By: Nicole Banner

This past Valentine’s Day, Willie Taylor of the chart-topping R&B group Day 26 decided to heat up the steamy holiday by releasing Sex Tape, a mixtape made strictly for the ears of adults. Sex Tape will not only provide insight into Willie’s songwriting capabilities, but it will set the caliber for his record label company Noviak Music Group. In a recent interview with Bu’Ji Magazine, Willie opens up about his struggles as an artist and reveals the motivation behind his success.

Bu’Ji Magazine (BM): Tell me about your upcoming mixtape Sex Tape. How did you come up with the name?

Willie: The [mixtape] will be released on February 14th (Valentine’s Day). I came up with name “Sex Tape” [because] I was doing a couple of records that [had] sexual content. [The songs] were actually records I was going to play for other artists, [but] the placements were not going as quickly as I wanted, so I put together a mixtape.

BM: Do you think this album will make you known as more of a "sex" icon rather than a “Pop/R&B" icon?

Willie: I am not sure. To me, I am a songwriter and I was not thinking that deep into it. I am always about the music. [Those are] all just labels [and] you can label me as you want to label me. At the end of the day, I went in trying to showcase my writing, which is the only reason why I really even did it. So, if you take it and want to move me into the sex category, hey! I have been putting myself in the sex category since I was young, so it is cool.

BM: How long have you been a songwriter?

Willie: I have been a songwriter for as long as I have been a singer. I started writing when I was about 8 or 9. I was really young when I first started singing. Of course my songs were real cheesy, but that was my first time putting a pen to the paper.

BM: If you had to pick between writing and performing, which one would you choose?

Willie: I do not know. It is an equal love. That is the only reason why I did the mixtape. I felt like I was neglecting that part and I could not keep neglecting that part. The labels do not really know [I am a writer] nor the fans unless they read the credits [of a song] than they will see my name a couple of times. But other than that I wanted them to know [and] this was my way of letting them know.

BM: What can we expect from your new label?

Willie: It is real big. It is my first time jumping into a label situation where I am the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The reason why I shot a lot of videos [and] commercials for this mixtape is because I really wanted to brand the label. Sometimes when you see a new artist, logo or label you do not pay a lot of attention to it. I thought that if I took my logo and stamped it on myself via this mixtape then people would eventually start to trust the brand. It would be easier for me to put my artist out because they [will] at least trust the brand.

BM: What sets your record label and music apart from any other company or artist?

Willie: One thing that is lacking on major labels is the Internet presence. I feel like the Internet is so big right now [and] labels need to cater more to it. With my label, one of the first things we are trying to accomplish is taking over the Internet. A lot of people are going to the Internet for major things and a lot of labels are not utilizing it as they could. We are really trying to take over that market. On the flip side, you have me as an entertainer and songwriter. What sets me apart is really just my style. I feel it is quite different. If you listen to my songs I am not like Teddy Pendergrass. I am not the hard sex in the record. I am more of the making love. If I was sex, I would be making love verses hardcore.

BM: How do you expect your music to influence your listeners?

Willie: Well, I hope they use it with caution. You are really not supposed to be doing anything sexual before marriage. I do not really want to [negatively] influence. I just want you to take it for what it is: great music. I do not want to be that type of [negative] influence, especially [not] for the younger generation because I really made it [Sex Tape] for the adults.

BM: Who are your biggest inspirations?

Willie: My biggest inspirations are my son and parents. Just watching them my whole life, all the struggles [and] everything they had to overcome really inspired me. Just me having my son, I felt like he really gave me a second breath. Before he was born, I could not get a job to save my life. I could not do anything, but this music thing. Some way [and] somehow God fought for me to continue and make it in a way I could not imagine. This is really only the beginning because there is so much more for me to do. In all fairness, everything is going up and nobody should have to go through the things I went through coming up.

BM: Where do you see yourself two years from now and what steps are you taking to get there?

Willie: I want to be known for [more] than my financial situation, but for my heart and vision. My vision is to really take music to a whole [new] level and do it a way that very few people do it. I want to be known for helping at least 10 people get to their dreams. Right now, it is really not about me. I want to put a lot more people on, [especially] from Chicago and the surrounding areas because my city [Chicago] does not really get the look that it deserves. I just started an open mic at Club Rumba in Chicago where I am going to go live with it from my UStream page and the whole world can see. Labels can come on and look every Monday and sign somebody. I am putting some work down and letting people know it not [just] about me.

BM: What advice would you give to others trying to pursue their dreams?

Willie: Just follow your dreams [because] at the end of the day God did not give your dreams to anyone but you. Stay true to your dreams and work hard [because] you could be the next doctor, president, entertainer or lawyer, whichever it is, just keep doing it.

BM: What have you done or what do you think you can do to give back to the community?

Willie: A couple of NFL players and I from my hometown Harvey [in Chicago] are getting together to get our parks back together so the kids will have a safe place to play. We are going to rebuild it [and] get the basketball courts back up.

BM: What are your thoughts on President Obama's progress?

Willie: I think he is doing a great job! Obama does exactly what he says [and] I am proud that he is actually in office. I got a chance to meet him when he was the Senator in Chicago.

BM: What words do you live by?

Willie: Of course, Sean “Diddy” Combs’, “there is always somebody in life trying to take your spot” [because] I believe it. That is what keeps me working. I know he [believes] that because it shows in his work. His work ethic is crazy [and] he never sleeps. He is already a millionaire and he works like he does not have a dollar. For me, it keeps me on my grind as a CEO, an artist and a songwriter.

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