Will.i.am
Encyclopedia
William James Adams, Jr. (born March 15, 1975), better known by his stage name will.i.am ("will I am") and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer. will.i.am came to prominence in the late 1990s as a member of the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas
along with rappers apl.de.ap
and Taboo
and, later, singer Fergie. As a music producer, he has produced with other artists including Michael Jackson
, Eazy-E
, Britney Spears
, U2
, Rihanna
, Usher
, Justin Timberlake
, Earth, Wind & Fire
, Nicki Minaj
, Cheryl Cole
, 2NE1
, Daddy Yankee
, and Juanes
. It was confirmed that he would be a judge on the UK Version of The Voice
, alongside, Jessie J
, Frankie Sandford
of The Saturdays
and Tom Jones
of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles
, Los Angeles, California. He never met his father, William Adams, Sr., and grew up with his mother, Debra, who encouraged him to be unique and to avoid conforming to the tendencies of the other youth in his Boyle Heights neighborhood on the eastside of Los Angeles. She encouraged him to begin working on his musical career by sending him to school in Pacific Palisades. While attending Palisades Charter High School
, will.i.am became best friends with Allan Lindo
(stage name apl.de.ap), who was also a future member of The Black Eyed Peas. While still in high school, will.i.am and apl.de.ap performed in East L.A. clubs and were soon joined by three other entertainers to form the socially conscious rap group, Atban Klann
. Atban Klann caught the eye of Compton
rapper Eazy-E
and was signed to his label, Ruthless Records, in 1991.
will.i.am used to attend raves while in high school, and claims that his history with rave culture is why he chose a more electro sound for The Black Eyed Peas
' albums The E.N.D.
and The Beginning
. Despite the use of electro and house music
elements, will.i.am prefers to separate the underground from pop in order to maintain the theory that rave music
is for esoterics of rave culture (such persons are otherwise known as 'ravers'). In an article with Los Angeles Times, he mentions that secrecy over the whereabouts of raves is what made raving special, and different from the mainstream
.
, who signed them to his label Ruthless Records in 1992. At the time, Will was known as "Will 1X". The Atban Klann's first ever official track, "Merry Muthafuckin' Xmas", was included on Eazy-E's EP 5150: Home 4 tha Sick
. After this, the trio began recording an album, "Grass Roots", with the help of producers Mookie Mook and DJ Motiv8, however, the album was never released, due to Eazy-E's death in 1995. After Eazy's tragic death, Atban Klann changed their name to the Black Eyed Pods, and Will replaced Dante with Jaime Gomez, better known under his stage name of Taboo. In 1997, they once again changed their name, this time to The Black Eyed Peas
, and began recording their first album, "Behind the Front
", with the help of soul singer soul musician
. They were soon signed to Interscope Records, and released their debut single, "Joints & Jam
", in early 1998. The album was successful enough for the group's contract to be renewed, and in 2000, a second album, "Bridging the Gap
", was released.
, Will began recording his first solo release, Lost Change, which was the official soundtrack to the film of the same name. Featuring collaborations with Medusa, Planet Asia
and Terry Dexter, the album was a critical success,reviews wherever it was covered. In November 2001, work began on a third Black Eyed Peas album, Elephunk
. By this time, Kim Hill had left the group, and was subsequently replaced by Stacy Ferguson, known better by her stage name Fergie. The group released their breakthrough single, "Where Is The Love", in November 2002 (featuring Justin Timberlake
, although he did not appear in the video). On the strength of that single and follow-up singles like Shut Up
, Elephunk
went on to sell 8.5 million copies worldwide. During this time, Will recorded a second solo album, Must B 21
.
, the second album with new band member Fergie. Upon the success of Monkey Business
, which was released in 2005, the band announced they were going to take a break to focus on their own personal projects. Will went on to produce Ferguson's first solo album, The Duchess, which was released in 2006, before beginning work with Michael Jackson
, who had requested Will's expertise for the recording and production of his new album. Work began on the Jackson album in 2006, and continued until the singer's death in 2009, at which point Will revealed that none of the material recorded during the period would be released. However, remixes recorded for Jackson's Thriller 25
anniversary album were released in 2008.
, who he intended to work with on an upcoming solo project. The album, "Songs About Girls
", was released in 2007. The album spawned three singles, "I Got It From My Mama", "One More Chance" and "Heartbreaker", and fared slightly better than his previous solo efforts, however, failed to shift more than 75,000 copies. In January 2008, Will announced plans that he was masterminding a political album, Change is Now: Renewing America's Promise
, in support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The first single, "Yes We Can
", featured a music video directed by Jesse Dylan
. The lyrics of the song are composed almost entirely of excerpts from Obama's speech on January 8, 2008, following the New Hampshire presidential primary election
. The video features appearances from numerous celebrities including Scarlett Johansson
, Tatyana Ali
, John Legend
, Herbie Hancock
, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
, Adam Rodríguez
, Kelly Hu
, Hill Harper
, Amber Valletta
, Eric Balfour
, Aisha Tyler
, Nicole Scherzinger
, Nick Cannon
, Bryan Greenberg
, and Common
and first appeared on the website for Dipdive
. The video racked up three million views within a week and over four million subsequently on YouTube. On June 13, 2008, "Yes We Can" won an award at the 35th Annual Creative Arts and Entertainment Daytime Emmy Awards for "New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment". On February 29, 2008, the album's second single, "We Are the Ones
", was released on Dipdive
and YouTube. Including cameo appearances from Jessica Alba
, Ryan Phillippe
, Kerry Washington
, pop punk band Yellowcard
's front man, Ryan Key
, John Leguizamo
, Regina King
, Tyrese Gibson, Eric Mabius
, Tichina Arnold
, Adrianne Palicki
, comedian George Lopez
, and singers Macy Gray
, Zoe Kravitz
and The Black Eyed Peas' Taboo
, the video features everyone chanting "O-BA-MA" as a portrayal as their hopes and wishes for Barack Obama
and his presidential campaign. On November 4, 2008, will.i.am spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper
about his support for then-Senator Obama using CNN's 'hologram' technology. Following the 2008 election, and Obama's victory, Will released the album's third single, "It's a New Day
". The video reflects on the historical events that led to the election of the first African-American president and the public's reaction to his election. The video features celebrities such as Fergie, Olivia Wilde
, Kanye West
, Harold Perrineau, Kevin Bacon
, and his wife Kyra Sedgwick
. The video first debuted on The Oprah Winfrey Show
. In honor of the inauguration of Barack Obama
as president, will.i.am collaborated with producer David Foster
on the album's fourth single, "America's Song
", with contributing vocals from Seal
, Bono
, Mary J. Blige
, and Faith Hill
. In response to Barack Obama
's reaction following Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, will.i.am penned the album's fifth and final single, "The Jackass Song". It features a sample of Kanye West
's "Heartless
". Will wrote a blog post which featured the song on Dipdive
, and released in February 2009. will.i.am attended and spoke at the FIRST Robotics Competition
Kickoff on January 8, 2011, declaring, "I am a FIRST fan." He has also named FIRST
Founder Dean Kamen
"one of [his] heroes" on his verified Twitter account.
