The thing I’ve always loved about music is that it’s universal. Music can relate to any mood a person is feeling. I’m going to admit if you ask me who my favorite artist is (Drake, J. Cole, etc) it’s always going to be someone mainstream. Because of that this year I told myself that I would listen to all types of music and give people the props that they deserve. This project by Milwaukee artist WillOnWater is definitely one of them.
WillOnWater dropped his latest mixtape T(r)AP WATER this past August. I know music is personal for everyone so we all hear things differently, but y’all I was really feeling this little record. With how shitty things have been on my end for a little bit, I can always count on good music. I listened to it about four times before I even wrote this. You can hear the dedication that was given to create this record, and its arrangement was nicely put together. It was different from the stereotypical “Milwaukee” sound I’m used to hearing, and we all know what sound that is…no need to elaborate.
One of the highlights of the album is the track Fixyourenergy. WillOnWater has the talent of having cocky lyrics on the most smoothesttttt beats….while still seeming humble and sincere. His lyrics address those who have been wondering where he’s been for the past two years with his music ambitions, but makes it very clear; he still had the bag. As a firm believer in positive and manifestation; best believe you gotta come correct with the right energy, and WillOnWater makes it very clear to fix that negative shit. In the song Stripes one of the first lines of the song pulled me in immediately, “Ni**a you get what you give.” Here WillOnWater talks about life and that he had endured enough to learn his stripes. It’s an everyday grind, and he states he hustles everyday and he earned everything he owns. He again addresses his haters and shows love to the ones that support him. [Can’t focus on your own bag when you’re focused on someone else’s. I felt that shit.]
He softens things up in his songs Novacane and Cross Your Heart. This is where the Drake’n starts. I needed to hear songs from our Black men that express love for Black women, and these definitely delivered. “She numb the pain just like novacane.” Novacane a trap love song. The anonymous subject has it all in WillOnWater’s eyes, and her radiance is beautiful enough to ease any pain he’s experiencing. Cross Your Heart is an ode to his lover while asking if she’s down for the long haul. “Natural highs in the sky” he raps when describing his love for her, and he describes the true work it takes to make their relationship successful.
I could pick this record apart piece by piece, but that defeats the purpose of actually discovering music, so I’ll leave that up to y’all, but this is a solid record in my book. The shining moments of this mixtape is what’s keeping me anticipating on more to come. Keep up the good work; I think you got something good here. Make sure you check it out, music is available on streaming platforms. Check out the visuals too! It was probably hard af to shoot visuals with the Rona around.
We love to see it.
/Adrienne for CW
IMPORTANT STUFF BELOW
Instagram @willonwater
Youtube: WillOnWater
