Freedom Williams gives advice to would be music and recording artists: remember you are the brand

In this interview with What's The 411TV's Courtney Rashon, hip hop artist and dancer, Freedom Williams, gives us some insight into his life today, thoughts on the state of the music industry, how he got his record deal, and how some artists today are replicas of the past.

Freedom Williams, born Frederick Brandon Williams, started as a hip-hop head and evolved into a dancer. Today, Freedom has his hands in everything. He built a recording studio for artists to use; tours several months out of the year, manages a couple of groups, directs videos; mentors artists including the Williamsburg Bullies; builds houses through his construction company; and he has two children, a son who recently graduated from Columbia University and a 15-year-old daughter. 

Regarding the state of hip-hop today, Freedom believes hip-hop has lost some of its punch. The music industry as it was when he started is no more; people are making music in their basements, everybody's sharing and record sales have plummeted.

As far as ghostwriting goes in the rap industry, Freedom thinks today it's a silly argument. However, back in the day, rap artists would have gotten beat up for ghostwriting, but today is a different day. The industry has changed and the culture has changed.

What's on Freedom's playlist? You can find Janelle Monae, Stevie Wonder, classical music, Haitian music, and even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches on Freedom's playlist. As an artist, Freedom listens to everything. Who are Freedom Williams' favorite artists? Stevie Wonder, as a producer-musician, is Freedom William's favorite artist of all time. In 2015, Freedom likes Janelle Monae; Anthony Hamilton; Drake; Immortal Technique; and Latin music. 

For those looking for a record deal, what's Freedom's advice? Remember you are the brand, work on you. The real money is in performance, so make people want to give you their money.

"Be the best that you can be, Freedom said. "Work on your songs, work on your craft, so when you are presented...the real game starts in practice, you bring that to the field."

Also, take care of your health. Freedom Williams believes in being physically fit; he says that when he's performing, he can see the audience getting tired before he does.

How does Freedom feel about social media?

Although social media is a valuable tool to market and promote artists today, Freedom advises artists to have thick skin and don't get caught up in the negativity.

Thank God there was no social media back in the day; today there are so many finger gangsters.

Would Freedom Williams go on Dancing With the Stars?

Perhaps.

Although Alfonso Ribeiro set the bar really high, if the producers of Dancing With The Stars called Freedom Williams, he would answer the phone.

By Christine Nieves

If you were a fan of America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC) then you might recognize dancer Dashaun Wesley. He was part of the dance crew "Vogue Evolution" on Season 4. They were a breath of fresh air to the competition reintroducing audiences to vogue, a dance style not really seen in mainstream media since Madonna's vogue video, and the 1990 documentary, Paris is Burning. Although they didn't win the competition Dashaun saw an opportunity for something more on the horizon.

"After the show, I noticed how accepting people were of the style and I knew there was an opportunity there. It took a few steps in order to create that and when I did I was able to start teaching, traveling, doing behind the scenes shows, dance events and even doing fashion week events around NYC."

Introduced to voguing at the age of fourteen, Dashaun was hooked immediately.

"My friend and I were in the village one day and we saw people voguing. I was so visually attracted to it so I just had to try it. I went there the next day and the following day to learn as much as I could."

From there he started competing in New York's underground ballroom scene. The ballroom scene is a social subculture of the LGBT community. People compete for trophies and prizes at events known as balls. Those who compete, dance and vogue, while others compete in various genres of drag often trying to pass as a specific gender and social class.

Deshaun Wesley

Not only has voguing given Dashaun the opportunity to be on television, but he has also been able to travel.

"I'm traveling once or twice a month. I never thought that doing vogue would have me traveling and teaching in places like Russia, Finland, Sweden, (and) Germany. I'm seeing different parts of the world I never thought I would see just by doing something I thought was just a hobby."

Voguing has also allowed Dashaun to work with A-list stars such as Fergie.

"Back in 2011, Fergie needed voguers for a benefit concert for the Robin Hood Foundation. We didn't get a chance to perform because of a thunderstorm. However, she remembered me and a couple of other voguers and called us to go perform at the Life Ball. The Life Ball is the largest HIV/AIDS benefit in the world held in Austria. A week after that I got called to do Fergie's upcoming music video."

The music video premiered early this month, you can watch it here:

Although Dashaun is making vogue more visible, there is more he would like to accomplish.

"I meet a lot of people who don't know anything about voguing so when they see it they want to learn more. I want to take this style to a place it hasn't been before. I want to take it to Broadway, to sitcoms, movies, even commercials. Take away the stigma around vogue that it's just a gay dance style, it isn't just a gay dance style it's for everyone."

As for what else Dashaun has in store, a series of YouTube videos may be in the works.

"Right now I'm working on this idea I had to do a series. It's hopefully going to be called, Teach Me How to Vogue. I'll take random people and do a dance number with them. I want to hopefully get it to a place where I can teach celebrities that you would never expect."

If you're interested in taking classes or learning more about Dashaun you can visit his website: http://www.dashaunwesley.com/ and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VogueOfArt