" had reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart
. They went on to have three #1 singles before releasing their comeback album, The E.N.D. The album's success warranted a second comeback album, The Beginning, released in November 2010. The album spawned another three hit singles, but the band soon announced plans they were to break again, following the conclusion of their world tour.
, "I'm In The House
", was released as a single, charting at #29 on the UK Singles Chart
due to strong downloads. In October 2010, Will, under his performance name, released a collaborative single, "Check It Out
", with American rapper Nicki Minaj
, which peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
. In February 2011, another single, "Dance", was released under the pseudonym, featuring vocals from Natalia Kills
. The music video was directed by James Sutton
, and features a cameo by Natalia.
In April 2011, Will, under his performance name, released a double A-side single for the soundtrack of the animated film Rio
, in which he voiced a character. "Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)" / "Drop It Low", featuring Jamie Foxx
and Anne Hathaway
, failed to chart. Will announced that he was going to remix the tracks for inclusion on his next album. "Forever", a collaboration with Wolfgang Gartner
under Will's performance name, is planned for release in September 2011. The video premiered on August 26, 2011. Black Eyed Peas colleague Fergie announced in an interview that will.i.am is planning to release a new solo album, "Black Einstein".
In August 2011, Will had a video conversation with his fans on twitter to support his project "I Am First Science Is Rock And Roll" show, on this video log he answered his fans questions one of them was on his new album he said "I'm going to release two new albums: one will be Hip-Hop (probably "Black Einstein") and the second will be Dance\Electro and this one in untitled at this moment".
Will.I.Am has confirmed that one of the tracks on his new untitled electro album is titled "T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)" and will feature Jennifer Lopez
& Mick Jagger
. He also played the song on a presentation in club hosted by HTC. in October 18 Will confirmed via his twitter this he shot the video for "T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)" in LA, he also confirmed another new single "Great Times" and the video for this song is already in process and the location is - Brazil. It was announced that the next album he will release will be #willpower and will feature the single T.H.E (The Hardest Ever).
series. In 2008, Will contributed the song "One People" to the Survival International
charity album, Songs for Survival
. Also in 2008, Will featured on British rapper Flo Rida
's debut album, Mail on Sunday
, where he produced and featured on the song "In The Ayer
", and featured on Usher
's sixth album, Here I Stand
. In 2009, Will worked with rappers Flo Rida
and Akon
for Flo's second studio album, R.O.O.T.S.
, and recorded four tracks with Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole
for her debut solo album 3 Words
. He also worked with Rihanna
on her fifth studio album, Rated R
, for a track called "Photographs". In February 2010, he featured and produced the single "OMG
" by Usher, which appeared on Usher's seventh studio album, Raymond vs. Raymond
. In a YouTube video posted by YGLifeOfficial on March 15, 2010, Will expressed his desire to work with Korean K-pop
girl group 2NE1
, and help them achieve international success. Will has recorded a collaboration with Britney Spears
, "Big Fat Bass", which features on her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale
.
. He starred in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa as the voice of the character Moto Moto. He contributed a number of tracks to the movie's motion picture soundtrack in collaboration with industry heavyweight Hans Zimmer
. will.i.am played John Wraith in his major film debut, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
, a prequel to the X-Men film series
. He also guest starred on the CBS drama Joan of Arcadia
as God, one of several actors who played this role during the series. He also starred in the 2011, animated film Rio
, as a rapping red-crested Cardinal
named Pedro, and like Madagascar: Escape to Africa, he contributed his singing voice to the film's soundtrack, along with his fellow co-stars. will.i.am played a fathering role in The Urbz: Sims In The City
, which uses The Black Eyed Peas
' songs as its soundtrack. He briefly played himself in the Tina Fey
and Steve Carell
Comedy Date Night
.
in Los Angeles. In 2001, he began designing his own signature clothing line, i.am, which made its official debut in 2005 at the Magic Apparel Trade Show in Las Vegas. In 2007, will.i.am teamed up with Blue Holdings to design a premium denim collection, i.am Antik, that was scheduled to debut in August 2007 at the Project Show in Las Vegas. will.i.am instead has new partners and is launching i.am
, Logo Motion
held at Southern New Hampshire University
. He stated that he is "a big fan", and that the newly unveiled game was "dope". During his interview, he said that "his mama will work with yo mama". He also performed a concert for FIRST at the 2011 FIRST World Championship at the Edward Jones Dome
. will.i.am appeared in concert with the Black Eyed Peas as a part of a special concert for 2011 FIRST Robotics Championships. It was recorded for a special aired by ABC on August 14, 2011 at 7 pm. The world's largest chipmaker, Intel Corp., said will.i.am will become a creative director, contributing music and helping in the development of devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets. As a “director of creative innovation”, will.i.am is responsible to improve the sales in the company. The collaboration and co-development with will.i.am and Intel on these products will provide new modern music that will create trends in the technological world. will.i.am states that there will be “new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain..." According to Intel, this relationship will bring the technology and entertainment industry together. It is very important to attract the youth culture.
accused will.i.am and his entourage of assaulting him in Toronto
after the MuchMusic Video Awards
, a charge will.i.am denied in a video posted on his blog. From his account, Hilton was rude to Fergie and will.i.am confronted the blogger. will.i.am gave his account on his blog:
According to news reports, AP article via MSNBC, Hilton called will.i.am a "faggot" in the club, but Polo Molina (Black Eyed Peas's tour manager) was responsible for punching Hilton from behind. The incident was caught on photo by a nearby photographer and by a video which documents the encounter. Gossip website TMZ
released a video showing the encounter. Liborio Molina, a 36-year-old California resident, has been charged with one count of assault. Since the incident, will.i.am has received support from other celebrities including Josh Duhamel
, John Mayer
, Kelly Clarkson
, LMFAO
, Zac Efron
, Breckin Meyer
and Jimmy Kimmel
.
