LOVE for Southern Hospitality

I got a real soft spot for the south. And not out south, down Stony Island at the Harold’s or that Checkers off the Dan Ryan. I'm talking down south, Mississippi, ATL, dirt roads, luxury and slum all wrapped in one. My memories of great grandparents, hot ass road trips and the best fried chicken and biscuits any 8 year old could ask for.

But I've felt disconnected as I've gotten older. Great grans died, road trips lessened and soul food happened in momma's Chi town kitchen, which was cool, too. But still, my personal connection with the home of my roots, the lands that tell my story, that connection faded.

But rapper Vonnie, incredible talent from the south, has helped me reconnect. He’s a young, passionate brother who has used his love for rap and his love for the south to create my love for Southern hospitality.

Vonnie, who just celebrated his 21st birthday last week, is a product of Willacooche, Georgia. And he helped this city girl remember where her love roots from; the dirty dirty south.

Vonnie, also known as Vonnie Vision, is a lover of life and the music he makes. He just signed with JMD /Universal and he’s currently working on his mixtape due to release soon, titled “Willacooche’s Own”. Vonnie’s latest masterpiece, is his newly released, hot to death, music video for his mixtape (featured in "Vee's Videos" on the left). 

He is definitely helping put the South on the map.

“I like Midwest rap but southern rap is more lyrical and hype. It tells a story,”said Vonnie. “Seems as if Midwest rap is more about being gangster.”

But Vonnie doesn’t deny that he’s a huge fan of Kanye West. He describes Yezzy as “really dope”, so he most definitely got love for Chi City. However, he said he doesn’t listen to a lot of rap music that has been deemed as popular coming out of the south. He said albums you won't find in his collection is Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman. Vonnie said that their lyrics makes no sense and he wants his music to send positive, real life messages to his listeners.

“The South is listening to Travis Porter, Gucci, Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa,” he said. “Pretty soon they’ll be moving on to Vonnie, Willacoochee’s own.

What strikes me though, besides his southern swag, pretty boy face and cute accent, is that he's a lover of his home. He reps Willacoochee so hard, and remembers that his roots and his home is exactly what his music hustle is all about.

“I want people in Willacoochee to remember my sound and the message I give in my music. It’s for the entire world, but especially for my people down south,” he said.

My love for Chi City speaks through me in every piece I write. The city girl sound is inevitable. My love for Vonnie's craft, however, makes me dig deep down, beyond the surfaces that tells why I got such a love for Chi City...it's because I know where my ancestors fought for me. I know why they fought. I know why I'm here. The vision (no pun intended, Vonnie) didn't start in Chi City.

Love you…And so much LOVE for Vonnie Vision…Willacooche’s Own,

Vee