Four Questions with Rapidly Rising Rapper Dee Wile

Although he is still a young man, Dee Wile has led an incredibly eventful life, full of tragedy, triumph, and growth. On his latest release, the eight track ‘Stay Ahead Of The Game,’ he digs deep into his own story, bringing his the characters who shaped him to life in vivid detail.

After a darkly comic intro, Dee sets the tone with the melody heavy ‘Low Flame.’ He draws on classic Chicago sounds throughout, with gospel vocals and jazz infused beats providing a backdrop for his distinctive brand of storytelling.

“If you’re tired of your funds saying insufficient, you gonna have it all if you stay consistent,” Dee advises on the instantly memorable ‘Stay Consistent.’ It’s a philosophy that runs through Dee’s music - times are hard, but strong people will find a way to overcome.

Stoner anthem ‘Exotic’ provides an album highlight, spotlighting everything Dee does best. Elsewhere, he is joined by PaperTreal and Bongo Mo for a hard hitting track named after Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson. From beginning to end, Dee proves himself as a lyricist capable of competing with the best of them.

We sat down with Dee to get to know the man behind the music.

JW: What is your favorite track from the new release, and why?

Dee: It honestly changes day to day, but right now, I would say "Stay Consistent." I love the overall vibe and message of the song.

JW: You’ve mentioned that losing a close friend was a pivotal moment in your career. How did that influence you as an artist?

Dee: It influenced a lot for me, it still does to this day... I would say what it has an effect on is the messages that I put into my music, even down to the rapid rate at which I release music. Life is short so while you're here you have to take advantage of each day! I want to put out as much music as possible because our work will be here longer than we will.

JW: You’ve referenced several athletes on the record and prominently included MJ in your artwork. How are music and sports related for you?

Dee: Well first off I am a huge sports fan! I played football, basketball, and baseball all while I was growing up, so when I'm not in the studio I'm probably watching ESPN. But I also feel they are synonymous in their "Journey To Success."

To me, watching a kid go from being a high school Superstar to having to rebuild and earn his spot on the college team, and then hopefully be good enough to get looked at by a professional scout. That is almost the same as an artist going from writing their first song to trying to get the masses to hear their music. And even when you get the masses to hear your music and you're in the game, now have to find a way to not become a one-hit wonder and stand out on your own.

That is the same to me as when a player makes it to the league and now they still have to be great and make a name for themselves they can't just be another player - like Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, or Steph Curry. And then last but not least we all know that ballers want to be rappers and rappers want to be ballers!

JW: What message would you like to share with audiences who are discovering you for the first time?

Dee: I want anybody that ever hears a Dee Wile song to know that the message is simple: your road to success is always under construction. There will be detours and delays but you have to keep going and stay consistent. Eventually, you will reach your destination!