American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, entrepreneur, actor, DJ. Will.i.am helped make Black Eyed Peas one of the most intriguing acts in hip-hop, and later made them one of the most popular acts on the charts.
Will.i.am is also a music producer.
Education
In High School, he became best friends with Allan Pineda Lindo.
Adams used to attend raves while in high school. He later said 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.
Career
Will.i.am helped make Black Eyed Peas one of the most intriguing acts in hip-hop, and later made them one of the most popular acts on the charts when the albums Elephunk (2003) and Monkey Business (2005) started ascending the charts. During 2005-2007, he also helmed tracks for Pussycat Dolls, John Legend, bandmate Fergie, the Game, Ciara, Nicole Scherzinger, and Macy Gray. His solo career consisted of a project for the British rap label BBE (Lost Change), several mix albums, and in 2007, his major-label nod, Songs About Girls. Will.i.am was born William James Adams Jr. in Los Angeles, California on March 15, 1975.
Will.i.am is also a music producer. He has produced with other artists including Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Eazy-E, Britney Spears, U2, Rihanna, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Earth, Wind & Fire, Nicki Minaj, Cheryl Cole, 2NE1, SMAP, The Game, Nas, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Daddy Yankee, Wolfgang Gartner, and Juanes.
After Eazy-E died in 1995, they reformed and changed Atban Klann to Black Eyed Pods, and then Black Eyed Peas.
In 2002 will.i.am searched a female singer to recorded "Shut Up". Nicole Scherzinger was originally approached to join the Peas.
Their third album Elephunk began development on November 2, 2001, but was not released until 2003. It was the first album that indicated and demonstrated the new, polished pop sound designed to attract mass audiences and also the first under the name THE Black Eyed Peas.
In 2004, The Black Eyed Peas embarked on the Elephunk Tour, hitting many countries in Europe and Asia.
Their fourth album, Monkey Business, was released on June 7, 2005.
The group's fifth studio album, The E.N.D. ("The Energy Never Dies"), was released on June 9, 2009.
On June 6, 2010, the band confirmed that they were working on a new album in an interview for The Big Issue. The album would be titled The Beginning and was released on November 30, 2010.
Politics
In January 2008, will.i.am wrote a song, "Yes We Can", in support of the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign of Barack Obama, which became 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.
On February 29, 2008, a second video, "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.
After the 2008 election, will.i.am released "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. The track also appears on the 2009 compilation album, Change is Now: Renewing America's Promise.
In honor of the inauguration of Barack Obama as president, will.i.am collaborated with producer David Foster on the patriotic song "America's Song", with contributing vocals from Seal, Bono, Mary J. Blige, and Faith Hill.