Willis Wong

I was able to catch Willis (@willywongka87) on my way out to Berkeley so we met up in Richmond to chat. He actually helped find me a spot for my meet out there since he lives in the area, this recording was just a few hours before that meet.

W: My name is Willis Wong, I grew up in Berkeley. My age man, you see sometimes I forget. L: Haha. W: I’m 44. Sometimes I forget because there’s certain milestones with age that you kinda just get stuck at. I was stuck at 23 for a while even though I was like 25 I don’t know it’s weird. 44, I’m pretty sure haha. L: I was just talking with my friend that came with me, he’s in his forties too and he tells me he still feels like he’s in his twenties. W: Oh cool I won’t feel like the old guy anymore. L: So Berkeley, born and raised? W: Yes, I was born and raised in Berkeley. L: So you must be a fan of hip-hop if you’re from the bay. W: What’s weird is that when I was younger I actually listened to mainstream stuff. L: Like radio? W: Yeah, but mainstream stuff back in the nineties was good music; or at least I thought it was good music. They had no choice but to play stuff that was currently being made which I still think is the best. My sister is the one who got me into “good music”. Although I didn’t find out what I really liked ‘til I was older. L: I saw you met Phife. W: I did! In Berkeley. L: How was that? W: There was a documentary on A Tribe Called Quest, I think it was called Beats, Rhymes and Life by Michael Rapaport. They played it at the Berkeley cinema on Shattuck so we decided to go. As we’re watching it my wife Lisa, she noticed they were walking around Lake Merritt. We didn’t know that so we were like “Oh shit!” Anyways we walk out of the theater and as she’s walking down the hall she says “Hey, I think that’s Phife Dawg’s wife.” So she runs up to her and asks her, “Are you Phife Dawg’s wife?” Then his wife shouts over and says “Malik! Malik! Come over here.” So Phife starts walking down too. It was insane. L: What are you feeling in that moment? W: I would say Tribe is one of the best hip hop groups out there ever, so to meet one of them, it was just amazing. We didn’t even know he lived in the bay area, but he’s lived in Oakland for a while. So I’m pretty happy I got to meet him before he passed. L: Let alone get a photo. W: Yes, yes. L: Ok, J Dilla. You’re a huge fan. Why? W: You know when you listen to songs and you’re like, oh man I love this song, and you don’t realize who produced it - just a whole range of songs you love. I didn’t realize until later in life, he produced so many of the tracks of the artists I loved. Like Eryka Badu, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Tupac… He didn’t have one style, he just has a wide range of styles. I guess there’s just something about his beats that make you feel good ya know? L: Yeah I love that answer. W: I just love that he never really cared about the big stuff, he just wanted to make music. L: I think things like that go a long way. W: Yeah. L: So you named your first cat after him? W: Yes! L: Let’s talk about that. W: Growing up, most Chinese families aren’t really into the whole pets thing. I remember my uncle brought a cat home from the streets and I was so juiced, I was super young though. My mom told me I need to get rid of this cat so I think I had it for maybe 2 days. So for the longest time I couldn’t have a pet until I moved in with my wife and we got a house. L: When did you get him? 2014? W: Well he passed when he was 7 so yeah right around that area 2014-2015. So I love Heathcliff right, have you watched that cartoon? L: I haven’t, no. W: No problem, it’s an orange cat also and his name was Heathcliff. He was so badass, he could beat up people, cats, anything. But anyways, I went with Dilla. He was so special. If you ever look at my old videos of him he does this crazy praying move. L: I did actually see that. W: Yeah so before I got him I was pretty hesitant because I thought too far ahead and didn’t know if I wanted to get an animal since I would be so sad when he or she passes away. And my wife told me I can’t think like that so, you kinda just gotta enjoy the moment for what it is. L: Totally. W: So she convinced me to just do it, anyone with a pet or anything should know that they bring more than the pain that would eventually come. L: That’s a very nice way of looking at it. When I was doing my homework this one stumped me, how many cats Do you have? W: Haha we have a lot. L: Because I’ve seen Dilla, Domino, and another darker one. W: Yes so we have Dilla, Kuro, Domino and Ashley-she has many names. L: Don’t they all haha. W: Yeah she’s feisty. Sometimes we call her slashley because she swipes at you. L: Love that. W: After Dilla passed, I think 2 weeks after (it might have been too soon but) I told Lisa, let’s just go take a look at the SPCA… we’ll just look! If we get one, we get one. I should’ve known myself better. So we went we saw a bunch of cats that were bonded pairs, we couldn’t separate them. But they were all getting snatched up left and right then I started panicking. I was like oh my gosh I needa get in front of one of these… then I saw one. Was kind of sleeping, looked kinda sad, had a short tail like a pig. I jumped in front of that cat and I wasn’t letting anyone else take him. We got him and we named him Quasimoto. L: Why that name? W: J Dilla’s good friend, Madlib, his alternate persona is Quasimoto. L: Very clever.

