by A Garcia

With his ‘Evil In The Mirror’ album out now via Brick Records, we checked in with Boston-based producer and emcee Will C to talk about Melle Mel, the Boston public transportation system, and why you should ditch any comparisons with Edan…

How long has it taken to put the album together? Most of the tracks seem pretty intricately produced…
“I definitely took my time with ‘Evil In The Mirror’. I’m the type of person who will keep rearranging ideas over and over, just to keep them sounding new to me. Changing lyrics, replacing aspects of the drum programming… It can be sort of irrational when the basis for me changing something is that I get bored with it, especially when nobody else has even heard it.

“I like to make use of all the available tracks on a mixing board. I guess that’s why the production winds up sounding intricate, which I appreciate you pointing out. There’s sounds on tracks embedded so deep in the mix, I’m pretty sure only I can hear them. Is that subliminal message stuff legal?”

On ‘It Ain’t The ’80s’ there’s the line, “Too bad my heroes were basking in angel dust.” Do you think too often people like to look back on certain eras of hip-hop through rose-tinted glasses?
“Absolutely. “Melle Mel said Macs would make slaves of us/Too bad my heroes were basking in angel dust.” I wasn’t saying it in a negative way though, it’s just reality. Usually history isn’t reality, but more often factual information sprinkled with the way we’d prefer to remember things. I read an interview where Mel was being asked what inspired his groundbreaking lyricism around 1984, and his one-word answer was ‘Cocaine’.

“‘It Ain’t The 80s’ isn’t a cookie-cutter reminiscing song, it’s an observation of the good, bad, and perplexing events of that time period, particularly the ones that have lasting effects and carry over to the present.”

What are the last three albums you bought?
“1. Thin Lizzy ‘Johnny The Fox’. The title track was ‘Ultimate Breaks & Beats’-worthy, and I’m digging the LP as a whole. Phil Lynott’s got the dope voice.

“2. Dave Van Ronk ‘Two Sides Of Dave Van Ronk’. I first heard it on vacation in Colorado earlier this year – blew me away.

“3. Fleet Foxes ‘Fleet Foxes’. ‘White Winter Hymnal’ is my jam for the week. I know I’m late on it. Is it just me or is that track about someone’s head falling off? Kind of like that In A Dark, Dark Room, ‘The Green Ribbon Story’.

On the track ‘Trainspotting’ you reference various subway lines. What’s the most annoying thing other passengers do on the subway? And what’s the craziest/most disgusting thing you’ve ever seen happen on the subway?
“‘Trainspotting’ is all about riding the ‘T’, Boston’s public transportation system. More often than not, it’s a circus. It’s far from a rarity to see some cuckoo dudes all drugged up getting their perv’ on… sometimes fully aroused, with Dorito crumbs on their shirt, the whole nine. That’s annoying, but I’m sure it’s a lot more disturbing for women.

“You want to talk creeps on the train? Try me while I was recording ‘Trainspotting’. You hear trains approaching and all sorts of automated T announcements on that cut. I had written the lyrics, incorporating some of the robot-esque dialogue you hear spew from the subway cars, like ‘Next stop… Copley!’ or ‘Doors will open on the right.’ My original vocal takes had me saying those lines, but I always really wanted to retrieve the genuine sound effects, and there was only one way to do that… I had to ride the T with one of those voice recorders journalists use during interviews, capturing the bits and pieces I needed. I was getting all sorts of concerned looks when I was lifting a recorder up to the train’s ceiling speakers. I will say that I’m very grateful I didn’t bump into anybody I knew on the train that day; sometimes, you just gotta be the anonymous creep.”

The watermarked version of the album has a plea to stop downloading. Do you think it’s still possible to make money from selling hip-hop music in 2009?
“It’s certainly more difficult, but far from impossible. With the type of music I make, I feel you have to respect the listeners and offer the world a project worth talking about. If you do that, there will always be decent people who recognize the respect, returning the favor by purchasing what you put a great deal of energy into. If my hooks start getting a little more questionable, you’ll know I’ve ditched this belief system…”

Does the ‘C’ in Will C really stand for ‘Curly’?
“We’ll see… It stands for Careful With That Axe. No, you got me… it’s the initial for my last name, Curley. In sixth grade, the ‘first name, last initial’ rap moniker was the best idea I could come up with. DJ Goldfingers was bogus. I’ve never even said that name to a single soul up until now, but I’m positive I decided it was my name for about a week a decade ago.”