, a disorder which is common among musicians who have been exposed to loud music for prolonged periods of time.
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
along with rappers apl.de.ap
Apl.de.ap
Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr. better known as apl.de.ap , is a Filipino-American rapper, record producer, and occasional drummer who is best known as a member of The Black Eyed Peas.-Early life:Pineda was born in Belfast...
and Taboo
Taboo (rapper)
Jaime Luis Gómez , better known by his stage name Taboo, is an American singer, actor, and rapper best known as a member of the group The Black Eyed Peas.-Personal life:...
and, later, singer Fergie. As a music producer, he has produced with other artists including Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Eazy-E
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
, Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
, Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
, 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
, Daddy Yankee
Daddy Yankee
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez , known artistically as Daddy Yankee, is a Latin Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican Reggaeton recording artist. Ayala was born in Río Piedras, the largest district of San Juan, where he became interested in music at a young age. In his youth he was interested in baseball,...
, and Juanes
Juanes
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez , better known as Juanes is a Colombian musician who was a member of heavy metal band Ekhymosis and is now a solo artist. In 2000, his solo debut album Fíjate Bien won three Latin Grammy Awards.Juanes has sold more than 13 million albums...
. It was confirmed that he would be a judge on the UK Version of The Voice
The Voice UK
The Voice UK is a reality television singing competition created by John de Mol which is scheduled to premiere in the UK in 2012 on BBC One. The format is Dutch and the original Dutch version of the programme was broadcast in the Netherlands for the first time in 2010 as The Voice of Holland.The...
, alongside, Jessie J
Jessie J
Jessica Ellen Cornish , better known by her stage name Jessie J, is an English recording artist currently signed to Island Records. She began her career as a songwriter for artists including Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus. Her debut single, "Do It Like a Dude", was released in November 2010 and peaked...
, Frankie Sandford
Frankie Sandford
Francesca "Frankie" Sandford is an English pop and R&B singer-songwriter and currently a member of girl group The Saturdays; under the record label of Fascination Records and Polydor Records. The band have had huge success, releasing eleven singles of which ten have charted inside the top 10 on...
of The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
and Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
Early life
Will.i.am was born and raised in the Estrada Courts housing projectsPublic housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
, Los Angeles, California. He never met his father, William Adams, Sr., and grew up with his mother, Debra, who encouraged him to be unique and to avoid conforming to the tendencies of the other youth in his Boyle Heights neighborhood on the eastside of Los Angeles. She encouraged him to begin working on his musical career by sending him to school in Pacific Palisades. While attending Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California, United States. The public high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon and portions of Brentwood...
, will.i.am became best friends with Allan Lindo
Apl.de.ap
Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr. better known as apl.de.ap , is a Filipino-American rapper, record producer, and occasional drummer who is best known as a member of The Black Eyed Peas.-Early life:Pineda was born in Belfast...
(stage name apl.de.ap), who was also a future member of The Black Eyed Peas. While still in high school, will.i.am and apl.de.ap performed in East L.A. clubs and were soon joined by three other entertainers to form the socially conscious rap group, Atban Klann
Atban Klann
The Atban Klann was a hip hop group whose members were Will 1X, apl.de.ap, Mookie Mook, DJ Motiv8 & Dante Santiago. The Atban Klann were signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records...
. Atban Klann caught the eye of Compton
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
rapper Eazy-E
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
and was signed to his label, Ruthless Records, in 1991.
will.i.am used to attend raves while in high school, and claims that his history with rave culture is why he chose a more electro sound for The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' albums The E.N.D.
The E.N.D.
According to review aggregator Metacritic, The E.N.D. received an average of 60 out of 100 indicating mixed to average reviews from music critics, based on fifteen critiques, higher than their 2005 album Monkey Business but lower than their 2003 breakout Elephunk, with critics agreeing that the...
and The Beginning
The Beginning (The Black Eyed Peas album)
The Beginning received generally mixedreviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 47, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews."Monica Herrera wrote for...
. Despite the use of electro and house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
elements, will.i.am prefers to separate the underground from pop in order to maintain the theory that rave music
Rave music
Rave music may either refer the late 1980s genre or any genre of electronic dance music that may be played at an electronic dance party such as a rave. Very rarely, the term is used to refer to less electronic related genres glam, powerpop, psychedelic rock and dub music parties...
is for esoterics of rave culture (such persons are otherwise known as 'ravers'). In an article with Los Angeles Times, he mentions that secrecy over the whereabouts of raves is what made raving special, and different from the mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
.
1988-2000: Formations & The Black Eyed Peas
will.i.am's music career began in the summer of 1988, when as an eighth-grader, he met up with fellow rapper Allan Pineda (apl.de.ap) and fellow student Dante Santiago. They began performing together around Los Angeles and were soon discovered by rapper/entrepreneur Eazy-EEazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
, who signed them to his label Ruthless Records in 1992. At the time, Will was known as "Will 1X". The Atban Klann's first ever official track, "Merry Muthafuckin' Xmas", was included on Eazy-E's EP 5150: Home 4 tha Sick
5150: Home 4 tha Sick
5150: Home 4 tha Sick is a 1992 EP by Eazy-E. It was released on December 28, 1992 through Ruthless and Priority Records and was his first release since the break-up of N.W.A. 5150: Home 4 tha Sick peaked at 70 on the Billboard 200 and 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums."Only If You Want It" was...
. After this, the trio began recording an album, "Grass Roots", with the help of producers Mookie Mook and DJ Motiv8, however, the album was never released, due to Eazy-E's death in 1995. After Eazy's tragic death, Atban Klann changed their name to the Black Eyed Pods, and Will replaced Dante with Jaime Gomez, better known under his stage name of Taboo. In 1997, they once again changed their name, this time to The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
, and began recording their first album, "Behind the Front
Behind the Front
Behind the Front is the debut album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, released in 1998.-Background:Most of the tracks were demos for the Grass Roots album, with added verses by new member Taboo. The song "Joints & Jam" appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Bulworth, where it was billed...
", with the help of soul singer soul musician
Kim Hill
Kim Hill is a Contemporary Christian Music singer. Aside from her career as a solo artist, Hill has also sung background vocals on projects by artists like Rich Mullins and others...
