Today we’d like to introduce you to Eddie Villarreal.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Eddie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Since a very young age, I was shown good music, good art, and beautiful culture. My uncle “Eddie One’ used to bust flows in front of me. He used to put on 2pac and sing all the lyrics. I was in awe of all the music he showed me. My mom always had great music taste. Anything from Erykah Badu, Common & Amel Larrieux to DJ Quik, Too Short, and The Dogg Pound and of course, let us not forget, OLDIES. My whole family bumped oldies… we always will. It was 2011. I was 16 years old. I was heavily into Underground Hip-Hop, G-Funk and Graffiti. I had taken the name “Vader” at age 13 and it had been with me ever since. I had a friend from Elementary School who rapped and went by the name “RNGD.” This dude told me he was going to be a rapper back in the 4th grade. Fast forward to High School and this guy is recording his own tracks and making his own beat loops.
Meanwhile, I’m starting to experiment with freestyling and writing my own rhymes. Though I had no recording equipment, I had a laptop with a video cam and built-in mic. That’s what I recorded my first “track” on it was to an MF DOOM beat and it was horrible. I was very happy with my ability to record myself. It was an accomplishment. Right after that, I hit up RNGD and told him I had some tracks written. We decided to meet up after school and go to his crib to record. From there it was history… we recorded many tracks together as well as with others. The years went on and at 18 we did our first show in a 21+ bar in Escondido. it was definitely the worst performance I’ve ever done. But, it was a HUGE accomplishment for us. As we continued to work more and more, things naturally started to take shape. We started to get clout, gain hype and momentum. We got great opportunities to rock dope shows all over SoCal, and we did. We became heavily involved in the Underground Funk scene around 19 or 20 years old. That’s what opened us up to making G-Funk.
In 2014, GD released his first physical copy album on CD. It was titled “24oz of Funk.” I was featured on a couple tracks. That one really set the stage for us to drop more funk. We had been rockin’ with more of an old-school underground hip-hop vibe up to that point. In 2017, I dropped a track on SoundCloud titled “O’side Boogie” it was on a DJ Fresh beat that I came across on YouTube. It was immediately a hit. The city loved it, and I got nothing but good feedback after that one. In September of 2018, I dropped my first all funk project titled, “Smiley: Vade” produced by my guy Kevin Egan! Very talented dude right there… Initially, I dropped that one on SoundCloud, later I became familiar with DistroKid and was able to get it on all streaming platforms. GD was featured on a track titled, “WhereDaSunshine@?” and we did a video for that track. That really catapulted as to a certain height.
In March of 2019, GD and I released our first collaborative album titled, “Naybahood.” All beats were produced by the one and only “Throwback Zack.” Shout out to that guy right there man. He really helped us out. His cousin Keen Senzes was also featured on the “Bounce – Remix” off the Naybahood album. Big shout out to those guys. Naybahood has been the greatest and most impactful piece of work I’ve ever done. The whole process was crazy. We had our first album release party at Skoolyard Records in Oceanside (Shout out to Kid Riz!!!), and it was beautiful. There were children playing and laughing, people dancing, tacos grilling, great music playing… it was a movie. It was the start. After our album dropped, we sold our first 150 CDs very quickly. They have since been sent all over the world. We currently have 20 CDs in Japan. A few in Canada, Croatia and Bulgaria… that’s just to name a few! Thank you to everyone for your support. It has changed my life.
So, since then, we have done many shows from Tijuana to Oxnard. Very recently, I decided to venture off on my own to create a solo project. It’s coming along great! I was just featured on a double-sided vinyl project with Finnish Producer, “Lazy Ant” released by Outrun Records. The tracks are titled, “Tierra” & “Laced Up” and can be found on all digital platforms. (Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, etc.) Today, I am currently working on a few different things. I’m working with a group out of the Soboba Indian Reservation known as, “The Red Handed Collective.” We’ve been working on Funk & Soul and I have recently been experimenting with singing and harmonizing. It’s going great! I have a few collabs with SD locals lined up, including Marty McRhymes (El Blue), Kadence, Brother Cuban, Salvame, Obed Padilla, Devvlov and a few more. Very exciting things for you on the way… stay tuned!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve always been able to overcome the obstacles placed in front of me. There have been a few bumps in the road. I’ve had falling outs with close people who participated in the process that helped me to get where I am now. I am very thankful for them and I know that life has its plans for me. So I always do my best and I keep my intentions righteous! Life is a struggle, but it’s also a growing process. So grow through it! (=
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Well, my name is Vade One and I spit flows. What sets me apart from others isn’t just what I’ve been thru, it’s my ability to take all of that and spit it out a certain way. A way that puts images in your head and gives you a glimpse of how I see things. Many people can relate and that creates a special connection with others, relating. I’m known for the Funky-ness I bring to the SD hip-hop scene. I’m young, 25, and people see me and say, “What up OG” or “What up Funky Vade…” all kinds of stuff. It’s evident. I’m bringing Modern G-Funk to the scene. What sets me apart from others is my Genuineness and humbleness. Come hang with me, you’ll see…
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’d be better with my communication. I look back on certain things, and I know that I could have done better with my communication. Also, I’d take it more seriously than I did this time. It’s so fun, and it’s difficult for me to take certain things seriously. But, I am a student of life and I will continue to learn. Moving forward, I make sure to remember what I’ve learned. Life itself is a learning experience, embrace it!
Contact Info:
- Email: Mr.VadeOne@gmail.com
- Instagram: vade.one
- Other: www.soundcloud.com/vadeone
Image Credit:
It’sFunkyEnough
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
