So !lla is hungry. This up-and-coming RVA artist, known to Uncle Sam as Will Keck, has been doing a lot in recent months to make a name for himself, starting with his music. The 18-track mixtape he dropped last fall, #ForTheFuckOfIt, grabbed some attention locally, as did his recent followup single “Antics.” However, music is just the beginning for this hip hop entrepreneur, who considers management, booking, and networking just as important to his grind as rapping. Affiliated with So Proper Entertainment, he also runs Broad Street Elite, which works with local venue Kingdom to bring hip hop to the stage in RVA. In addition to Richmond Royalty, the regular local hip hop night he’s been promoting for over a year, So !lla has played an important part in bringing national acts like Ace Hood, Lil B, Hopsin, and Riff Raff, among others, to the city for live performances. On top of all that, he’s managing other local artists, and still finds time to make his own tracks and collaborate with other local rappers. With all the work he’s putting in, you’re sure to see a lot more from So !lla in the coming months. We caught up with him to get the details on how he stays motivated and where he sees hip hop going in the future.
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When did you know you wanted to be an emcee?
To be honest, I never wanted to be an emcee at first. That's why I’m more pressed on the business and network side of Broad Street Elite. But I knew I wanted to be in the hip hop game since I was young. I've been inspired by the rise of the genre and the feeling it gave me, but the first moment I felt like, “Yeah, this is something I could do” was when I performed this song “K.I.N.G. (Knowledge Is Now Given)” at a local concert and we seriously shut down the show. That was a significant moment in my career. I’ll never forget that.
Tell me about one record that changed your life.
The song "The Way I Am" by Eminem is by far the most important song of my life. Because of my past and all the stuff I've gone through personally, [it] really hits home. People always have this pre-judged opinion based on what they see, regardless [of whether] they see the whole picture or know the whole story. That really just made me feel like, fuck it, if they wanna judge me I am gonna give them something to judge. That’s really when I embraced my hooligan side. If that’s what the people want, that’s what they are gonna get. After foster care [and] heart surgery, there’s nothing you can do to me. I have been at the bottom and I’m still on my way up. I just hope they enjoy the show.
I would have never guessed you had heart surgery. That's crazy. What was the prognosis?
I was diagnosed with Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome--basically irregular heartbeat. In ninth grade I had surgery to fix it. It was really an inconvenient time because I had just started high school and wanted to play sports, but it was a crazy experience and I'm truly blessed to get past it.
Do you have a favorite artist from any one genre? In your opinion, what makes them so good?
Eminem is always gonna be one of my favorites. So many people are gonna hate me but Lil Wayne is my favorite. He inspires me to be whoever I wanna be. He kills stereotypes and embraces the negative sides of himself too. Although people hate on him at times, he is always himself. So many people claim they are different but dress the same, act the same, chase the same money... ain’t nothing unique or beautiful about that. Another artist I think people would be surprised that I am obsessed with is Ray Charles. [He] makes magnificent music, really broke barriers while he was alive, and took music to a new level.
What's the difference between your first record and your most recent one?
EVERYTHING. When I first started rapping, I was learning and I was being influenced by what everyone expected out of me. I was constrained, held back by the thoughts of disappointing others. Once I let that go and started making MY music, you can hear the difference. I take my time with a track, and do it right. I rap about shit that I want to rap about. I don’t try impressing anyone.
You do more than just rap, you book and promote shows too. Do you split your passion between logistics and art, or is promotion just a necessary stepping stone in your career?
I rap for fun, because its something I love to do for me, but promoting and booking shows is my new passion. The more I do it, the more I enjoy it. It’s a great feeling seeing people leaving happy, talking about how great of a show it was and how they wanna come back. I owe a lot of this to my boss and mentor Jason Malhoyt. I started performing at his shows and he saw the potential in me and gave me an opportunity. I’ve run with it ever since. [Working at] Kingdom has really changed my life.
What's the most important thing you've learned from Jason?
Loyalty. When you are in a position of power, you will meet a lot of people who just wanna use you as a stepping stone and don't truly care if you make it to the next level, as long as you can help them out and do for them. So when you find people who are truly loyal, keep ‘em around.
You're fairly young, and you've managed to acquire some decent buzz in a very competitive local music scene. Do you have any advice for the up-and-coming artists?
Keep grinding. Don’t stop. But most importantly, don’t take shortcuts. The game is about doing everything correct, so even though you may wanna be the next Kanye or whatever, be realistic and do things right. Don’t try and shoot your own videos, do your own artwork, and record your own music. Network and build. There are talented cats in RVA, other cities, and all over the internet [who are] easily accessible to help you build your career the correct way. Too many cats half ass it. It’s 2013--the standards are high. So do it RIGHT. Save your money, build your budget, and attack the game. [Be] relentless even if it takes longer. There’s no way like the right way.
Hip Hop isn't dead, but it seems like it's been on life support since the beginning of this century. What do you credit with keeping the art alive for so long?
This is actually a false statement, to me. Hip hop ain’t dead, it ain’t on life support, it’s THRIVING. It’s alive, and will be for many more generations. It’s the best it’s ever been. Now the explanation... [laughs] Hip hop is what rock was in the 80s, and it’s just expanding. It’s forming subgenres and creating new styles, and it’s really just at its baby stages. It definitely has its flaws too, because now anyone thinks they can be a rapper. But the rise of independent artists is at an all time high, and I love to see that, because now is the real opportunity for it to reach its true beauty. I can’t wait to see just how much bigger it gets.
What can So !lla fans look forward to in the near future?
OG !LLA is gonna keep throwing shows, building the RVA hip hop scene, and taking things to the next level. I am really focusing on my network and management responsibilities. Kingdom is my main focus and getting Rich P signed is my new long term goal. Make sure you check around town though--I've been doing a lot of dope features with some cool RVA artists, and I wanna continue doing that. Just being involved and grindin! That's what !LLA does best!