. They were soon signed to Interscope Records, and released their debut single, "Joints & Jam
Joints & Jam
"Joints & Jam" is the debut single by American hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas, taken from their debut studio album, Behind the Front. The song features the vocals of Kim Hill. The song is featured in the Bulworth soundtrack...
", in early 1998. The album was successful enough for the group's contract to be renewed, and in 2000, a second album, "Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap is the second album by Black Eyed Peas, released in 2000. It contained the single "Request + Line", featuring Macy Gray. "Weekends" was remixed & renamed as "Another Weekend" for the Deluxe Edition of their fifth studio album The E.N.D....
", was released.
2000-2003: Lost Change, Elephunk & Must B 21
Following the release of Bridging The GapBridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap is the second album by Black Eyed Peas, released in 2000. It contained the single "Request + Line", featuring Macy Gray. "Weekends" was remixed & renamed as "Another Weekend" for the Deluxe Edition of their fifth studio album The E.N.D....
, Will began recording his first solo release, Lost Change, which was the official soundtrack to the film of the same name. Featuring collaborations with Medusa, Planet Asia
Planet Asia
Planet Asia aka King Medallions is an underground hip hop MC from Fresno, California who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents, and Skhool Yard...
and Terry Dexter, the album was a critical success,reviews wherever it was covered. In November 2001, work began on a third Black Eyed Peas album, Elephunk
Elephunk
-Commercial response:In the United States, Elephunk reached number 14 on the Billboard Top 200 and is their first album to chart in the top 15. It gained even more commercial success in the UK Album Charts where it reached number 3. It has sold over 1.6 million copies in the UK and...
. By this time, Kim Hill had left the group, and was subsequently replaced by Stacy Ferguson, known better by her stage name Fergie. The group released their breakthrough single, "Where Is The Love", in November 2002 (featuring Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, although he did not appear in the video). On the strength of that single and follow-up singles like Shut Up
Shut up
Shut up is a slang term meaning "be quiet". Referring to "close your mouth", it is usually considered to be rude. It may also refer to:*"Shut Up ", a single by Sin With Sebastian*"Shut Up"...
, Elephunk
Elephunk
-Commercial response:In the United States, Elephunk reached number 14 on the Billboard Top 200 and is their first album to chart in the top 15. It gained even more commercial success in the UK Album Charts where it reached number 3. It has sold over 1.6 million copies in the UK and...
went on to sell 8.5 million copies worldwide. During this time, Will recorded a second solo album, Must B 21
Must B 21
Must B 21 is the second studio album released by The Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am. The album was released on September 23, 2003. The album marked Adams' last release as a solo artist for over four years, until his third sophomore effort Songs About Girls was released in late 2007. The album...
.
2003-2006: Monkey Business & The Dutchess
In November 2003, work began on a fourth Black Eyed Peas album, entitled Monkey BusinessMonkey Business
-Film and television:* Monkey Business , an Our Gang film* Monkey Business , a Marx Brothers film* Monkey Business * Monkey Business...
, the second album with new band member Fergie. Upon the success of Monkey Business
Monkey Business
-Film and television:* Monkey Business , an Our Gang film* Monkey Business , a Marx Brothers film* Monkey Business * Monkey Business...
, which was released in 2005, the band announced they were going to take a break to focus on their own personal projects. Will went on to produce Ferguson's first solo album, The Duchess, which was released in 2006, before beginning work with Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, who had requested Will's expertise for the recording and production of his new album. Work began on the Jackson album in 2006, and continued until the singer's death in 2009, at which point Will revealed that none of the material recorded during the period would be released. However, remixes recorded for Jackson's Thriller 25
Thriller 25
Thriller 25 is a 25th anniversary special edition reissue of the Michael Jackson album Thriller, the world's best selling album. The prospect of a "second chapter" to Thriller was first publicly discussed on Access Hollywood in late 2006. Jackson said he would discuss the idea with collaborator...
anniversary album were released in 2008.
2007-2009: Songs About Girls & Change Is Now
In 2007, Will announced that he had co-created an all-female soul band entitled the Paradiso GirlsParadiso Girls
The Paradiso Girls were a girl group and the brainchild of Jimmy Iovine, an attempt to create a European spin–off of Iovine's other girl group The Pussycat Dolls. After forming in 2007, the group consisted of seven members but by 2008 this had dropped to five...
, who he intended to work with on an upcoming solo project. The album, "Songs About Girls
Songs about Girls
Songs About Girls is the third studio album by rapper will.i.am, known from his work with The Black Eyed Peas. The original title of the album was "Keep the Beeper". The album was released on September 25, 2007. The first single released from the album was a club track titled "I Got It From My...
", was released in 2007. The album spawned three singles, "I Got It From My Mama", "One More Chance" and "Heartbreaker", and fared slightly better than his previous solo efforts, however, failed to shift more than 75,000 copies. In January 2008, Will announced plans that he was masterminding a political album, Change is Now: Renewing America's Promise
Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise
Change is Now: Renewing America's Promise is a compilation album released on April 28, 2009 through Hidden Beach Recordings in conjunction with the Presidential Inaugural Committee.The album includes previously released tracks from Wilco, Stevie Wonder, Death Cab for Cutie, and Common...
, in support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The first single, "Yes We Can
Yes We Can
"Yes We Can" is the first single from Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise, a compilation album organised and produced by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am...
", featured a music video directed by Jesse Dylan
Jesse Dylan
Jesse Dylan is an American film director, and the founder, CEO and creative director of the media production company Wondros.-Personal Life:...
. The lyrics of the song are composed almost entirely of excerpts from Obama's speech on January 8, 2008, following the New Hampshire presidential primary election
New Hampshire primary
The New Hampshire primary is the first in a series of nationwide political party primary elections held in the United States every four years , as part of the process of choosing the Democratic and Republican nominees for the presidential elections to be held the subsequent November.Although only a...
. The video features appearances from numerous celebrities including Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, model and singer.Johansson made her film debut in North and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo . She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World...
, Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and R&B singer, best known for her childhood role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...
, John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, Adam Rodríguez
Adam Rodriguez
Adam Michael Rodríguez is an American actor and director. He is best known for his long running role as Eric Delko on CSI: Miami.-Life and career:...
, Kelly Hu
Kelly Hu
Kelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...
, Hill Harper
Hill Harper
Francis Harper , known professionally as Hill Harper, is an American film, television and stage actor, and author. An alumnus of Harvard Law School, he is best known for his portrayal of Dr...