Finally, what are the top three reasons why people should not compare the new Will C album to something Edan would make…
“1. Serious answer: I’m friendly with Edan. As artists though, we are entirely different people, with our own perspectives on life and music. Listen to what I’m saying and doing on my record. Don’t try to pigeonhole me. In other words, Beauty is only skin deep.

“2. Facetious answer: got a haircut after my album cover shoot.

“3. Asshole answer: What’s an Edan?”

Check it: Will C’s ‘It Ain’t The ’80s’

(Click here to read about Will C’s hunt for Real Roxanne posters in HHC Digital 004.)

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Potholes in my Blog Evil in the Mirror Review

Ekon-El over at Potholes In My Blog put together this review of Evil in the Mirror last week.

Ekon-El, if you're reading this, I'm really happy you enjoyed the album and posted this write up! I was excited when I got linked to it!

Check it out HERE

Actually, I gotta reach out to Ekon-El over there. He quoted a line from It Ain't the 80s with me saying "Melle Mel said massa make slaves of us." It's actually "Melle Mel said Macs would make slaves of us," like computers, referencing Mel's Beat Street lyric:

"...and don't be a slave to no computer!"

But yeah, I'm being a dick, correcting a positive review. It's more about how I wouldn't use the word "massa." Anyways, check it out, they hooked it up!

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New Hip Hop Connection Will C. Feature

I don't have any b.s. excuses for me not updating this page for the past week or two. Sometimes I just go on hiatus.

I'll get back to this thing shortly. In the meantime, there's an article in the latest Hip Hop Connection talking about my album. I think the pages below will enlarge if you click on them.

I gotta thank the staff at HHC for putting together a dope write up! As for the Andre the Giant / Vince McMahon photo at the top? I just saw The Princess Bride for the first time this week. Well, the first time all the way through. I know, I know... I need an extremely late pass on that one.

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REMINDER- SHOW TONIGHT!

A friendly reminder about the show tonight. Be there!

8/8/2009 9:00 PM at No. 9 Ale House
118 Ferry St, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5622
Cost: $8

Live On Stage!!! MC Esoteric- Promoting his new album ’Saving Seamus Ryan’ Top Choice Clique- 'Reel Chemistry: The Anthology’ Available Now Will C. - Album Release Party For ’Evil In The Mirror’ 21+

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Monkeyboxing w/ the Album Review

Peace to Tony for hooking this up.

The good folks at Monkeyboxing.com (who previously did a write up on Losers) have come through again and provided a review for Evil In The Mirror.

Check it out here.

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I Was Wondering...

Is it okay that I cost a dollar more than Michael Jackson? Evil In The Mirror or Man In The Mirror. Showdown!

I went with MJ. Shit

Thanks to Darren for the picture.

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Evil Is Live - (Evil In The Mirror Out Today)

I gotta apologize... I've been quiet for the bulk of this month. Things have been a little hectic, but I'm definitely going to get back into the swing of things once a little bit of the mayhem dies down.

My debut full length album, Evil In The Mirror, is out today worldwide! You can cop it on Itunes, all digital networks, and any physical retailer who knows what's up. It's also available from me directly on my myspace.

I hate to use this blog solely as a means to plug things going on with myself, but it's looking like this post has gotta be all about that. Random thoughts on other records will have to wait. Today I need to take a breather and celebrate.

(Above: Jawn P. and Gemini of Top Choice Clique- goin' way way back to the early days)

Unkut posted this a couple weeks back, but if you missed it, here's some footage of Top Choice Clique performing Peace of Mind with me on the tables.

THIS THURSDAY- 11:00 PM - 2:00 AM- Tune into 91.1 WFMU- KARMA and myself will be special guests on Noah Zark's Coffee Break For Heroes & Villains radio show. It's going to be a lot of fun. I'll play a couple of exclusives and get on the wheels for some of the show. I'm sure the three of us will be talking about some SUPER interesting stuff as well. If you are not in the New York area, it can be listened to via WFMU's site. Here's the write up from Noah:

Thursday, July 23rd, 11pm - 2am: Will C. & KARMA (Brick Records)

22 year old rap anthropologist Will C. just released his debut; Evil In The Mirror on Brick Records. KARMA; Boston MC of legendary group God Complex both come down to the show to play us some goodies and talk about their favorite baseball team.

