Shawn "Legend" Williams was born and raised on the east side of Springfield, Illinois. As a child he grew up listening to old school rhythm and blues greats, such as Marvin Gaye, Sam Cook, Al Green, Otis Redding and many other music icons of that era. At the young age of 7, Legend lost his mother to a battle with cancer. This loss triggered him to begin writing poetry, serving as a release to transfer all of his painful thoughts and fears out on an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper.
As Legend grew older, so did his love for music. The first CD he ever purchased with his own money was Tupac Shakur's multi-platinum selling album, "All Eyez on Me". He admired the way 2Pac took life changing stories and created music that millions of others fell in love with. After years of writing, Legend decided to take his first shot at creating music. He purchased a $30 mic from Radioshack, along with an editing program for his computer and created his very first song, in his own bedroom. The song, entitled "Long Time No See", was a conversation with his mother, updating her on how everyone had been and what she had missed since she left. The support he received from his family was so overwhelming that Legend decided to not only record more music, but to also seek out professional recording studios.
Legend's notoriety grew with every new track released. Alongside fellow group member's Canon and Dub City of Team Heartless (TH), Legend began performing live in and around the city of Springfield. In 2009, Legend was faced with the ugly reality of death again. His father, one of his main supporters, also lost his battle with cancer. At the funeral, Legend took his one and only copy of his very first song, "Long Time No See" and buried it with his father. Channeling this all too familiar pain as motivation, Legend took back to the studio. With an almost vengeance, he began shooting music videos, including his own, "Apologize Remix", which he shot and edited himself.
Legend continues to create music as the face of Oso Major. Since teaming up with Oso Major Entertainment., Legend has revamped his sound and enhanced his stage presence. Not only is he aiming to drop his next solo album, he recently starred in a local independent comedy, "Seriously Trippin' the Movie".
This talented and determined artist is picking up momentum across the charts and shares, "I'm really looking forward to the future, and I am excited to get the chance to not only show off my musical versatility, but also to show the world a clear look into my life".
Don't forget to download his latest songs for free on Soundcloud