L: So to me it looks like your wife is really your best friend. W: She is! We met in 97. I remember in college I had longer hair back then and one day I was walking through the halls and she saw me then started asking around, “Oh my gosh, who’s that guy with the super tall hair?” L: Haha. W: And then eventually we had similar friends and kind of just merged. L: Has she always been into art? W: She has. L: Like since childhood? W: Yeah I’d say she sort of had natural abilities back then, but her inspiration was Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes. L: I remember the little newspaper cutouts for Calvin & Hobbes. W: Yeah exactly! I loved that. The art was amazing. So it was those two that got her really interested at a young age. L: I saw a couple of her gigs like the 100 block mural, the shoe one at Solespace, and some skateboards too. W: Wait what? L: Yeah she did a couple skateboard decks. W: Oh yeah! That’s right, that one was a skateboard inspired show I think. I forget because she’s done so many! She’s getting ready for an art show right now actually. L: Woah. W: She’s slowly been getting back into it. You know when you do something for so long, like a hobby, sometimes it just burns you out? L: Yes. W: She kinda just needed a break. L: I get it. W: She has a collab event at the end of June though. L: Good for her, that’s really fun. I hope to make it out to one sometime if I’m in the bay when she’s doing a show.

L: Japan 2019, A’s game. Did you go just for that? W: Actually Lisa and I went for our late honeymoon, but we saw the A’s were going to be there to play Seattle in Tokyo. So we planned our trip more around that schedule. L: American teams playing in Japan. Why? W: Because it was Ichiro’s last game. Or I think he had two last games while he was out there but we only went to one. L: Ohh because of Ichiro, that makes sense. Damn what an experience. I also saw you met Kenichi from Kenauto, was that also in Japan? W: No I actually met him at MRLS. L: How was that? W: Most people don’t know that he’s probably one of the best roadster drivers there is. Like he places top, every time. And at that time I didn’t even realize that. At MRLS he offered to drive my car around the track, I should have let him drive it I was just so scared… But I should have! Because he’s a good driver. L: Agh, that’s too bad. But I get you. Speaking of MRLS, I heard some pretty funny stories from Ryan and Bo about you… *Willis begins laughing* … something about you guys getting kicked out of Chili’s, getting too drunk, I wanna hear some stories. W: I wish they were here so I could you know, speak for myself. L: Hahaha. W: Here’s a story. So on the last trip we did, if you stay at the Hyatt Regency there’s a happy hour from I think 5 to 7? Something like that. And if you show them your card as proof of staying at the hotel you can get drinks. At that time, everyone from MRLS is just getting faded and they started passing their cards to people that weren’t staying there. And I think one time, “BO”, you got in trouble because you were trying to use someone’s card and you got caught. If you even remember that BO. So anyways, it’s a short period of time so everyone’s doubling down trying to get their money’s worth and drink as much as they can, and every time we would go to Chili’s after. And this one time I couldn’t finish my drink so I was like I’ll just bring this with me and finish it there. Once we got there we got more drinks too, but I didn’t finish that drink! So when we left I brought back the Chili’s cup to the Hyatt and left the Hyatt cup at the restaurant! I don’t know, we have so many stories about those trips. L: All the cars were just parked at the hotel and safe? W: Yes, and on the topic of safe, I’m super paranoid about my car. So the first year, I decided to unbolt my side mirrors because they’re genuine M2 ones, and I was like someone might take these so I took them with me to my room. Then the next morning Bo was like “Oh my god! Someone stole your mirrors!” and ever since then it’s been kind of a joke like; “Did you take your mirrors off man?” L: Hahah. I feel that. W: Yeah the trips were amazing man. I also remember one time there was no room when we were all staying together so I had to put my sleeping bag under a table. L: At someone house? W: At the Hyatt! Haha. L: How many of you were in one room? W: Maybe 6? Gotta save that money man.

