If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to raise an artist to a national platform.

Finally, Toledo was on national television for something other than a group of racists in white sheets, a shootout at a club or kidnapping. Toledo was on national television because a native proudly announced his hometown in front of a live studio audience on the highest-rated show on BET.

The week that led up to rapper Beverly Wills’ performance on “106 & Park’s Wild Out Wednesday” proved that this community is capable of uniting and supporting a fellow Toledoan. Facebook and Twitter profile pictures all across the 419 were changed to a flier urging others to vote for Beverly Wills. I lost count of the number of times I texted “B” to 79922.

Beverly Wills

So the day came. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010. 6 p.m. “BET’s 106 & Park” has started. Many Toledoans’ Facebook status mentions Beverly Wills, instructing everyone to watch and get ready to vote. We’re ready to see if all our support will pay off.

This edition of “Wild Out Wednesday” was all male rappers. Great; Wills might have competition. The first act was introduced, and upon first glimpse, he showed promise. Equipped with fashionably coordinated dancers and a charming southern slang, he might just be good. Then his music started. Ten seconds of his performance was enough for every Toledoan watching to know he wasn’t going to be a problem.

After a few more music videos and mindless banter from the hosts of the show, it was time for Act 2, Beverly Wills, all the way from Toledo, Ohio. Facebookers and Tweeters went frantic, making sure everyone was ready to vote.

Wills performed solo. No dancers to distract the crowd, no hypeman to overshadow him. And by himself, he had the crowd repeating his chants, and voluntarily cheering him. After he was done performing his allotted segment of his song “Everybody Wanna Be Me,” he rapped without music for a moment. Wills had a special message for everyone back home in Toledo, glued to the television, ready to vote for him: Forget the chicks and fame; I do this to make Toledo proud.

How proud were the people of Toledo? Proud enough to keep Beverly Wills in the lead through the duration of the show, and make him victorious at the show’s conclusion. Beverly Wills is the first artist from Toledo to win “Wild Out Wednesday.” And he won because his city stood behind him. Wills said that performance “felt like a job; the city did everything to get everybody watching, so I had to make sure they watched something good.”

Beverly Wills has been invited back to BET for Blaze the Stage, a competition where the best “Wild Out Wednesday” performers are showcased in front of label executives and the biggest urban radio station in the country, Hot 97 in New York. People have gotten record deals from Blaze the Stage.

Wills summed up the experience by saying “not often do you do in reality the things you picture in your brain.” Congratulations. Dreams do come true.

Tags: 106 & Park Wild Out Wednesday, BET, Beverly Wills, lilD, The Word I Heard

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 11:50 am and is filed under Star, The Word I Heard.
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He’s a 21-year-old who dreamed of being a high school guidance counselor — and Hip-Hop pays his bills. Talk about an oxymoron.

If you knew Beverly Wills when he was just Brandon, you probably don’t talk to him very often today. The Toledo rapper says, “people don’t call and ask about my daughter or how my days went,” but are offended when he charges them for his musical services.

Beverly Wills

After performing all across Ohio and winning an Ohio Hip-Hop Award for Best New Artist, why would his services be free? Oh, yes, that’s right: you’re not allowed to take your craft seriously before you leave your city and become a national superstar.

And that’s single-handedly why most artists never leave their city and become national superstars.

Beverly Wills has come a long way from the kid who rapped in high school for fun, looking up to Ma$e because he looked like the urban kid’s dream: flashy, rich, a braggadocio and a ladies’ man. Nowadays, Wills is seeking more intangible measures, like his daughter’s affection, or seeing his music help people going through the same struggles he has survived.

Honesty is a quality too often lost in Hip-Hop, masked by desperate attempts at success through a make-believe life. But with his personal style of music, Beverly Wills says he “can’t rap about a Maybach because I don’t have one.”

It’s because of Beverly Wills’ ability to reach people through his dynamic personality and raw emotion that his popularity has grown, not only in Toledo, but internationally. Social networking plays a huge part in his success, garnering him “more attention from an ethernet card than pressing CDs.” A month ago, he learned he has fans in Croatia, who eagerly pass his music around. Hope he has a passport.

Never forgetting where he comes from, Beverly Wills’ new project is titled “T.O.L.E.D.O.,” an acronym for “This Opportunity Lets Every Demon Out.” This is his first true representation of himself, with completely original music and very personal lyrics. After trying to follow trends and only make club music, he is now only focused on being himself and showing the world that he’s more than just a “swagger rapper.” As the world will see very soon.

On Dec. 22, Beverly Wills will compete on the highest-rated television show on BET. “106 & Park’s Wild Out Wednesday” is a segment for artists to display their talent, then berated by a studio and at-home audience via text message. Wills says he expects to win, but “making it there speaks volumes.”

However, if he wins, to him it only means to “keep pushing.”

Beverly Wills understands what most artists don’t; a television appearance doesn’t guarantee success, and the bills come every month regardless. So while being on the show is an honor, it doesn’t put a recording contract in his hands. But that doesn’t mean he won’t need your support. Watch BET’s “106 & Park” on Dec. 22 and vote for him.

Tags: BET, Beverly Wills, lilD, The Word I Heard

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 15th, 2010 at 8:40 am and is filed under Star, The Word I Heard.
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