Willie learned at a young age that his calling in life is in music. He displayed his passion and proved his dedication through participation in talent shows and the church choir. Those experiences were only enhanced by the times that Willie spent with his father in local juke joints.
At the age of twelve, Willie established The Baby Gangstaz. This group landed him a deal with a local record company, French Jamz. Through this opportunity, the group was able to gain local fame and release their first album in 1993 entitled “E-Z Goin’ Gangsta”.
In 1997 Willie became the Missouri State Champion in the 100 meter dash which earned him a full track scholarship to the University of Mississippi. At his alma mater, he earned a degree in psychology, pledged the historically black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, and established himself as a renowned student athlete.
Being a college track star with Olympic dreams as well as a reputation as an artist, Willie made a life altering decision when deciding to pursue his music career full-time. In 2002, Willie was signed by Universal Records for his single, “Roll Wit Me,” which led to the creation of his debut album, “Enter the Life of Suella”, a collaboration of Hip Hop and R&B. The single outsold Whitney Houston’s national anthem single for 6 weeks straight in 2002 earning rave reviews from Billboard
That album yielded several other successes such as the single “Na Na” which was featured on the soundtracks of the hit movies Guru and Bad Company, starring Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins. It also garnered the attention of Rap Snacks Potato Chips which featured Willie as a celebrity figure. Willie also co-headlined for several mainstream performers including Sean “P Diddy” Combs, New Edition, Mario, R. Kelly, Raheem Devaughn, Tank, Life Jennings, Dream, Mike Jones and Keisha Cole.
In 2003 and 2004, “Pretty Radio” on KATZ 100.3- The Beat became the 1 radio show on weekends largely because of its host, Willie, who became well known throughout the Midwest as a radio personality. This radio show provided a bevy of opportunities for him to increase his business savvy as well as progress his music career. He was also afforded the opportunity to get listeners’ feedback on his new music.
From this process of testing, Willie emerged with two bona fide hits, "Wooo", a hip hop hit, and "Lay Your Body Down". Lay Your Body Down later became an unofficial love anthem for all generations. This success propelled Willie's career onto new levels. It enabled him to launch his own company "WILFLO Records" (2004), which is a tribute to his parents Willie Sr. and Flora. Without their unconditional love and support, the magnitude of his success would be non-existent.
With a new label and a renewed sense of confidence, Willie released an independent album “Pretty Willie vs. P-Dub” which was reflective of his dexterity in both rap and R&B. The album included the songs “Four Walls” and “Lay Your Body Down,” which featured in the movie, “Johnson Family Vacation”, starring Cedric the Entertainer and Vanessa Williams. The album further solidified his position as a hit maker. In reference to what the creation of the album meant to him, Willie states, “I did this album independently so I could be myself and build my own fan base and my own brand.”
That he did. With a successful independent release under his belt in 2005, Willie’s music as well as the success of his album reached the ears of Warner Bros. Willie spent a year with the Warner brand and as time ran out for them to release a single, he was able to cut ties freely.
Since then Willie “Pretty Willie” Moore Jr. has become a favorite for all age groups on the world wide web. Willie has extended his brand by having one of the most viewed MySpace pages of any unsigned artist (myspace.com/pdub; 7.5million page views, 11.4 million song plays). With his new style of music “KINGDOM MUZIK” well underway, Willie has been able to cross genres with his new single “Good Thang” and “Angel” which are currently getting airplay across the country on Hip hop, Urban AC, and Gospel stations. “Love is a universal language that everyone can relate to.” says Willie
In 2008 Willie landed a national ad as a face model for the Gillette Fusion razor. He was seen around the world in a plethora of magazines as the “face of Gillette.” The advertisement included a brief bio which further facilitated Willie’s efforts to build his brand and solidify himself as businessman as well as an artist.
After enrollment in Brian Reese School of Acting in Los Angeles California in 2007, in 2008 Willie landed a supporting role in the national stage play “Those Jeans” staring Antwan Tanner (Coach Carter, One Tree Hill), Latavia Roberson (Destiny’s Child) and Michael Mario (Law and Order). Willie also stars in the reality show “Peep” in which follows the lives of independent artist who, like Willie, strive to build their own business models and brands.
“I never focus on the obstacles, but on the opportunities that are presented. Everything is a learning experience and I am grateful to have the eyes to see life as such. The past is history, the futures a mystery, the present is a gift, that's why they call it the present. I cherish my present!”
Designer Love
Pretty Willie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She want a lot of love
But his ballin' got your hand with that designer love
And I wanna change your world
But you're such a material girl
Now I done seen so many girls
Let a man come in and change their whole world
But there's more to life than cars and bling bling
Oh yes I know he gives you cash
But without the love this thing won't last
Oh he okay when you let him smack
But when you ain't in the mood he treats you like trash
First date, fancy places to eat
Second date, he took you on a shopping spree
Third date, you realized you wanted me
Ninth minute after six your body's calling me
(Chorus 2X)
She want a lot of love
But his ballin' got your hand with that designer love
And I wanna change your world
But you're such a material girl
She want a
Designer Love
She want a
Designer love
Now I recall meeting you
While you were down and out and feeling so blue
So I listened to you
As you explained the things your man won't do
But I didn't have much cash
For the Gucci clothes and the Coach bags
But I did more for you
I mean I held you close and talked to you
First date, we got some fast food to eat
Second date, I listened while you talked to me
Third date, you realized you wanted me
It's best if you envy nothing if you're there for me (There for me)
(Chorus 2X)
She want a lot of love
But his ballin' got your hand with that designer love
And I wanna change your world
But you're such a material girl
(Omaze)
Dressed to impress
But she had to confess
The simple ways that we kicked it
Relieved our stress
Oh yes, I brought you joy
Laughed and took your hand
While he, he ignored you
Gave your love the name brand Prada and Gucci
Don't forget about Chanell Armani to Versace
Covered her body so well
True enough she from the block, past life, was slum
Bad hair, high school days a tireless bum
Swooped after graduation
By a big time hustler
And it was no more days of cold wings and brussels
It's like, no finance and no romance
But see, deep in her heart a hood realla still stood a chance
(Chorus 2X)
She want a lot of love
But his ballin' got your hand with that designer love
And I wanna change your world
But you're such a material girl
She want a
Designer Love
She want a
Designer love
(Chorus 2X)
She want a lot of love
But his ballin' got your hand with that designer love
And I wanna change your world
But you're such a material girl
In Pretty Willie's song "Designer Love," he addresses a woman who is so focused on the materialistic things in life that she is blind to the love that is being offered to her. The chorus repeats twice throughout the song and emphasizes the woman's desire for love, yet her preference for the expensive things her partner is giving her. Pretty Willie uses the verses to showcase how he would treat the woman and how their relationship would be based on love rather than material possessions.
