Willie Evans Jr.

You may not have heard of Willie Evans Jr. before and his previous work in Jacksonville, FL underground collective Asamov. However, after listening to his latest release and second solo effort, Introducin', chances are this won't be the last you hear of him anytime soon. This talented rapper/producer sounds eerily similar to none other than MF DOOM, but the similarities don't end there. His production, full of chopped soul, dusty loops and vintage sound bites, is heavily indebted to underground legends such as the late great J Dilla and brother in beats Madlib. Willie would fit right in as an artist on the Stones Throw roster. Hey, Peanut Butter Wolf, sign this guy already! The culmination of Willie's leftfield shuffle is found on geek declaration "Nerd English," where over a digital staccato blues riff, he responds to the looping sample ("You don't have to lie") and let's us know that he isn't only a dope talent, he's also a huge nerd who has nothing to hide, dropping references to everything from classic anime (Ninja Scroll) to videogame favourites like Tekken and Grand Theft Auto. Willie Evans Jr. may indeed be a nerd, but you'll definitely be glad you met him after one listen to this refreshing release.