Freddy Will
Wilfred Kanu Jr. (born August 11, 1977), professionally known by his stage name Freddy Will, is an American Canadian author, philanthropist and hip-hop recording artist of Sierra Leone origin. He is the author of three self-published books published with accompanying hip-hop albums. Early life. Freddy Will was born at the Brookland Maternity Center in Brookfields, Freetown, Sierra Leone. He is the eldest son of Amb. Leeroy Wilfred Kabs Kanu ESQ, former Plenipotentiary Minister of Sierra Leone to the United Nations and publisher of Sierra Leone's widely read "Cocorioko" newspaper. He was naturalized in the  United States and Canada. Toronto, Canada. In 2006 Freddy Will traveled to Toronto, Canada to record his debut album. After revisiting the country a few times, he filed for permanent residency there. While living there he recorded a mixtape, two additional independent studio albums, an EP and released them off his independent record labels, Ghetto Breed Entertainment, and Swift Nightz Entertainment. He also started his freelance writing career, launched his blog website, and authored three books that were self-published by Soul Asylum Poetry & Publishing, as well as his publishing company, Freddy Will Publishing in Ontario, Canada. Literary, music, and  theater influences. During his interview with award-winning Ghanaian journalist, Jefferson Sackey, Freddy Will stated that he started rapping when he was still living in Liberia. He credited Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J., Queen Latifah, Ice-T, Naughty By Nature, legendary Sierra Leone rapper, Jimmy B, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, Scarface, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B. I. G., Nas, The Luniz and the LOX as some of his primary musical influences in hip-hop. For his writing, he credits his father, John Grisham, Shakespeare, Langston Hughes, Caresse Crosby, Maya Angelou and Pacesetter Novels as his primary influences and Idris  Elba, Ice Cube, John Singleton and Spike Lee, his influences in theater and film. Healthy Food For Thought: Good Enough to Eat. In 2010, Freddy Will was among several musicians, music producers, spoken word artists, chefs and children's book authors who participated in a children's compilation album consisting of 60 selections of prose, poems, and songs about food, nutrition, and self-awareness that can be used as part of a childhood obesity awareness curriculum and to promote awareness for Type 2 Diabetes among school children. This album was executive produced in Philadelphia by the New York Coalition for  Healthy School Foods. In 2011, the Recording Academy nominated the Double CD charity album for a Grammy Award.