Originally a stand-up comedian and screenwriter based in South Florida, Willonius “King Willonius” Hatcher’s career really took off two years ago when he used artificial intelligence to write a song about the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud.
The R&B parody song called “BBL Drizzy,” which hinted at rumors about Drake, took off.
Later that same year, in 2024, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in AI.
At the Silicon Slopes Summit on Thursday, Hatcher was introduced as someone redefining how humor, music and AI collide.
Willonius has since moved to New York and now aims to release at least one AI-generated song per day.
How AI solves the ‘core problem’
Willonius’ remarks were centered on unlocking the power of AI.
He said the core problem in today’s society is that “everyone has a story, but most people don’t have the resources to tell their story.”
By resources, he meant things like money, technical training, expensive equipment, a creative team, or connections in Hollywood.
“That all changes with AI … I didn’t have any connections in Hollywood when I made my first viral hit. Now a lot of people in Hollywood come to me,” Willonius said.
Easy access to these powerful tools has leveled the playing field, allowing creative minds to share their stories with minimal time, effort, or experience, he said.
“AI is a cultural equalizer. It doesn’t replace artists; it replaces excuses. Because we have these tools, you can’t say, ‘I can’t make a film,’ or ‘I can’t make a song,’ or ‘I can’t write a book,’ because you’re able to do that now. We have the tools,” he said.
Willonius then addressed some common excuses and showed how AI can instantly solve them.
“No budget? AI removes financial barriers.”
“No studio? You can create from anywhere.”
“No label? You go straight to your audience.”
“No team? You can use AI as a collaborator.”
“The Old Model is Broken”
King Willonius’ next point was that many of our ideas and creations are often rejected or diluted by others.
He argued that AI allows creators to make things on their own terms.
While the creator remains the author, AI can serve as a powerful collaborator, amplifying ideas and creations while keeping them unique to the original creator.
Willonius also argued that AI expands our creative possibilities far more than it limits them.
He then likened AI to the movie The Matrix, in which characters can instantly acquire new skills or knowledge by having them directly uploaded into their brains.
In today’s world, AI offers the luxury of instantly turning ideas into reality.
“As soon as you have an idea, you can create at the speed of culture,” he continued.
He wrapped up by saying, “The future of creativity isn’t artificial. It’s authentic, and it’s finally unlocked … Now the question is: What do you choose to do? Do you choose to lean in, or do you choose to sit on the sidelines?”
The Fun Part
At the conclusion of his remarks, King Willonius spent the remaining 25 minutes giving the audience a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process as he made a short trailer for the Summit and a song.
“This isn’t gonna win an Oscar,” he prefaced.
He shared his screen as he moved between ChatGPT, Adobe Premiere, MidJourney, Udio, and several other programs.
The song featured lyrics about the lack of snow this winter, shouted out by audience members, and was rendered in a variety of genres, ranging from polka to The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.