The first verse details the woman's relationship with her current partner, who only treats her well when he is receiving something in return. While he offers her money and takes her on fancy dates, he neglects her emotionally and treats her poorly when she denies him sex. The second verse highlights how Pretty Willie would treat the woman he is interested in by listening to her and showing her affection. Even though he may not give her expensive gifts, he prioritizes building an emotional connection between them.
Overall, "Designer Love" criticizes society's emphasis on accumulating material possessions rather than valuing love and true emotional connections.
Line by Line Meaning
She want a lot of love
She desires a substantial amount of affection and emotional connection.
But his ballin' got your hand with that designer love
However, she is drawn to him because of his wealth and ability to provide her with expensive, high-end gifts and experiences.
And I wanna change your world
The singer wants to impact and improve her life in a significant way.
But you're such a material girl
However, she is primarily focused on material possessions and wealth, which presents a challenge to the singer's desire to create a deeper connection with her.
Now I done seen so many girls
The singer has observed numerous other women.
Let a man come in and change their whole world
These women have allowed men to drastically alter their lives, perspectives, and priorities.
Okay I know you like nice things
The singer understands that she has a fondness for luxurious goods.
But there's more to life than cars and bling bling
However, there are other aspects of life that are just as, if not more, important than material possessions.
Oh yes I know he gives you cash
The singer recognizes that the other man provides her with financial security.
But without the love this thing won't last
However, the relationship will not be sustainable without a genuine emotional connection and affection.
Oh he okay when you let him smack
The other man treats her decently when she is allowing him to be physically intimate with her.
But when you ain't in the mood he treats you like trash
However, when she is not interested in being intimate with him, he behaves poorly and treats her with disrespect.
First date, fancy places to eat
The first date that the other man took her on was at an upscale restaurant.
Second date, he took you on a shopping spree
On the second date, the other man treated her to a shopping trip.
Third date, you realized you wanted me
By their third date, she became aware of her attraction to the singer.
Ninth minute after six your body's calling me
At a specific time of day, she experiences a strong physical desire for the singer.
Now I recall meeting you
The singer remembers when he first encountered her.
While you were down and out and feeling so blue
She was in a negative emotional state when the singer initially met her.
So I listened to you
The singer listened to her concerns and issues.
As you explained the things your man won't do
During this conversation, she described how her current partner was not meeting her needs.
But I didn't have much cash
The singer did not have a substantial amount of money.
For the Gucci clothes and the Coach bags
He did not have the resources to provide her with luxury fashion items.
But I did more for you
Despite this, he did other things to make her happy and cared about her as a person.
I mean I held you close and talked to you
He provided her with affectionate physical touch and had meaningful conversations with her.
First date, we got some fast food to eat
On their first date, the singer and the woman ate fast food together.
Second date, I listened while you talked to me
During their second date, the singer was an attentive listener as she spoke.
Third date, you realized you wanted me
By the third date, she had developed a significant attraction to the singer.
It's best if you envy nothing if you're there for me (There for me)
To maintain a fulfilling relationship with the singer, it is important to focus on a genuine emotional connection and not material possessions.
Dressed to impress
The woman is dressed in a stylish and aesthetically pleasing manner.
But she had to confess
However, she needed to admit something to the singer.
The simple ways that we kicked it
Although they had simple and non-materialistic experiences together, they were still fulfilling and enjoyable.
Relieved our stress
These simple experiences helped to alleviate their anxiety and worries.
Oh yes, I brought you joy
The singer was able to provide the woman with happiness and positive emotions.
Laughed and took your hand
They engaged in shared laughter and affectionate physical touch.
While he, he ignored you
In contrast, her other partner was neglectful and dismissive of her emotional needs.
Gave your love the name brand Prada and Gucci
The other partner tried to demonstrate love and affection by providing her with expensive designer brands.
Don't forget about Chanell Armani to Versace
The other partner gave a variety of designer brands to the woman.
Covered her body so well
She had many designer items that covered her body and physical appearance.
True enough she from the block, past life, was slum
The woman has a background from a less privileged and affluent area.
Bad hair, high school days a tireless bum
In her earlier years, she struggled financially and socially.
Swooped after graduation
After completing her education, she began dating the other partner.
By a big time hustler
The other partner is heavily involved in questionable or illegal business activities.
And it was no more days of cold wings and brussels
After this relationship, she no longer had to struggle financially or experience difficult conditions.
It's like, no finance and no romance
According to the singer, financial resources are required to build a relationship with the woman.
But see, deep in her heart a hood realla still stood a chance
However, despite her attraction to wealth, the woman still values genuine sincerity and authenticity in a partner.
Contributed by Nolan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.