Oh yeah, and one more thing. If you're in the greater Boston area on the 8th of August, come check out a performance by myself, Top Choice Clique, and MC Esoteric in Malden. It's going to be a lot of fun. Here's the flyer! KARMA with the dope design!

Check it out! I'll be back soon!

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"Losers" Single Out Today! + Debut Music Video!!

Boom...

Losers, my debut single from the forthcoming album Evil In The Mirror, just dropped today on Itunes and all digital networks!

This is cause for celebration, it's been a long time coming.

Random fact - Although this is my first official single, it IS NOT my first music video. That dropped back in 1992. You can check it out below.



POWER!

Anyways, here's the official track list for the Losers single.

01 Losers (Clean)
02 Losers
03 Losers (Instrumental)
04 Synthetic Genetics Feat. Esoteric (Clean)
05 Zodiac Extension Pt. 2 (Clean)
06 Synthetic Genetics Feat. Esoteric
07 Synthetic Genetics (Instrumental)
08 Losers (Remix- Clean)
09 Losers (Remix)
10 Losers (Remix- Instrumental)
11 Losers (A Capella)
12 Synthetic Genetics Feat. Esoteric (A Capella)

Itunes has it missing a little info at the moment. Bastards!

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Evil In The Mirror Is Coming! Pre-Orders Available at Undergound Hip Hop!

The good folks at Underground Hip Hop have made Evil In The Mirror, my debut album, available for Pre-Order on their site!  Check it out HERE.  This is probably the first place where you can check out the press release info behind the album, so please take a moment to peep it and leave a positive comment if y'all don't mind.  Snippets to follow in the near future.  

You get TWO EXCLUSIVE bonus CDs if you cop from UGHH, so this is a good deal right here.  More info on these 2 CDs at the bottom of this post.

Oh yeah, and since they got it up, I think now's a good time to post the album cover.  

Gawk this way.

Special thanks... no... EXTREME thank you to KARMA, as well as Jeff @ GLP Creative on the artwork and photography tip.  

And remember, remember- Losers b/w Synthetic Genetics single up on Itunes, Rhapsody, Emusic, Amazon, and all digital networks July 7th.  You KNOW I'll do a post on it on that date... I don't play.

Album dropping worldwide July 21st.  

Here's the track list:

1. Frog Among Queens

2. It Ain’t The 80s

3. Water Ice (With A Gaseous Center)

4. Alternate Earth

5. Infinite Hourglass

6. Synthetic Genetics Feat. Esoteric

7. Zodiac Extension

8. Trainspotting

9. The Places

10. Be Yourself Syndrome

11. Uncle Owen (Extended Re-edit)

12. Recurring Dream

13. Losers

14. Evil In The Mirror

...More info to follow as the date approaches...

* 2 UGHH Exclusive Bonus CDs * 

Clear View Mirror 

"At the heart of Evil In The Mirror is its source material. The nucleus, the back drops that inspire the lyrics. When carefully arranged and selected, countless stacks of record LPs, cassettes, 45s, and VHS tapes* hopefully become a finished product with my signature stamp on it. Before there was Evil In The Mirror, there was a Rock album here, an Exotica record there... Folk, Jazz, Space Age Pop, Disco, Funk... all sorts of records being selected, if only slightly 'by random.' Some because they have interesting covers, others because they're cheap, and still others, for example, because a coworker felt compelled to lend me a Country Moog record for the hell of it. Top all of that off with those odd days spent tip-toeing into rooms to snag records I'm STILL not supposed to lay a finger on (at 22... really??!!) and the result is the adventure that became Evil In The Mirror. 

Clear View Mirror is the stripped down companion to Evil. The small bits of music, the diamonds in the rough that made it onto my MPC and into Pro Tools. Here they are, unprocessed- no EQ, no pitch bend, nothing. There's a lot of material on here I really enjoy as is, before I either flipped them or ruined them, depending on how you want to look at it. Compiled from a great deal of selections, Clear View actually clocks in at a slightly longer run time than Evil. Go figure. Check it out.

* (and let's be honest, DVDs too... shit ain't always analog)"

Evil In The Mirror Instrumentals

"I never noticed you can hear a guy mumbling something backwards quietly in the Infinite Hourglass sample! Is that a robot speaking German underneath the Synthetic Genetics beat? Maybe if Will C. shut up once in awhile and stopped speaking so much nonsense over the beat, I'd be able to hear these intricacies.

