When William was sixteen years old, he started rapping in late 1991 under the name "Will-1X" after being discovered by Compton rapper and former N.W.A. leader Eazy-E and signed a deal to Eazy's Ruthless Records. will.i.am's first rap song was "Merry Muthafuckin' Xmas" from Eazy-E's 1992 EP 5150: Home 4 tha Sick. Shortly after Eazy-E's death in 1995, Will left Ruthless to start a group that would later be called the Black Eyed Peas with fellow rappers Taboo and apl.de.ap.
After the addition of singer-songwriter Fergie, the group shot into mainstream pop consciousness with a set of hit singles in the mid-00s, popularity that continues to this day. The Black Eyed Peas' producer is Sergio Mendes, an internationally successful Brazilian musician and jazz aficionado. In September 2007, will.i.am took a major step into a solo career identity by joining with his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), on a pilot scheme to reward certain file-sharing with cash incentives, including will.i.am tracks from his then upcoming release Songs About Girls.
In total, he has released four solo albums: Lost Change (2001), Must B 21 (2003), Songs About Girls (2007), and #willpower (2013). Although often facing mixed critical reviews, he's experienced significant commercial success, including a set of popular singles. His solo performances, featuring collaborations with a wide group of artists including Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Phife Dawg, Snoop Dogg, and Nicole Scherzinger, are perhaps best summed up in the international top 20 mega-hit "Scream & Shout".
Will.i.am was also recently cast as John Wraith in the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a prequel to the X-Men movie series. And if one enjoyed Madagascar 2's chunky hippo, Moto Moto, then one should know that the deep voice belonged will.i.am., who came in after he was ''pimped'' out to the directors by his friend and sometimes collaborator Justin Timberlake.
Before joining the Black Eyed Peas, Will.i.am attended the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising 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 had its debut on the Project Show in Las Vegas. He has also designed clothing for the Black Eyed Peas.
In January 2008, will.i.am helped write a song, "Yes We Can", in support of the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign of Barack Obama, which in turn 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. The video features appearances from numerous celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriguez, Kelly Hu, Hill Harper, Amber Valletta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger, Nick Cannon, Bryan Greenberg, Common and first appeared on the website for Dipdive, and within a week of its appearance racked up three million views, and over four million views on Youtube.
On February 29, 2008, a second video titled "We Are The Ones" was released on Dipdive and YouTube. It included cameo appearances from Jessica Alba, Ryan Phillippe, Kerry Washington, John Leguizamo, Regina King, Tyrese Gibson, Eric Mabius, Tichina Arnold, Adrienne Palicki, comedian George Lopez, and singers Macy Gray, Zoe Kravitz and Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo. The video features everyone chanting "O-BA-MA" as a portrayal as their hopes and wishes for Obama and his presidential campaign.
In 2013, will.i.am released his album "#thatpower".
S.O.S
Will.I.Am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I need an SOS
I'm stuck out here
And I don't know how to get back
Recently I've been too far in my head
I keep overthinking things and it has led
Me down dark paths, wishing myself to be dead
So I reach out to anybody who's willing to take my SOS
But to be honest, I rather be in bed
Anxiety and depression in stone it has been set
Why do I keep treating my family with neglect
I don't call I don't even fucking text
But they know in their hearts I wish them all the best
And I know it makes them upset
One instance fills me with regret
My pop passed, I spoke to him once a month at my best
Yeah I said at my best
I should have spoke more, before he left
Twice now I've been Deja vu ing peoples deaths
This life is a simulation and I need an SOS
All I need is an SOS
Yeah all I need is an SOS
Too far up in my head
Too far gone, now I rather be dead
Yeah all I need is an SOS
An SOS
Too far up in my head
Too far gone, now I rather be dead
Yeah all I need is an SOS
It feels like I've crossed the line
Lately i been reminiscing what a waste of time
It really hits at night, all the fucking could've, would've where's the wine at?
I know
Tell me where's my spine at?
Climbing out of bed feels like I'm chained to a micro-van
God, it's so hard to break the cycle
running round with my head off 'till I'm idle
Yeah all I need is an SOS
Too far up in my head
Too far gone now I rather be dead
Yeah all I need is an SOS
All I need an SOS
Too far up in my head
Too far gone now I rather be dead
Yeah all I need an SOS
I thought it's going to be a while before someone gets this
So I'm going to take in awe at this dying star
It's happening right now, right here
The Halcyon System
The lyrics of will.i.am's song "S.O.S" discuss the dire state of the planet we live in. The song begins with a plea to God to come down and help save us, and the rest of the lyrics tackle issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, and the selfishness and greed of humans. The verse describes people killing, lying, and being blind to the signs that our planet is in trouble, instead being focused on money and wealth. It talks about the fragility of the environment and how we are causing its decline. The chorus repeats the plea for someone to help us out and mentions that the world is changing and dying. The second verse talks about how the actions of humans are causing the planet's deterioration, including the exploitation of resources, rising CO2 levels, and corruption in politics.
