Phoenix, Arizona, lyricist Willy Northpole had contact with music from an early age. His father played guitar in a local band called the Whiteheads but Willy was attracted more to the street life--and landed in a juvenile correctional facility for robbery at age 15. During his three-year stay, he immersed himself in hip-hop, wrote rhymes, and perfected a smooth, understated flow reminiscent of Jay-Z’s. After his release, Northpole built his reputation in Phoenix’s rap circuit, releasing a handful of diss tracks--including one entitled “Garbage Disposal”--aimed at fellow hometown rappers. Signing with Ludacris’s Disturbing tha Peace label, Willy appeared on the ATL superstar’s 2008 album THEATER OF THE MIND, and released his debut single, “Hood Dreamer,” featuring B.o.B., later that year.