, Amber Valletta
Amber Valletta
Amber Evangeline Valletta is an American actress and model. She began her career as a model for fashion agencies, and appeared on cover pages of internationally recognized magazines. She made her film debut in Drop Back Ten . She then starred in the hit film Hitch...
, Eric Balfour
Eric Balfour
Eric Salter Balfour is an American singer and actor of film and television. He is the lead singer of Born As Ghosts, formerly known as Fredalba...
, Aisha Tyler
Aisha Tyler
Aisha N. Tyler is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and author, known for her regular role as Andrea Marino in the first season of Ghost Whisperer and voicing Lana Kane in Archer, as well as her recurring roles in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Talk Soup, and on Friends as Charlie...
, Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
, Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Cannon is an American actor, comedian, rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, radio, and television personality. On television, Cannon began as a teenage sketch comedian on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'N Out, and America's Got Talent...
, Bryan Greenberg
Bryan Greenberg
Bryan E. Greenberg is an American actor and musician, known for his starring role as Ben Epstein in the HBO original series How to Make It in America as well as a recurring role as Jake Jagielski in the The WB TV series One Tree Hill and as Nick Garrett on the short-lived ABC drama October Road...
, and Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
and first appeared on the website for Dipdive
Dipdive
Dipdive is a social networking website tagged as "a Lifestyle Engine for Music, Arts, Action & More." It is best known for the original source site of the "Yes We Can" music video. The site allows users to upload images, videos, MP3s, Blogs and create playlists. Videos and MP3s are allowed in the...
. The video racked up three million views within a week and over four million subsequently on YouTube. On June 13, 2008, "Yes We Can" won an award at the 35th Annual Creative Arts and Entertainment Daytime Emmy Awards for "New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment". On February 29, 2008, the album's second single, "We Are the Ones
We Are the Ones
We Are The Ones is the second single from Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise, a compilation album organised and produced by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am. The song was released on February 29, 2008 to support Barack Obama's presidential campaign...
", was released on Dipdive
Dipdive
Dipdive is a social networking website tagged as "a Lifestyle Engine for Music, Arts, Action & More." It is best known for the original source site of the "Yes We Can" music video. The site allows users to upload images, videos, MP3s, Blogs and create playlists. Videos and MP3s are allowed in the...
and YouTube. Including cameo appearances from Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
, Ryan Phillippe
Ryan Phillippe
Matthew Ryan Phillippe , better known as Ryan Phillippe, is an American actor. After appearing on the soap opera One Life to Live, he came to fame in the late 1990s starring in a string of films, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions, and 54...
, Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Ray Charles's wife, Della Bea Robinson, in the film Ray , as Idi Amin's wife Kay in The Last King of Scotland, and as Alicia Masters, love interest of Ben Grimm, The Thing, in the live-action Fantastic Four films of 2005 and 2007...
, pop punk band Yellowcard
Yellowcard
Yellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
's front man, Ryan Key
Ryan Key
Ryan Key is an American rock musician. He is best known for being the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the American pop punk band Yellowcard, and one of the two lead singers in his side project Big If.-Early life:...
, John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo
Jonathan Alberto "John" Leguizamo is an Colombian-American actor, producer, voice artist, and comedian.-Early life:...
, Regina King
Regina King
Regina King is an American film and television actress. She is well known for her role as Mary Jenkins's studious daughter, Brenda Jenkins, on the 1980s sitcom, 227, and for her critically acclaimed supporting role in the feature film Jerry Maguire...
, Tyrese Gibson, Eric Mabius
Eric Mabius
Eric Harry Timothy Mabius is an American actor known for his work as Daniel Meade on the ABC television series Ugly Betty. He also worked on the Showtime series The L Word and in the films Resident Evil and Cruel Intentions....
, Tichina Arnold
Tichina Arnold
Tichina Rolanda Arnold is an American actress and singer. She is best known for having portrayed the roles of Pamela James on the FOX sitcom Martin and the family matriarch Rochelle on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris....
, Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki
Adrianne Palicki is an American actress best known for her role as Tyra Collette on the NBC television series Friday Night Lights.-Early life:...
, comedian George Lopez
George Lopez
George Lopez is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is mostly known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including the Mexican American culture...
, and singers Macy Gray
Macy Gray
Macy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...
, Zoe Kravitz
Zoe Kravitz
Zoë Isabella Kravitz is an American actress, singer and model. She is the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet. She has appeared in the films The Brave One with Jodie Foster, and No Reservations with Catherine Zeta-Jones...
and The Black Eyed Peas' Taboo
Taboo (rapper)
Jaime Luis Gómez , better known by his stage name Taboo, is an American singer, actor, and rapper best known as a member of the group The Black Eyed Peas.-Personal life:...
, the video features everyone chanting "O-BA-MA" as a portrayal as their hopes and wishes for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and his presidential campaign. On November 4, 2008, will.i.am spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper is an American journalist, author, and television personality. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360°. The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio; however, Cooper often broadcasts live on location for breaking news stories...
about his support for then-Senator Obama using CNN's 'hologram' technology. Following the 2008 election, and Obama's victory, Will released the album's third single, "It's a New Day
It's a New Day (song)
"It's a New Day" is the third single from the political compilation album, Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise, produced and organised by rapper and producer will.i.am. It was released on November 7, 2008. Will performed the song for the first time on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The song was...
". The video reflects on the historical events that led to the election of the first African-American president and the public's reaction to his election. The video features celebrities such as Fergie, Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is an American actress and fashion model. She began acting in the early 2000s, and has since appeared in a number of film and television parts, including roles in the serial-drama The O.C. and The Black Donnellys. She portrayed Dr...
, Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, Harold Perrineau, Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
, and his wife Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Minturn Sedgwick is an American actress.Sedgwick is best known for her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama The Closer. Sedgwick's role in the series won her a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Award in 2010...
. The video first debuted on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. In honor of the inauguration of Barack Obama
Inauguration of Barack Obama
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The inauguration, which set a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joe...
as president, will.i.am collaborated with producer David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
on the album's fourth single, "America's Song
America's Song
"America's Song" is a patriotic song written by Will.I.Am, David Foster and George Pajon, Jr, released as the fourth single from the political compilation album Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise. The song is performed by Will.I.Am, Seal, Bono, Mary J. Blige, and Faith Hill, with David...
