Freddy Will
{{Short description|American author and hip-hop artist}}
{{Advert|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Freddy Will
| image = Artist_&_Author_Freddy_Will.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Freddy Will at Wansee in Berlin, Germany.
| birth_name = Wilfred Kanu Jr.
| Alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1977|8|11}}
| birth_place = Brookfields, Freetown
| origin = United States of America
| genre = Hip hop
| occupation = Author, recording artist, philanthropist
| years_active = 2006–present
| label = {{flatlist|
- Theatre of Literary & Performing Arts
- Soul Asylum Poetry & Publishing
}}
| associated_acts =
| website = {{url|freddywill.com/}}
}}
Wilfred Kanu Jr., known by his stage name Freddy Will, is a Sierra Leonean American author, music producer, publisher, recording artist, and philanthropist best known for releasing three consecutive albums with accompanying books.{{cite web|url = http://www.irepsalone.com/freddy-will-author-entrepreneur-artist/ |title = Interview With Freddy Will: Author, Entrepreneur & Artist|date = January 30, 2017|access-date = October 22, 2017|website = irepsalone.com/|publisher = iRep Salone|last = Kamara|first = Sally}} He launched his music career by mixing hip-hop with jazz, calypso, r&b, classical music, and Afrobeat. He writes books on history, philosophy, biography, poetry, personal development, and fiction. He is best known for his singles "City Boy" (2008), "Providence feat. Carvin Winans" (2009), "Endurance" (2010), "Mandingo Love" (2012), "2 Passports" (2014), "Livin' N' Toronto feat. Kao Denero" (2014), "Girl from Happy Hill" (2017), "IV U feat. King Boss LAJ" (2020) and "Natural Light" (2024).[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13550839/] He has also written several books in Europe.
Early life
Wilfred Kanu Jr. was born in Brookfields, Freetown, to parents who hailed from Sierra Leone.{{cite book |last=Kanu Jr. |first=Wilfred |authorlink=Wilfred Kanu Jr. |date=2019 |title=Crime Rhymez|url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crime-rhymez-wilfred-kanu-jr/1145502357 |location=Berlin, Germany |publisher=Badson Publishing|page=5 |isbn= 9798894438412|access-date=June 2, 2024}} At 2, he relocated with his parents to Monrovia, Liberia. There, he discovered music, theater performance, and literary expression. As a teenager, he navigated through the tumultuous Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil conflicts, residing in Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Senegal. Eventually, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.{{cite book |last=Kanu Jr. |first=Wilfred |authorlink=Wilfred Kanu Jr. |date=2019 |title=My Book of Chrymes|edition=Definitive |url=https://www.kulturkaufhaus.de/de/detail/ISBN-9798892692946/Kanu-Jr.-Wilfred/My-Book-of-Chrymes |location=Berlin, Germany |publisher=Badson Publishing|isbn= 979-8-89269-294-6|access-date=June 2, 2024}}
Toronto, Canada
In 2006, Freddy Will traveled to Toronto, Canada, to record his debut album.{{cite web|url = http://blog.freddywill.com/word-to-the-streets/|title = Word to the streets|date = April 19, 2008|access-date = February 9, 2019|website = blog.freddywill.com/ |publisher = Wilfred Kanu Jr.|last = Kanu|first = Wilfred}} After revisiting the country a few times, he filed for permanent residency there. While living there he recorded a mixtape, two additional independent studio albums, an EP and released them off his independent record labels, Ghetto Breed Entertainment and Swift Nightz Entertainment.{{Cite web|title=Freddy Will prepares for release of his new Krio album and second book – Cocorioko|url=https://cocorioko.net/freddy-will-prepares-for-release-of-his-new-krio-album-and-second-book/|access-date=2020-09-18|language=en-US}} He also started his freelance writing career, launched his blog website, and authored three books that were self-published by Soul Asylum Poetry & Publishing, as well as his publishing company, Freddy Will Publishing in Ontario, Canada.{{cite web|url = http://blog.freddywill.com/soul-asylum-poetry-and-publishing/|title = Soul Asylum Poetry & Publishing|date = June 27, 2009|access-date = February 9, 2019|website = blog.freddywill.com/ |publisher = Wilfred Kanu Jr.|last = Kanu|first = Wilfred}} All three books were self-published in a book plus album concomitant. He also launched The Freddy Will Hope Foundation.{{cite web|url = http://blog.freddywill.com/while-im-still-young-the-talking-drums-1-2v-2/ |title = My Book Of Chrymes & While I'm Still Young – The Talking Drums 1. 2v |date = July 25, 2009|access-date = February 7, 2019|website = blog.freddywill.com/ |publisher = Wilfred Kanu Jr.|last = Kanu|first = Wilfred}}{{cite web|url = http://myafrica.allafrica.com/view/music/main/id/0BjD8WARd3U02L5q.html|title = Freddy Will – Dark Horse From Romarong ...a city of kings (Sierra Leone 2010)|date = October 19, 2010|access-date = February 9, 2019|website = myafrica.allafrica.com|publisher = Double K Records|last = Records|first = Double K}}
Literary, music, and theater influences
During his interview with award-winning Ghanaian journalist, Jefferson Sackey, Freddy Will stated that he started rapping when he was still living in Liberia.{{cite web|url = http://imperiya.by/video/9PHfXRGDjSp/JSR-FREDDY-PROMO.html|title = JSR FREDDY PROMO-people and blog|date = March 11, 2015|access-date = June 3, 2017|website = imperiya.by/|publisher = imperiya|last = Sackey|first = Jefferson }} He credited Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J., Queen Latifah, Ice-T, Naughty By Nature, legendary Sierra Leone rapper, Jimmy B, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, Scarface, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B. I. G., Nas, The Luniz and the LOX as some of his primary musical influences in hip-hop. For his writing, he credits his father, John Grisham, Shakespeare, Langston Hughes, Caresse Crosby, Maya Angelou and Pacesetter Novels as his primary influences and Idris Elba, Ice Cube, John Singleton and Spike Lee, his influences in theater and film.{{cite web|url = http://blog.freddywill.com/my-top-10-influences-in-literary-publishing-pt-3-2/|title = My Top 10 Influences in Literary & Publishing Pt. 2|date = September 8, 2016|access-date = December 10, 2017|website = blog.freddywill.com|publisher = Freddy Will's Blog|last = Kanu Jr.|first = Wilfred}}