The overarching message of the song is that we are in trouble and need help before it's too late. We need to change our ways and take collective action to save the planet. The song's title "S.O.S" is a distress signal and serves as a call to action for people to come together and make a difference.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord come down and help us out
The singer is asking for divine intervention to help humanity deal with its problems
Send us an angel, help us out
The singer is asking for supernatural assistance in dealing with the world's problems
SOS, help us out
The singer is using the international code for distress to emphasize the urgent nature of the world's problems
Looking all around and I'm watching the world
The singer is observing the state of the world and its problems
People killing, people dying, people lying, people blind
The singer is describing the various ways in which people are contributing to the world's problems
People don't see the sign, watching money all the time
The singer feels that people are too focused on acquiring wealth and success to recognize the warning signs of environmental and other problems
Get the pennies, get the dimes, get the dollars is the mind state
The singer believes that people are motivated by greed and a desire for financial gain
Of the human race, people on the paper chase
The singer is commenting on the human tendency to prioritize financial gain over other things, such as environmental sustainability
The environment is fragile, and we been on the gradual
The singer is expressing concern about the fragility of the environment and the gradual deterioration that has been happening over time
Declining in a lifetime or lose the battle
The singer believes that if we don't take action to address the world's problems soon, we risk losing the battle entirely
Get burned by volcanoes, get blown by tornadoes
The singer is commenting on the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters around the world
Cause mother nature signals, is trying to warn NATO
The singer believes that natural disasters are a way for nature to warn us about the consequences of our actions, and NATO (a military alliance) is being called out to take action
We got a new terror threat, it's called the weather
The singer is highlighting the seriousness of the weather-related problems facing the world, and equating them to a terror threat
More deadlier than chemical and nuclear together
The singer is warning that weather-related problems could be more destructive than even chemical or nuclear attacks
It's hotter in the winter, even hotter in the summer
The singer is commenting on the effects of climate change on the world's weather patterns
Jesus, or Buddha, somebody come and help us out
The singer is calling upon all religious figures to intervene and help humanity with its problems
Looks like we ain't gon' figure it out
The singer is expressing discouragement about the possibility of humanity being able to solve its problems
People trapped behind the gates, ignorance in their state of mind
The singer is commenting on the lack of awareness that many people have about the world's problems
Cause they formulate a plan just to penetrate us
The singer is suggesting that there are forces at work that are intentionally trying to harm or exploit humanity
You see they stimulate us with fear, manipulate us
The singer is describing the ways in which people in power manipulate the fear and ignorance of others to control them
Each year, they dominate dividing us like calculators
The singer is saying that those in power divide us even further each year, like a calculator breaking things down piece by piece
And we can't add it up cause calculators do the math for us
The singer is suggesting that people don't have the critical thinking skills to see through the tactics being used to manipulate them
And here they come choppering down, chopping down our rainforest
The singer is describing the destruction of natural resources, such as the rainforest, by those in power
Fucking up our air for us, they don't really care for us
The singer believes that those in power are careless about the consequences of their actions, such as air pollution
But we can't complain, because the only one to blame is us
The singer is arguing that ultimately, all of us bear responsibility for the problems the world faces, because we have allowed them to happen
The gas is rising up but we keep on filling up
The singer is referencing the rising levels of greenhouse gases, but how humanity continues to rely on fossil fuels anyway
CO2 levels got the whole planet heated up
The singer is highlighting the role of carbon dioxide in climate change, and how it is causing the Earth's temperature to rise
When the eskimo gets bit by a mosquito
The singer is pointing out how climate change is affecting even those living in the coldest parts of the earth
Somebody in Miami will get swept by a tsunami
The singer is describing how events in one part of the world can have ripple effects in others
Rastas in Jamaica will get hit by a quake that
The singer is describing how natural disasters can affect people all over the world, even those living on small islands
Registers something like 8.8
The singer is referencing the Richter scale used to measure earthquakes, and the severity of the quake in question
50 years ago we took it for granted
The singer is commenting on how people in the past did not realize the impact humanity would have on the planet
We should have took advantage, and reversed the damage
The singer is arguing that humanity should have taken action sooner to prevent the damage being caused to the environment
Instead of just pumping and selling and slanging the gas
The singer is arguing that people in power should have taken steps to reduce fossil fuel dependence, rather than just profiting from it
And while we purchased the gas
The singer is commenting on how everyone contributes to the problem, simply by purchasing gasoline and other fossil fuels
We was watching soap operas while they steady brainwashed the masses
The singer is suggesting that while we were distracted with entertainment, those in power were working to brainwash and manipulate us
Cause we could make a vehicle that runs off ashes
The singer is arguing that technology exists to create vehicles that don't run on fossil fuels
But they own a patent for that, and that's exactly what's happening
The singer is suggesting that those in power have suppressed new technologies that could help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels
Corruption and bullshit politics
The singer is highlighting the role of corruption and politics in preventing meaningful action to address the world's problems
The planet's gonna die cause of bullshit politics
The singer is arguing that if we don't take meaningful action soon, the world's problems could lead to the death of the planet
And ain't nobody coming to the rescue to help the
The singer is expressing a sense of hopelessness about humanity's ability to solve the world's problems
Looking all around watching the world..
