Artist Statement
Wxlley (pronounced Woolley) is a multi-genre musical artist from Dubuque, Iowa. Fusing elements of Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Punk, Indie, and Trap Metal, Wxlley got his start making music when he was 15. His biggest goal is to promote authenticity and self expression through his music. He sights Eminem, Korn, Paramore, Isaiah Rashad, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Slipknot as his biggest influences.
Artist Bio
Stephon Baldwin, commonly known as “Wxlley” is a rapper and producer from Dubuque, Iowa. He began his creative journey in high school when he started a DIY rap collective amongst his group of friends. It wasn’t until the first iteration of the DAAC Music Mentorship Program did his creativity and performance art blossom. In the program, Stephon was mentored by the Dubuque based rapper, Case The Joint who was the first role model in rap and hip hop that the industrious Wxlley had ever experienced.
Today, Stephon is building a unique style of live music event where he recruits friends and creative contemporaries of a variety of genres to provide what is perhaps the most diverse live music experience that can be found in Dubuque. He titles these shows “Round 1”, “Round 2”, etc… These shows are designed to expose new communities of people to other niche pockets of the surprisingly diverse music scene in Dubuque, Iowa. After three successful shows, he is now setting his eyes on larger stages and will be performing at The Driftmore Music and Arts Festival 2023 in Platteville, WI.
Beyond his sprouting music career and creative resume, he is also serving as a mentor for the newly rebuilt DAAC Music Mentorship Program to begin in 2024. Here he will be a guiding voice of wisdom for a new generation of Dubuque musicians, rappers, and producers, much like Case the Joint was to him years ago.
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