Reek Da Villian - Early Life

Early Life

Tariek Williams was born the April 24, 1984 in Roosevelt, Long Island, New York. He was the third born of four siblings. As a kid he found his pleasure in music, dancing and sports. Williams started rapping at 7 years old after watching and listening to his older cousins. His father died while he was incarcerated when Williams was only 9 years old. While growing up, he idolized his older brother and cousins. That’s where he first encountered rapping.

Williams first started recording music at 15 years of age in his cousin's studio in Freeport, New York. His first song ever recorded was called "Bodies On The Tongue" where he talks about verbally murdering MC’s. After proving his skills to his older cousin Ike T & Belly Val (of I.G.T.) who had a record deal under Steve Rifkind’s Loud Records in 1999, they chose to make Reek an understudy of the group. Williams stated;

I Remember being in I.G.T.’s first studio session at the legendary Chung King Studio In Manhattan, New York. I freestyled for A&R’s Scott Free, Matty C, and Shawn C currently of Grind Music Productions. After rapping for them for hours, they all fell in love with my flow and spoke of signing me.

Due to bad management, nothing ever went through. In 2002, Williams founded C.O.E. (Cash Out Entertainment) with Brian Gilmore and Ike T.