The singer is observing the state of the world and its problems
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Markus M, Tarron Moore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-rd6eh5og1y
Lord come down and help us out
Send us an angel, help us out
SOS, help us out
Looking all around and I'm watching the world
People killing, people dying, people lying, people blind
People don't see the sign, watching money all the time
Get the pennies, get the dimes, get the dollars is the mindstate
Of the human race, people on the paper chase
The environment is fragile, and we been on the gradual
Declining in a lifetime or lose the battle
Get burned by volcanoes, get blown by tornados
Cause Mother Nature signals, is trying to warn NATO
We got a new terror threat, it's called the weather
More deadlier than chemical and nuclear together
It's hotter in the winter, even hotter in the summer
Jesus, or Buddha, somebody come and help us out
Lord come down and help us out
Send us an angel, help us out
SOS, help us out
Looking all around and I'm watching the world
Changing
Open up your eyes, you can see things rearranging
The world is dying
And if they say it's gonna be alright, them people are lying
People trapped behind the gates, ignorance in their state of mind
Cause they formulate a plan just to penetrate us
You see they stimulate us with fear, manipulate us
Each year, they dominate dividing us like calculators
And we can't add it up cause calculators do the math for us
And here they come choppering down, chopping down our rainforest
Fucking up our air for us, they don't really care for us
But we can't complain, because the only one to blame is us
The gas is rising up but we keep on filling up
CO2 levels got the whole planet heated up
It's blazing in the winter, even hotter in the summer
Mohammed, Jehovah, somebody come and help us out
Lord come down and help us out
Send us an angel, help us out
SOS, help us out
Looks like we ain't gon' figure it out
Lord come down and help us out
Send us an angel, help us out
SOS, help us out
Looking all around and I'm watching the world
Changing
Open up your eyes, you can see things rearranging
The world is ending
And if they say it's gonna be okay, they just pretending
When the eskimo gets bit by a mosquito
Somebody in Miami will get swept by a tsunami
Rastas in Jamaica will get hit by a quake that
Registers something like eight point eight
You see it's situations happening with our planet
Cause, twenty years ago we took it for granted
We should have took advantage, and reversed the damage
Instead of just pumping and selling and slanging the gas
And while we purchased the gas
We was watching soap operas while they steady brainwashed the masses
Cause we could make a vehicle that runs off ashes
But they own a patent for that, and that's exactly what's happening
Corruption and bullshit politics
The planet's gonna die cause of bullshit politics
It's hotter in the winter, even hotter in the summer
And ain't nobody coming to the rescue to help the
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@stephanbeek
It saddens me this song doesn't have millions of views, the text is so amazingly good and should be heard by everyone around the world.
@iliganviticulturist3056
Yeah really it's underated, everytime I play this song I can't hold back my tears.
@jolk42
They all be here
"Earth Song" - Michael Jackson
@bluebull2006
underrated underated underated underated underrated
@joshsalisbury5536
This never came up with advertising, dope statement my brother , means more then you think . Peace ✌
@RIPierre
First video on youtube i've seen with 0 dislikes. Good song it's the truth =\
@marianagomes842
This is a very beautiful song, I also have a suggestion for music about the environment, Emicida - Passarinhos
@Daughterzion7777
The deadly and catastrophic weather is happening with much intensity. Some people don't believe that the world is truly going through something that is not normal. Sadly, it will take the loss of millions of people before some people realize what's going on. There will still be people that have their eyes closed after the terrible earthquakes and all the other catastrophes. In reality the truth is that we are all in danger and there will not be many survivors due to the weather changes that will happen. There is a polar flip going on with our planet.
@martinnorenz
i just love will.i.am's glasses :D they just look so cool!! :D xxxxx good video :D
@davidmichaud1364
this is epic like btter!!!!!!!!!!!!!