", with contributing vocals from Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, and Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
. In response to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's reaction following Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, will.i.am penned the album's fifth and final single, "The Jackass Song". It features a sample of Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's "Heartless
Heartless (Kanye West song)
"Heartless" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on November 4, 2008 digitally as the second single for his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak. It debuted at the number four spot on the Billboard Hot 100 where it eventually peaked at number two and reached number-one on the...
". Will wrote a blog post which featured the song on Dipdive
Dipdive
Dipdive is a social networking website tagged as "a Lifestyle Engine for Music, Arts, Action & More." It is best known for the original source site of the "Yes We Can" music video. The site allows users to upload images, videos, MP3s, Blogs and create playlists. Videos and MP3s are allowed in the...
, and released in February 2009. will.i.am attended and spoke at the FIRST Robotics Competition
FIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
Kickoff on January 8, 2011, declaring, "I am a FIRST fan." He has also named FIRST
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
Founder Dean Kamen
Dean Kamen
Dean L. Kamen is an American entrepreneur and inventor from New Hampshire.Born in Rockville Centre, New York, he attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, but dropped out before graduating after five years of private advanced research for drug infusion pump AutoSyringe...
"one of [his] heroes" on his verified Twitter account.
2009-2010: Return of the Black Eyed Peas
In March 2009, Will announced plans for the Black Eyed Peas to return, and within months, their comeback single "Boom Boom PowBoom Boom Pow
"Boom Boom Pow" is a song by The Black Eyed Peas released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, The E.N.D. The song uses the auto-tune vocal effect, and blends the genres of Electro-rap, dance-pop, electro hop and hip hop....
" had reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. They went on to have three #1 singles before releasing their comeback album, The E.N.D. The album's success warranted a second comeback album, The Beginning, released in November 2010. The album spawned another three hit singles, but the band soon announced plans they were to break again, following the conclusion of their world tour.
2010-present: Black Einstein + #willpower
In January 2010, Will formally announced that he was in the process of recording a fourth solo album, with some material being recorded under the pseudonym Zuper Blahq. In March 2010, under the psedonym, a collaboration with Steve AokiSteve Aoki
Steve Aoki is an American electro house musician, record producer and the founder of Dim Mak Records.-Early life:...
, "I'm In The House
I'm In The House
"I'm in the House" is a song by DJ Steve Aoki. It was released in the UK on 7 March 2010. The song features vocals from will.i.am's alter ego Zuper Blahq. The track first released as an EP on November 23, 2009 on iTunes and then as a single on March 7, 2010. "I'm In the House" reached number 29 on...
", was released as a single, charting at #29 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
due to strong downloads. In October 2010, Will, under his performance name, released a collaborative single, "Check It Out
Check It Out (song)
"Check It Out" is a song performed by American rapper will.i.am and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The song, written by will.i.am and Minaj, samples the 1979 hit single, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. After release, it debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 78 and number 48...
", with American rapper Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, which peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. In February 2011, another single, "Dance", was released under the pseudonym, featuring vocals from Natalia Kills
Natalia Kills
Natalia Keery-Fisher is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and short-film director who performs under the stage name Natalia Kills. She released her first single "Don't Play Nice" under the name Verbalicious in February 2005...
. The music video was directed by James Sutton
James Sutton
James Sutton may refer to:*James Sutton , Member of Parliament for Devizes, 1765–1780*James Sutton , canal carrier and High Sheriff*James Patrick Sutton , United States Congressman from Tennessee...
, and features a cameo by Natalia.
In April 2011, Will, under his performance name, released a double A-side single for the soundtrack of the animated film Rio
Rio (film)
Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne...
, in which he voiced a character. "Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)" / "Drop It Low", featuring Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
and Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
, failed to chart. Will announced that he was going to remix the tracks for inclusion on his next album. "Forever", a collaboration with Wolfgang Gartner
Wolfgang Gartner
Wolfgang Gartner is a Grammy-nominated American electro house producer and DJ. Much of his music prior to 2010 was released through his own record label – Kindergarten, but in 2010 he signed with Ultra Records and in 2011 signed to Ministry of Sound in the UK.In his short time producing music, a...
under Will's performance name, is planned for release in September 2011. The video premiered on August 26, 2011. Black Eyed Peas colleague Fergie announced in an interview that will.i.am is planning to release a new solo album, "Black Einstein".
In August 2011, Will had a video conversation with his fans on twitter to support his project "I Am First Science Is Rock And Roll" show, on this video log he answered his fans questions one of them was on his new album he said "I'm going to release two new albums: one will be Hip-Hop (probably "Black Einstein") and the second will be Dance\Electro and this one in untitled at this moment".
Will.I.Am has confirmed that one of the tracks on his new untitled electro album is titled "T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)" and will feature Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
& Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
. He also played the song on a presentation in club hosted by HTC. in October 18 Will confirmed via his twitter this he shot the video for "T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)" in LA, he also confirmed another new single "Great Times" and the video for this song is already in process and the location is - Brazil. It was announced that the next album he will release will be #willpower and will feature the single T.H.E (The Hardest Ever).
Soundtrack Appearances & Collaborations
In 2002, Will recorded the song "Secrets" for the soundtrack to Dexter's Laboratory: The Hip-Hop Experiment, a film accompaniment to the Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network (United States)
Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
series. In 2008, Will contributed the song "One People" to the Survival International
Survival International
Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969 that campaigns for the rights of indigenous tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples, seeking to help them to determine their own future. Their campaigns generally focus on tribal peoples' fight to keep their ancestral lands,...
charity album, Songs for Survival
Songs for Survival
Bruce Parry Presents Amazon - Tribe - Songs for Survival is a double album released by Kensaltown Records in support of a tribal peoples charity.-Background:...
. Also in 2008, Will featured on British rapper Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
's debut album, Mail on Sunday
Mail on Sunday (album)
-Charts:-External links:*...
, where he produced and featured on the song "In The Ayer
In the Ayer
"In the Ayer" is the third single from rapper Flo Rida's debut album Mail on Sunday. It was produced by and features will.i.am. Tiffany Villarreal performs the background vocals, but she is uncredited. The song's backdrop and beat are sampled from Pretty Tony's freestyle classic "Jam the Box",...
", and featured on Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
's sixth album, Here I Stand
Here I Stand (Usher album)
Here I Stand is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released on May 13, 2008 by LaFace Records. Inspired by love for his new wife—Tameka Foster—and son, Usher recorded many ballads for the album. Prior to the album's recording, Usher split with his...
