Media

King Willonius (Willonius Hatcher) is a comedian, musician and AI filmmaker, and the creator of BBL Drizzy and Shabang the Musical. He was named to TIME100 AI in 2024 and EBONY’s Power 100 in 2025.

Explore talks, interviews and appearances below, beginning with The Next Web conference in Amsterdam. For interviews, press materials and photography requests, use the Contact page and include your outlet and deadline.

Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival

King Willonius was a featured panelist at the 2025 Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival presented by OpenAI

dream machine conference

King Willonius gets interviewed by Hartbeat President Jeff Clanagan at Van Jones Dream Machine conference in Atlanta.

baratunde thurston interview

King Willonius sits down with a one on one interview with the comedic legend Baratunde Thurston

trace3 interview

King Willonius is interviewed by David Borish of Trace3

Press & media.

Explore coverage, interviews, selected talks and original work by King Willonius.Co-founder of AI & the Culture.

Press coverage

Articles, profiles, recognition and industry coverage about King Willonius.

Interviews

Conversations about the creative process, comedy, music and culture.

Selected talks

Keynotes, panels, live demonstrations and stage appearances.

Original work

Films, audio storytelling and screen credits by King Willonius.

Dates refer to publication or the publisher’s latest update where available. Some publishers may require a subscription.
For approved portraits and photographer credits, request press photography.

Black enterprise pitch

I have been pitching and trying to tell my story for years to anyone that would listen. In this clip above I pitched myself to the Black Enterprise audience in 2012

Curious Refuge ESports Prompt Battle
A man wearing a black jacket and grey pants, holding a microphone, sitting next to a woman in a blue denim dress, both smiling, in front of a purple feather backdrop with a potted plant and a black table with a purple crystal in the background.
A man wearing a black beanie, a plaid shirt, and jeans, sitting on a gray armchair, with a contemplative expression and one hand resting on his face.
A man with dark skin, short hair, and a beard, wearing a green suit with black shoes and a black shirt, sitting on a wooden chair against a dark background. He is posed with his right hand touching his chin and his left hand on his knee, looking thou
A man is looking at a laptop with stickers on it, wearing headphones and a black hoodie, standing against a plain background with blue lines.
Two people wearing virtual reality headsets are standing in a white room with several cameras mounted on the walls and ceiling, engaged in an experiment or activity involving the headsets.
Three individuals standing in a white room with multiple cameras mounted on the walls, two men and one woman, engaged in conversation.
A person wearing a VR headset and headphones, looking slightly to the side, with a plain light-colored background.
Two people standing in a motion capture studio with arms extended to the sides, wearing head-mounted cameras and motion sensors.
Two men sitting on stage in conversation at an event called Black Tech Fest, with a large Black Tech Fest logo in the background.
A man wearing glasses and a cap is taking a photo of a vinyl record with artwork of a man wearing sunglasses and a colorful jacket, using his smartphone.
A man with a beard and a cap performing stand-up comedy on a stage. He is holding a microphone and gesturing with his other hand. The backdrop has the words "The Comedy Chateaux" and a chandelier hanging above.
Three people sitting in blue round chairs on stage at a music technology conference, speaking into microphones, with a large blue screen behind them displaying event details for the MIAMI Music Tech Conference, June 11-12, 2024.
Four people standing in front of a purple feathered backdrop with the words 'VOTE FOR CHANGE'.
Two men posing for a photo indoors. The man on the left wears glasses, a gray blazer, and a camouflage cap. The man on the right wears a leopard print coat, a gray cap, and jewelry, with his hands together in a prayer-like gesture.
A promotional poster for 'BBL Drizzy The Musical' featuring two animated male characters in futuristic armor, with flying ships in the sky, and event details including date, location, and venue.
A vintage album cover titled 'Unserious' featuring three well-dressed African American individuals with serious expressions, two women and one man, posed closely together. The cover shows signs of wear and tear.
A man wearing a red beanie with the word 'KING', holding up his hand in a framing gesture, standing against a blue background with a ladder nearby.
A smiling man sitting on a chair wearing a colorful patchwork denim jacket, dark wide-leg pants, and chunky sneakers, talking on a cell phone against a plain white background.
A man wearing a beige shirt and pink cap holding a microphone, speaking in front of a red and pink background with the words 'Prose Story' and related phrases, while an audience listens and one person takes a photo.
Person wearing a red knit hat with white text, a dark jacket, and checkered jeans, standing with arms crossed next to a green ladder against a blue background.
A man wearing a red baseball cap, white polo shirt, and red jacket speaks into a microphone on stage with a colorful background depicting a coffee cup, a cartoon face, and a leafy emblem.