Interview: Wino Willy
November 9, 2021
Listening to Wino Willy’s new LP — Welcome Home Brother Willy — it’s apparent that the producer is interested in world-building; something new, something different, something funky. The project, which features clips from Sun Ra’s Space is the Place and a variety of Blaxploitation films, feels both cinematic and trancelike. Soul Samples and Afrofuturist commitments shape the larger arc of his world, with gritty, boom bap drums, of course.
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I first met Wino Willy (born Charles Corpening, in Edison, NJ, and affectionately known as “Charlie”) a little over 10 years ago. We were both preparing to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, and the local Philadelphia alumni chapter had organized their annual send off for incoming freshman. By the time he’d started at Morehouse, he’d already been exploring DIY music projects, sampling and working with analog gear; he’d also already spent time in China, studying Mandarin, and infusing himself in the local Hip-Hop scene.
Throughout our time at Morehouse, he’d regularly host the on-campus cypher, DJ’ing, rapping, setting the tone. But it wasn’t until after we left Morehouse, and both moved back to Philly, that we connected beyond acquaintances. I’d just started this site about 5 years ago (can’t believe it’s been that long), and he reached out asking if he could do a mix of tunes that highlighted the music I’d been covering. It’s a wonderful exploration into the kaleidoscope that is Black music. Much like his new LP, that mix includes the type of world-building Wino Willy’s interested in creating, paying homage to the many Black music traditions that have sustained us.
Though Welcome Home Brother Willy is the producer’s debut full length project, he’s been releasing music for a number of years. In 2019, he released Burlap, on Superjock Records, which featured his adeptness as both rapper and producer. And before that, he’d built a dedicated following like many producer-beatmakers on Soundcloud, where he still regularly posts flips.
Following the release of his new project, I got a chance to talk to Wino Willy about his new project, living in New Orleans, his love of cinema, and a bunch more! Here’s our conversation:
Stanley: You're based in NOLA. Not too long ago, the city got hit pretty hard by Hurricane Ida. You and your wife -- Saint Amethyst -- had shelter, and I remember seeing you playing music and making beats. Could you talk about that whole experience, and what music did for you all during that time?
Wino Willy: Ida was my first major hurricane as a resident of New Orleans. My wife and I decided to stay in a hotel on St. Charles because we didn’t have adequate time to evacuate. The Power went out immediately as the storm approached the city and forced us to utilize our battery inverter and a marine battery to power our music equipment. We spent much of the time making instrumentals, singing and praying. We listened to A mixture of James Blake, Bjork, Donny Mclurlkin. Music helped to keep us calm as the roof sustained damage and the hotel was shaken by the winds. Music was truly a moment of comfort for my wife and I and helped to get us through our experience.
Stanley: Welcome Home Brother Willy is your debut, full-length vinyl release, but you've been releasing music for some time now, producing, DJ'ing and so on. So, I'm curious to know why you felt this was the best time to give your first offering in this capacity?
Wino Willy: I've been releasing music as Wino Willy since 2010 on Soundcloud and Cassette through various Boutique labels, but I took a hiatus around 2015 on releasing physical music to live life. I spent the past six years sharpening my sound, combining the knowledge I've gained while traveling the globe and settling in New Orleans. I grabbed an MPC 1000 in 2018, which allowed me to create and craft a sound in my head that I've been hearing since I was a child. I was fortunate to meet my collaborators at Bag Season Records, who pushed me to come back out and release projects consistently.
In regards to the vinyl, I've always had dreams of putting my music on wax. There is something special about how the music sounds and how it allows the art to translate visually and sonically. Marq Spekt of Grilchy Party Records approached me at the end of 2018 after one of our Counter Sessions beat showcases at the Sea Cave Arcade. He envisioned putting out a series of Instrumentals that have a more narrative and cinematic quality. It coincided with my vision of my first instrumental physical product in 6 years.
Stanley: I love the cover art for Welcome Home Brother Willy! What was the process for coming up with the concept for the album art? Who designed the cover?
Wino Willy: Thanks, man! Rhymepuma designed the cover; he's done almost all of the classic covers on Grilchy Party. He has a style that gives me touches of Impressionism and classic B-Boy characters. I've always been a massive fan of Afrofuturist imagery and the fusion jazz aesthetic/blaxploitation film posters that drew from more psychedelic influences.
The concept was an homage to Sun Ra and Willie Dynamite, and I wanted to juxtapose next-level spirituality and the baser human instincts for greed and crime as represented by Willie Dynamite. I consulted with Deliciousbeets (James Hebert), and he gave me some ideas as well.
Stanley: Let's talk gear. What's some of the equipment you used on this project?
Wino Willy: This project was crafted mainly on the Akai Mpc 1000 and then processed through my Roland Sp-404sx, Cassette, or sometimes the Roland Sp-303. I also utilized Ableton Live 10.
Stanley: When you used to live in Philly, I remember coming by your spot, and you always had movies on while you were working. Not to mention the incredible VHS collection you, too!
One of the things I've always loved about your work is that it feels so cinematic. And this project seems to really highlight that, especially with the clips that you use throughout, and the tracks are all titled Scenes I - XXI.
What's been your inspiration for the way you incorporate cinematic elements into your music?
Where did you source the clips you used throughout this project?
Wino Willy: Growing up, I spent a lot of time watching films with my father. He's a cinephile, especially classic Kung fu Films, Black Cinema and Action Films. My younger brother has a degree in Film, so I've been around cinema my whole life. I view art as a way to communicate our human experience. We utilize language when we can, but we rely on Music and Visuals when we don't have the proper verbal communication. WHBW is a combination of my love for that era of films and my love for Hip Hop.
Deliciousbeets helped to dig through hours of Blaxploitation films and Sun Ra's Space is the Place film. We processed them through cassette then sampled them over the instrumentals.
Stanley: Welcome Home Brother Willy is the first installment in an ongoing vinyl series. When can we expect to hear future installments?
Wino Willy: Grilchy Party already submitted Vol 2 and Vol 3, and I can say that Volume 2 with Friendkerrek will be a fantastic follow-up to WHBW. We are waiting on the Vinyl from the plant before it's officially announced, but this series will feel like a cohesive movement and continue to grow the instrumental scene.
You can purchase Wino Willy’s new LP here!