L: There was a photo of you, Aaron, and Brian together back when Aaron was still on the mainland, and I noticed Aaron’s car looked so similar to yours and I wondered, who had this look first? W: *Willis begins laughing* Uh, I DID, because when I met Aaron he had the merlot I believe. He ended up getting the same bumper as you. L: Oh the type 2? W: Yes. Unfortunately though, not long after that he crashed it… but to answer your question, I had it first. L: So R.S. Aizawa, that car on hot version and a few other non roadsters kind of played part in launching me into this part of the scene, so how did You get so into RSA? Because I hear you’re the biggest fan. W: I think I’m a self proclaimed biggest fan but- L: Haha. W: Funny thing is I wasn’t even sure I liked the bumper that much, but then my friend Sean (jdmpalace) he has the black pitcrew, you probably know it. Anyways he had the front end from the shop car. L: Damn. W: It might have been from one of their racecars I can’t fully remember but point is, it came from one of their cars. L: The whole front? W: The hood and the front bumper. But yeah it wasn’t until I saw both of those that made me want to get it, so thank you Sean if you’re reading this. I didn’t get the headlight lids until a little bit later, but I also got the MS skirts from him a little later too. Back to your original question though; it was Sean, obviously the hot version clip of Tsuchiya driving it, and the ITB kit from Initial D in that red NA. L: Seven Star Leaf. W: Yes, the one that flipped. But yeah I have amassed quite a few R.S. Aizawa parts. Some of which I don’t know if I’ll ever install. I don’t think too many people know but I actually have the ITB kit from The Blue Potato. L: That car’s been through some shit. W: Yes, that ones from way back in the day. Anyways I have the full kit besides the fuel rail. L: Just chillin in the garage? W: No… just sitting in my room hahaha. I don’t know the first thing about installing those things you know. But it’s gotten a little out of hand with the whole collecting parts thing. I have a couple spare lids just in case- I have a story about that though. So one time I was driving home from Wekfest, and at the time I only had the one driver side lid. I guess I didn’t tighten one of the bolts all the way and you know, flew away. L: Ahhh you saw it fly away? W: I saw it fly away. L: You didn’t stop? W: I couldn’t stop. *Both start laughing* That night I couldn’t stop thinking about it so after work I drove past the spot it flew off and I couldn’t find it. Then I realized, if I found it, how could I safely get to it anyways? It was the far left lane on the freeway! So anyways after 3 passes I was like, it’s gone. And that is why I have spares.

L: Is there anything else you want to add before we wrap things up? W: So, this is my second Miata. My first one I bought because I needed a car to get to work. I didn’t even necessarily want one because at the time they had bad reputations. But I kinda had no choice, so I bought it and I ended up loving it. I loved it so much that I just started throwing things at it without even thinking about the cohesiveness. Come to find out I quickly destroyed that car. So I think my piece of advice would be; when I got my second one, build it slow. You’ll slowly realize what you really want to do with it instead of destroying it by cutting off the fenders. And going back to what I said about Aaron, not to out him out or anything, he’s my friend, but when I first met him he kind of just had a bunch of stuff. I’m not trying to toot my own horn either but after he saw my car I think he realized “You know what, I’m gonna build it differently.” Like get quality stuff and not just buy random things. I feel like in the end you’ll be a lot happier, in this and in life. Take it slow, don’t rush it. L: That’s great advice. Is that everything? W: Can I give a shoutout to my wife? L: Of course. W: She was so supportive in me coming out to do this. I told her, “Oh yeah I’m going to get interviewed” and she’s like, “What? You better clean your car right. They’re gonna take photos of it and see all the cat hair on your seats!” L: Hahaha. W: She said, “They’re gonna say oh my god! That’s Willywongka, but look at those seats!” She told me to put on cologne and Windex my windows and shit… L: Oh I’m definitely putting this in there. W: Yeah she’s amazing. I love her.

W: The Miata community is something different. It’s so helpful and I have so many friends that I met through the scene. Some that have become more than friends, like family now you know? L: Mhm. W: There’s just people I would not have met unless I got a Miata as cheesy as it sounds, but it’s just crazy. It’s, different. L: Agreed.

You can view a full walkaround of Willis’ car on my YouTube here.