Ill Will Records
Willie "Ill Will" Graham was born 1972 in Queensbridge Houses, New York City. Willie Graham, Nas' best friend and upstairs neighbor, influenced Nas' interest in hip hop by playing him records. As a teenager, Nas enlisted Graham as his DJ. Nas first went by the nickname Kid Wave before adopting his more commonly known alias of Nasty Nas.
Early life of Willie Graham
The label was named after Willie "Ill Will" Graham, Nas' childhood neighbor and best friend, who was shot dead on May 23, 1992, when both were teenagers.