Billy Drease Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billy Drease Williams
Billy Drease Williams performing in 2009 in Buffalo, New York
Background information
Birth name	Edreys Wajed
Origin	Buffalo, New York, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Teacher, artist, emcee, hip hop producer
Years active	1995–present
Labels	DTR45 Deep Thinka Records

Edreys Wajed, also known as Billy Drease Williams, is an American hip hop artist, singer, and producer. He comes from Buffalo, New York. People know him for his energetic music, positive lyrics, and inspiring messages.

Billy Drease Williams started his music journey in a group called The Elements. Later, he was part of a duo named Raw Intel. Raw Intel became successful early on. They had five songs featured in the ESPN NFL 2K5 video game. Billy Drease also worked with the band Soulive on their Turn It Out Remixed album.

After some time, Billy Drease focused on creating music for films and TV shows. He also opened his own art gallery in Buffalo called Gallery 51. He even produced songs for other artists, like the rapper Stat Quo.

Billy Drease then signed with an independent record label called Deep Thinka Records, which later became DTR45. This new deal gave him lots of creative energy. His first single, "I Like It," became very popular. It was featured in Billboard Magazine and on Myspace. The music video for "I Like It" was even shown on YouTube and BET.

Around the time "I Like It" came out, Edreys decided to use the stage name Billy Drease Williams. This name was a tribute to the actor Billy Dee Williams. It also kept a part of his birth name's sound. Billy Drease Williams has released several albums with DTR45. His album Good Morning Amy even got attention for a possible Grammy award. He has performed at big music events like Warped Tour, NXNE, and CMJ Music Marathon. His song "Just Doin' It" is his most successful song so far. Its music video has been watched over half a million times!

The Art of Hip-Hop: More Than Music

Billy Drease Williams is the leader of The Art of Hip Hop. This is a non-profit group that aims to teach young people and celebrate hip-hop culture. They believe in "Educating the Future and Celebrating a Culture."

Here's how they do it:

• They teach people about the importance of hip-hop culture and all types of music.
• They create programs to help students improve their math, reading, and science skills. This includes after-school tutoring and trips.
• They use the music business to teach young people about starting their own businesses.
• They use visual arts to help young people share their feelings and deal with life issues. This also helps fight against prejudice and violence.

The Art of Hip Hop has also been a popular festival in Buffalo for many years.

Music Albums by Billy Drease Williams

Images for kids

• 

  Billy Drease Williams performing in 2009 in Buffalo, New York