. In 2009, Will worked with rappers Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
and Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
for Flo's second studio album, R.O.O.T.S.
R.O.O.T.S.
R.O.O.T.S. is the second studio album by American rapper, Flo Rida. The album was released on March 31, 2009.-Background:...
, and recorded four tracks with Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
for her debut solo album 3 Words
3 Words
3 Words is the debut studio album from British pop singer Cheryl Cole, released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. The project is Cole's first solo release following a break from releasing material with her band Girls Aloud whom after seven years have enjoyed five successful albums and...
. He also worked with Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
on her fifth studio album, Rated R
Rated R (Rihanna album)
Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, first released November 20, 2009, on Def Jam Recordings. The album is a musical distance from her previous effort Good Girl Gone Bad , which contained up-tempo and ballad-oriented songs, and it heavily incorporated pop and...
, for a track called "Photographs". In February 2010, he featured and produced the single "OMG
OMG (song)
"OMG" is a song by American recording artist Usher. The song features will.i.am, who also wrote and produced the song. It uses the auto-tune effect in several lines, as well as Jock Jams-esque sports arena chanting. It was released on March 22, 2010 as the first worldwide single off his sixth...
" by Usher, which appeared on Usher's seventh studio album, Raymond vs. Raymond
Raymond vs. Raymond
Raymond v. Raymond is the sixth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 26, 2010. Production for the album took place during 2008 to 2010 and was handled by several producers, including Jermaine Dupri, The Runners, Ester Dean, Polow da Don, RedOne, Jim Jonsin, Danja,...
. In a YouTube video posted by YGLifeOfficial on March 15, 2010, Will expressed his desire to work with Korean K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
girl group 2NE1
2NE1
Both the song and the group became popular online: Fire topped Mnet's online chart and 2NE1 became a popular search term. The group was awarded three Cyworld Digital Music Awards; "Lollipop" and "Fire" both won "Song of the Month" and the group won "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009...
, and help them achieve international success. Will has recorded a collaboration with Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, "Big Fat Bass", which features on her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale
Femme Fatale (Britney Spears album)
Femme Fatale is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears. The album was released on March 25, 2011 by Jive Records . Recorded between 2009 and 2011, the album featured Spears working mainly alongside longtime collaborators Max Martin and Dr. Luke, who served as the...
.
Acting
will.i.am first started acting alongside the rest of the members of The Black Eyed Peas in the commercial series "Instant Def" to advertise SnickersSnickers
Snickers is a brand name chocolate bar made by Mars, Incorporated. It consists of peanut nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel, enrobed in milk chocolate. Snickers has annual global sales of $2 billion....
. He starred in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa as the voice of the character Moto Moto. He contributed a number of tracks to the movie's motion picture soundtrack in collaboration with industry heavyweight Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer is a German film composer and music producer. He has composed music for over 100 films, including critically acclaimed film scores for The Lion King , Crimson Tide , The Thin Red Line , Gladiator , The Dark Knight and Inception .Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the...
. will.i.am played John Wraith in his major film debut, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 American action film based on the Marvel Comics' fictional character Wolverine. The fourth installment in the X-Men film series, it was released worldwide on May 1, 2009...
, a prequel to the X-Men film series
X-Men (film series)
The X-Men film series consists of superhero films based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The films star an ensemble cast, focusing on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who is drawn into the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto , who have opposing views on humanity's...
. He also guest starred on the CBS drama Joan of Arcadia
Joan of Arcadia
Joan of Arcadia is an American television fantasy/family drama telling the story of teenager Joan Girardi , who sees and speaks with God and performs tasks she is given. The series originally aired on Fridays, 8-9 p.m...
as God, one of several actors who played this role during the series. He also starred in the 2011, animated film Rio
Rio (film)
Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne...
, as a rapping red-crested Cardinal
Red-crested Cardinal
The Red-crested Cardinal is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae, and notwithstanding its common name, it is not very closely related to the true cardinals .It is found in northern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay...
named Pedro, and like Madagascar: Escape to Africa, he contributed his singing voice to the film's soundtrack, along with his fellow co-stars. will.i.am played a fathering role in The Urbz: Sims In The City
The Urbz: Sims in the City
The Urbz: Sims in the City is a video game for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox consoles, as well as the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS portable systems. It is the third Sims game for video game consoles and is the second Sims game not to be released on PC...
, which uses The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' songs as its soundtrack. He briefly played himself in the Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
and Steve Carell
Steve Carell
Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
Comedy Date Night
Date Night
Date Night is a 2010 action comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey. It was released in the United States on April 9, 2010...
.
Fashion
Before joining The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am attended the Fashion Institute of Design & MerchandisingFashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, is a specialized for-profit private college located in California dedicated to educating students for the Fashion, Entertainment, Beauty, Interior Design, and Graphic Design industries....
in Los Angeles. In 2001, he began designing his own signature clothing line, i.am, which made its official debut in 2005 at the Magic Apparel Trade Show in Las Vegas. In 2007, will.i.am teamed up with Blue Holdings to design a premium denim collection, i.am Antik, that was scheduled to debut in August 2007 at the Project Show in Las Vegas. will.i.am instead has new partners and is launching i.am
Other activities
will.i.am appeared at the kickoff event for the 2011 FIRST Robotics CompetitionFIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
, Logo Motion
Logo Motion
Logo Motion is the 2011 FIRST Robotics Competition game. Playing pieces are inner tubes shaped like the components of the FIRST logo. The primary objective of the game is to place them on racks to gain points. In the endgame, robots deploy smaller robots to climb a tower. Minibots must be made...
held at Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private university in Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and also has numerous specialized...
. He stated that he is "a big fan", and that the newly unveiled game was "dope". During his interview, he said that "his mama will work with yo mama". He also performed a concert for FIRST at the 2011 FIRST World Championship at the Edward Jones Dome
Edward Jones Dome
The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...
. will.i.am appeared in concert with the Black Eyed Peas as a part of a special concert for 2011 FIRST Robotics Championships. It was recorded for a special aired by ABC on August 14, 2011 at 7 pm. The world's largest chipmaker, Intel Corp., said will.i.am will become a creative director, contributing music and helping in the development of devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets. As a “director of creative innovation”, will.i.am is responsible to improve the sales in the company. The collaboration and co-development with will.i.am and Intel on these products will provide new modern music that will create trends in the technological world. will.i.am states that there will be “new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain..." According to Intel, this relationship will bring the technology and entertainment industry together. It is very important to attract the youth culture.