Now, with the bonus Evil In the Mirror Instrumentals CD, Will C. is finally muted, allowing the listener to hear all of this and more!

Disclaimer: Artist does not actually think listener cares."

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New Ain't It Good To You Interview

An interview I recently did with my boy DJ Dee-Ville at Ain't It Good To You just went live (or did it go evil?).  Check it out HERE. His blog is dope and his knowledge of the music runs very deep, so if you haven't already, you might want to bookmark his page.  

Will-C - Boston Public

It's time to throw a spotlight on a new artist. Will-C steps straight outta the shining Hip Hop beacon of Boston. I caught up with him for a little interview and promo drop of his new single. Will-C is a rapper and producer like no other, a man with forsight and perspective beyond his years. Blessed with a rapid fire flow and authentic heartfelt lyrics, Will's debut album 'Evil In The Mirror' (July 27th, Brick Records) delivers a breath of fresh air over a dry musical desert.

At What Age Did You Fall In Love With Hip Hop?

I'd say in 6th grade. Prior to that, it had been a love / hate type thing. I was still young when my brother Eli started getting heavily into Hip Hop. While I was dubbing cassettes of the 'Return of the Jedi' soundtrack, the latest Ice Cube record was coming through the walls, rattling my gold spray-painted tee-ball trophies. It would piss me off!

What Are Your Influences As An artist?

Initially, Influences stemmed from the music I listened to in my teens, just wanting to emulate anybody from the Golden Era. These days, inspiration can mess me up. I'm a man of extremes and I'm hard on myself. I want to contribute something new and invigorating for others. If that ain't happening on a given day, I take an L, which feels a lot worse than anybody else on this planet trying to hand me one.

Whats Up With You And Brick Records?

My first year in Boston, I was tripping over my own feet, scrambling around trying to find all these people I look up to, attempting to somehow get a foot in the door. That's when I got introduced to Raydar Ellis, he just recorded a single with Esoteric and Ed OG for Brick. He brought me over and my relationship with the label blossomed from there. 

Do You Prefer To Rhyme Or Produce?

Rhyming came first, and the rest followed, partially out of necessity, sometimes YOU gotta make it happen. With production, it's wonderful to have creative control. Truthfully, I always loved the idea of being in a group, but something like that never came together. The result is over the years, I learned how to become self sufficient. 

What Would You Like To Achieve In Your Recording Career?

Ultimately I want a body of work that I can always respect and be proud of. I don't like to compromise my music, I want it to be what I intend it to be, without modifying it out of a fear of being too abrasive or too left-field. It would be nice if there are some people who will connect with it emotionally, because as a listener, that has always been a special thing for me, to feel empathy and be able to relate with the artist. 

Who Is The Greatest Rapper Of All Time?

My standard answer is Rakim. This probably isn't the common choice from his catalogue, but I usually list 'Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em' as my all-time favorite album. Large Professor and Rakim, that's all I need to say. When I was listening to my headphones in the passenger seat of my Mom's car and got to 'No Omega' for the first time, my face melted.

Is Hip Hop Dead?

I'll rock a "Hip Hop Sucks Because Of You" t-shirt any day of the week, but you wouldn't catch me wearing anything saying Hip Hop is dead. A lot of people make a mockery of this music and culture, but as long as I'm looking forward to albums from other people doing this, then it's alive and kicking for me. Honestly, the phrase became annoying to me. It's gets under your skin. It's Hip Hop's "Got Milk?"

Talk A Little About The New Single

The underlying message on the 'Evil In The Mirror' album is that there are two ways to look at things. On Losers, I begin by firing off my grievances with the world around me. The curveball is that the finger pointing quickly turns into a more self-reflective realization that I might be the one who's got it wrong.

Losers

I chose 'Synthetic Genetics' to be the b-side of 'Losers' to further execute an idea of unexpected juxtapositions. The two tracks are completely different from one another. Losers is derived from a folk track, while Synthetic Genetics is as far from an unplugged sound as you can get. While Losers clocks in at an 85 BPM, Synthetic Genetics shifts into overdrive at 115. Esoteric came through and destroyed it with his verse. I truly think of him as one of Hip Hop's most gifted minds. Last year we teamed up on Wrestlelectro off his Esoteric Vs. Japan album, and it was very important to me that we continue to bring things to new heights every time we collaborate. 

Synthetic Genetics Feat. Esoteric

Holla at Will-C over here and here

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