About
Willonius “King Willonius” Hatcher is a comedian, musician and AI filmmaker whose work turns internet culture into songs, films and shared creative experiences. He created “BBL Drizzy” and “Shabang the Musical,” and was named to TIME100 AI in 2024 and EBONY’s Power 100 in 2025.
His original “BBL Drizzy” comedy song became part of the Drake–Kendrick Lamar cultural moment after Metro Boomin sampled it in 2024. His work brings humor, Black culture and emerging creative tools into the same conversation.
In 2026, he created “Shabang the Musical,” a Broadway-style reimagining of Drake’s “Shabang” that inspired a viral wave of fan performances and mock audition videos. He released “Shabang (The Musical)” featuring Stevie Mackey in August 2026.
Inspire
At the heart of King Willonius’s success is his relentless pursuit of innovation. A self-taught coder with a deep passion for technology, he sees AI not just as a tool but as a means of creative empowerment. By leveraging this technology, Hatcher has developed a rich portfolio of work, including AI-driven films, audio dramas, and music, each one a testament to his ability to turn bold ideas into reality. His career highlights include creating interactive storytelling experiences like The Young and The Thirsty on Clubhouse and participating in prestigious conferences such as SXSW, TEDx, and the MIT Reality Hack, where he has inspired audiences with his vision for the future of art and technology.
Hatcher’s commitment to his craft goes beyond personal achievement. He tirelessly advocates for underrepresented voices in the creative industries, particularly within Black communities. By using AI to amplify marginalized perspectives, he is breaking barriers and inspiring a new generation of creators to dream bigger and reach farther. For Hatcher, AI is more than a creative medium it’s a form of cultural reparations, a way to open doors for those who have long been excluded from the mainstream.
Despite his technical expertise, King Willonius remains deeply rooted in comedy, his first love. As a stand-up comedian, he draws from his sharp observational humor and fearless storytelling to engage audiences on stage and beyond. His comedic style, influenced by legends like Paul Mooney and Dave Chappelle, is incisive, thought-provoking, and unafraid to tackle complex topics with a touch of levity.
King Willonius builds his work around a simple habit: get curious, make something, and keep going. That approach connects his stand-up comedy, music, filmmaking and experiments with new technology.
Before his AI music reached a wider audience, he developed live, participatory comedy on Clubhouse through The Comedy Club and the serialized audio drama The Young & The Thirsty. Those projects explored how an audience could become part of a story as it unfolded.
His music includes UNSerious, produced by Grammy Award winner Om’Mas Keith, and UNHINGED, released in August 2026. The latter features “Shabang (The Musical)” with Stevie Mackey. Across these projects, songs become a place for character, satire and cultural commentary.
His film Enter the BBL Drizzyverse was featured in the Generative AI Film Festival at Adobe MAX 2025. The project extends his comedy into an Afrofuturist world built through storytelling and AI filmmaking tools.
Onstage and in interviews, he shares his approach to creativity, technology and Black cultural expression. His speaking and media appearances explore how creators can use new tools to develop their own ideas and reach audiences.
For speaking, interviews, performances and creative collaborations, use the contact form below.