Feud with Perez Hilton
On June 22, 2009, blogger Perez HiltonPerez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
accused will.i.am and his entourage of assaulting him in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
after the MuchMusic Video Awards
2009 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards were held in Toronto, Ontario at MuchMusic's headquarters on June 21, 2009. Along with the MuchMusic VJ's, on April 16, 2009, it was confirmed on the MuchMusic website that the Jonas Brothers would co-host the show. The show featured performances by The Black Eyed...
, a charge will.i.am denied in a video posted on his blog. From his account, Hilton was rude to Fergie and will.i.am confronted the blogger. will.i.am gave his account on his blog:
According to news reports, AP article via MSNBC, Hilton called will.i.am a "faggot" in the club, but Polo Molina (Black Eyed Peas's tour manager) was responsible for punching Hilton from behind. The incident was caught on photo by a nearby photographer and by a video which documents the encounter. Gossip website TMZ
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
released a video showing the encounter. Liborio Molina, a 36-year-old California resident, has been charged with one count of assault. Since the incident, will.i.am has received support from other celebrities including Josh Duhamel
Josh Duhamel
Joshua David "Josh" Duhamel is an American actor and former fashion model. He first achieved acting success in 1999 as Leo du Pres on ABC's All My Children and later as the chief of security, Danny McCoy, on NBC's Las Vegas...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
, LMFAO
LMFAO (group)
LMFAO is an American electro pop duo consisting of rappers, producers, dancers, and DJs Redfoo and SkyBlu . The group formed in 2006 in Los Angeles, California. Redfoo is SkyBlu's uncle. Redfoo is also the son of music mogul Berry Gordy, SkyBlu a grandson...
, Zac Efron
Zac Efron
Zachary David Alexander "Zac" Efron is an American actor. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s and became known with his lead roles in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, the WB series Summerland, and the 2007 film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray...
, Breckin Meyer
Breckin Meyer
-Early life:Meyer was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Dorothy Ann , a travel agent and former microbiologist, and Christopher William Meyer, a management consultant. As a child of divorced parents, he lived in California, Texas, West Virginia and New Jersey. He has an older brother,...
and Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Prior to that, Kimmel was best known as the co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show and Win Ben Stein's Money...
.
Personal life
According to an interview with the British tabloid The Sun, will.i.am says he suffers from tinnitusTinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...
, a disorder which is common among musicians who have been exposed to loud music for prolonged periods of time.
Discography
- Lost Change (2001)
- Must B 21Must B 21Must B 21 is the second studio album released by The Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am. The album was released on September 23, 2003. The album marked Adams' last release as a solo artist for over four years, until his third sophomore effort Songs About Girls was released in late 2007. The album...
(2003) - Songs About GirlsSongs about GirlsSongs About Girls is the third studio album by rapper will.i.am, known from his work with The Black Eyed Peas. The original title of the album was "Keep the Beeper". The album was released on September 25, 2007. The first single released from the album was a club track titled "I Got It From My...
(2007) - #willpower (2012)
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Moto Moto | Voice |
| 2009 | X-Men Origins: Wolverine X-Men Origins: Wolverine X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 American action film based on the Marvel Comics' fictional character Wolverine. The fourth installment in the X-Men film series, it was released worldwide on May 1, 2009... |
John Wraith | |
| 2009 | Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard | Snow | Voice |
| 2010 | Date Night | Himself | Cameo |
| 2010 | Bouncing Cats Bouncing Cats Bouncing Cats is a 2010 documentary film written and directed by Australian director and photographer Nabil Elderkin. The film follows the efforts of Abraham "Abramz" Tekya and Breakdance Project Uganda to use dance to empower youth in war-torn Uganda. The film is a testimony of Crazy Legs of Rock... |
Himself | |
| 2011 | Rio Rio (film) Rio, often promoted as Rio: The Movie, is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. The title refers to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the film is set. The film features the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne... |
Pedro | Voice |
TV series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Joan of Arcadia Joan of Arcadia Joan of Arcadia is an American television fantasy/family drama telling the story of teenager Joan Girardi , who sees and speaks with God and performs tasks she is given. The series originally aired on Fridays, 8-9 p.m... |
Three Card Monte Guy God | Episode: "Independence Day" |
| 2007 | Cane Cane (TV series) Cane is an American television drama created by Cynthia Cidre, who also served as executive producer alongside Jonathan Prince, Jimmy Iovine and Polly Anthony. The pilot was directed by Christian Duguay... |
Himself | Episode: "A New Legacy" |
| 2011 | The Cleveland Show The Cleveland Show The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States... |
Bernard | Voice |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | X-Men Origins: Wolverine X-Men Origins: Wolverine (video game) X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 action-adventure game loosely based on the film of the same name. The game release coincided with the release of the film on May 1, 2009 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable. The game was developed... |
John Wraith | Voice |
Daytime Emmy Awards
- 2008, New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment: "Yes We CanYes We Can"Yes We Can" is the first single from Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise, a compilation album organised and produced by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am...
" - 2011, Best Original Song "What I Am"
Grammy Awards
will.i.am has won 7 Grammy Awards:- 2005, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Let's Get It Started", The Black Eyed Peas
- 2006, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "Don't Phunk with My Heart", The Black Eyed Peas
- 2007, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals: "My Humps", The Black Eyed Peas
- 2009, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Be OK"
- 2010, Best Short Form Music Video: "Boom Boom Pow", The Black Eyed Peas
- 2010, Best Pop Vocal Album: "The E.N.D.", The Black Eyed Peas
- 2010, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: "I Gotta Feeling", The Black Eyed Peas
Latin Grammy Awards
- 2006Latin Grammy Awards of 2006The 7th Annual Latin Grammy Awards were held for the first time in New York City, NY. The awards show was held at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, November 2, 2006. Shakira was the big winner winning Album of the Year, one of four awards that she won...
, Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album: "TimelessTimeless (Sergio Mendes album)Timeless is a 2006 album by Sérgio Mendes. It features neo soul and alternative hip hop guest artists, most prominently will.i.am, who also produced most of the songs. It was released February 14, 2006 by Concord Records and will.i.am music group...
", Sérgio MendesSergio MendesSérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....
(producer)
BMI Awards
- 2010, BMI presented the BMI President’s Award to will.i.am in recognition of his work as an artist, producer, and humanitarian. The honor is bestowed on an individual who has distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry.