Born and raised in Riverside, California, multifaceted entertainer Josh Williams best describes his moniker, Shotgun Willy, as an extremist version of his own personality, one where the volume is turned all the way up and the creative possibilities are endless. With his earliest material, Williams began establishing himself as an independent recording artist, standing out for his lyrical prowess and ability to weave wit and humor into his songs in new and unexpected ways. In 2018, his single “Cheat Codes for Hoes,” featuring fellow Californian rapper TRAQULA, went viral, and in turn, resulted in a newfound determination to take Shotgun Willy to the next level. The song, which currently boasts over 78 million streams on Spotify alone, opens with a snippet of “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes, showcasing Willy’s penchant for incorporating, and modernizing, pop culture references from bygone eras.

After releasing his debut EP “Willy the Kid” in 2019, an homage to the infamous Western outlaw and gunfighter Billy the Kid (who also inspired his artist name), Shotgun Willy continued to steadily drop music and further his craft, including releasing a joint EP with Yung Craka (2020’s “God’s Favorite Rappers”), a 6-track EP “Viva La Kid” in 2021 and a collection of well-received one-off singles such as “Oreo,” (70M+ streams across Spotify/YouTube); “Mexico,” (45M+ streams); “Respected Man,” (20M+ streams) and “Bumpin’,” (30M+ streams). In 2022, Shotgun Willy gave the visual treatment to “Married to the Bag,” with this cinematic offering a quintessential representation of the crude-yet-creative humor he’s celebrated for. With over 636K subscribers on YouTube and 1.4M active listeners on Spotify, Shotgun Willy has built a strong foundation, further proving the creative risks he takes in his music and his dedication to evolving his sound is resonating with fans all over the globe. Currently, Shotgun Willy can be found readying his anticipated debut album and gearing up to hit the road in the fall of 2023.