Wesley Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was an African-American musician from Chicago, Illinois, who became a well-known underground figure in the 1990s. Standing at 6-foot-6 inches and weighing 350 lbs., Willis was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young adult. He released several hundred songs of bizarre and simplistic music, which spread through the early days of P2P file sharing. Willis had a tumultuous childhood, growing up in various foster homes.
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Wesley Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was an African-American musician from Chicago, Illinois, who became a well-known underground figure in the 1990s. Standing at 6-foot-6 inches and weighing 350 lbs., Willis was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young adult. He released several hundred songs of bizarre and simplistic music, which spread through the early days of P2P file sharing. Willis had a tumultuous childhood, growing up in various foster homes. Despite his mental illness, he became creatively active in the early 1990s and sold marker drawings of the Chicago cityscape on the street. He also formed the hard rock band The Wesley Willis Fiasco and released several songs, such as "Jesus is the Answer" and "Casper the Homosexual Friendly Ghost." His music caught the attention of American Recordings, a major record label, and Willis was signed to the title in 1995. He went on to record two albums and produced dozens of others independently. Willis became known for his trademark headbutting with fans, which he typically performed when approached by them. The large bruise in the center of his forehead resulted from this habit. He also made appearances on MTV and The Howard Stern Show and toured frequently. Willis died in 2003 due to complications from chronic myelogenous leukemia, having recorded over 1,000 songs in his lifetime but leaving behind a total life savings of less than $300. However, his legacy continues, with many praising him as a punk respite from overproduced pop music and pretentious indie rock.