Healthy Food For Thought: Good Enough to Eat
In 2010, Freddy Will was among several musicians, music producers, spoken word artists, chefs and children's book authors who participated in a children's compilation album consisting of 60 selections of prose, poems, and songs about food, nutrition, and self-awareness that can be used as part of a childhood obesity awareness curriculum and to promote awareness for Type 2 Diabetes among school children.{{cite web|url = https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=healthy-food-for-thought-good-enough-to-eatl|title = Healthy Food for Thought|access-date = February 1, 2011|website = slj.com|publisher = School Library Journal|last = Dean|first = Kitty Chen}} This album was executive produced in Philadelphia by the New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods. In 2011, the Recording Academy nominated the Double CD charity album for a Grammy Award.{{cite web|url = https://www.latimes.com/la-et-env-grammys-nominees-2010-list-htmlstory.html|title = Grammy Awards 2011: Winners and nominees for 53rd Grammy Awards|date = March 12, 2014|access-date = July 9, 2021|website = Los Angeles Times|last = Field|first = General}}{{cite web|url = https://healthyvoyager.com/healthy-food-for-thought-good-enough-to-eat-a-childrens-cd/|title = Healthy Food For Thought: Good Enough To Eat (A Children's CD)|access-date = July 3, 2021|website = healthyvoyager.com|publisher = The Healthy Voyager|last = Scott-Hamilton|first = Carolyn| date=August 30, 2010 }}{{cite web|url = https://soulasylumpoetry.com/grammy-nomination-2011/|title = GRAMMY nomination 2011|access-date = July 5, 2021|website = soulasylumpoetry.com|publisher = Soul Asylum Poetry & Publishing Inc.|last = Cowle|first = Ken}}
Discography
=Albums=
- While I'm Still Young – The Talking Drums (2008)
- While I'm Still Young – The Talking Drums 1.2v (2009)
- Dark Horse From Romarong – a City of Kings (2010)
- Laboramus Exspectantes (2014)
- Views From The 7 (2017)
- African Black: The Unreleased Anthems & Ballads (2020)
=EP=
- City of Kings: RELOADED (2012)
=Mixtape=
- Stay True (2006)
=Collaboration=
- Healthy Food for Thought: Good Enough to Eat (2010)
Bibliography
=Paperback=
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Title
! Date ! ISBN |
|---|
| My Book of Chrymes
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2009|08|11}} |{{ISBN|0-981-21601-3}} |
| The Dark Road from Romarong
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2010|10|10}} |{{ISBN|1-926-87609-1}} |
| Hip Hop Kruzade - Path of a Legend
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2014|11|22}} |{{ISBN|1-926-87650-4}} |
| My Book of Chrymes (Definitive Edition)
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|01|11}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89269-294-6}} |
| The Dark Road from Romarong (Definitive Edition)
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|01|25}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89298-094-4}} |
| Hip Hop Kru Zade: Path Beyond Clichés
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|02|21}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89372-905-4}} |
| Crime Rhymez
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|04|25}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89443-841-2}} |
| Theatre, Dance & Poetry
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|06|10}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89480-466-8}} |
| Brazenitout
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|09|13}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89589-679-2}} |
| Brazenitout 2
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2024|11|17}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89660-864-6}} |
| Brazenitout 3
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2025|04|04}} |{{ISBN|979-8-89901-019-4}} |
=eBooks=
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Title
! Date ! ISBN |
|---|
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 1
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2016|06|06}} |{{ISBN|1-483-57305-2}} |
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 2
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2016|11|15}} |{{ISBN|978-1-483-58654-0}} |
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 3
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2018|08|08}} |{{ISBN|978-1-644-40966-4}} |
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 4
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2018|10|10}} |{{ISBN|978-1-644-67715-5}} |
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 5
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2019|03|05}} |{{ISBN|978-1-645-16095-3}} |
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 6
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2020|02|22}} |{{ISBN|978-1-648-26437-5}} |
| The Sandmann's Journal Vol. 7
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2022|02|22}} |{{ISBN|979-8-891-21460-6}} |
=Documentary=
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
| Title
! Date ! Notes |
|---|
| Steadfast: The Jean Augustine Story
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2022|04|02}} |The Story of Jean Augustine's journey from Happy Hill, Grenada, to being the first Black woman elected to Canada's House of Commons and the first Black woman to serve in Canada's federal Cabinet. He performed a song in the soundtrack. |
Grammy Awards
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Song/album ! Category ! Role ! Result |
|---|
| 2011
| Healthy Food For Thought, Good Enough to Eat | Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children | Vocals, lyrics, songwriting | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Will, Freddy}}
Category:Canadian male non-fiction writers
Category:Canadian philanthropists
Category:Canadian male rappers
Category:21st-century Canadian rappers
Category:21st-century Black Canadian musicians
Category:Black Canadian non-fiction writers