When one thinks of the western city of Phoenix, images of cacti might be the first thing that pops into your head, but that would be a mistake. “People don’t really know much about where I’m from,” says native rapper Willy Northpole, the first true Arizona rapper to break out of the confines of the state. Yet, with the release of Willy Northpole’s stunning debut Tha Connect that limited perspective is about to change, we are introduced to a world of marked gangsters, midnight crack slingers and strong family bonds.