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".
The Money
Will.I.Am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hurry up a bit
Yeah, yeah
[Chorus: Repeat x3]
I like the way you do it, when you do it
When you doin, what you doin
We about to move to make you feel some
A lot of positive vibrations to build from
Cause all I wanna do is lose some and win some
Have a little of prosperity and then some
Livin my life handsome, has always been a dream but
Now it's time to really achieve by all means (Bust it)
I keep my shit, plus thirty in between
When an arm reach out to grab the supreme
Cause I won't stop, and AP won't stop
And Tab won't stop until we reach the top
That means we won't quit, so we stay thick so you can enjoy it
I know you like the way it's goin down, honey, honey
I know you like the milky-mellow sound, honey, honey
Doin this ain't all about money, money
I know you like the way I sound, right, right
[Chorus: Repeat x4]
As I enter the room I absorb the mood
Positive vibe supplied by a positive crew
And negativity exist and you must acknowledge
You can be intelligent and never go to college
Cause the way we live in society
It ain't really the way that it's supposed to be
And don't get close to me if you're contaminated
Take a picture of your soul and get it laminated
Put them in your wallet next to your money
Money represents your whole and soul represents your honey
Ain't got honey then you ain't got bees
And if you ain't got no money I'ma still MC
Then empty L-O-V-E all over the track
Once you R-E-D then you never go back
'Til the end of studio with the Peas as Black
With Adam, Taboo, and alligator APL De AP
[Chorus: Repeat x4]
I wanna travel the world and stop on every city
Rejuvenate your burnt out sea put down your Philly for a sec
Close your eyes and don't fret
Listen to the audible sounds and just let
Your soul feel the free feelin
Reprovide you with the ride, free fallin
To make your heart beat, skip, hypnotize you and
APL take you on a trip where your mind's at ease
Forget ballin 'cause I won't quit, and Will won't quit
And Tab won't quit so you can enjoy it
That means we won't stop
And I won't stop until we reach the top
I'd rather be ready for the future
Do it for yourself 'cause no one else will suit ya
I juxtapose for mine to maintain
And segregate myself from evil and pain
[Chorus: Repeat x8]
The lyrics of "The Money" by will.i.am is an anthem for positivity, progress, and perseverance. The chorus of the song is a catchy assurance that the listener likes the way will.i.am is doing what he does, and that there is a lot of positive vibration left to be built. The song touches upon the idea of prosperity and how it has always been a dream, but the time has come to achieve it through thick and thin.
The first verse of the song boasts about how the singer, along with AP and Tab, are not going to stop until they reach the top. They are ready to move to create an impact that can make people feel good, and that is what they aim to achieve. The song mentions that it is not all about money, and the sound they create is appreciated by the listeners.
The second verse of the song delves into society's way of living and emphasizes the importance of positivity, intelligence, and education. The lyrics of the song suggest that if you want to segregate yourself from evil and pain and create a better future for yourself, you must juxtapose for yourself.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, hmm
The artist makes a sound to indicate that he's about to start singing.
Hurry up a bit
The artist urges someone, presumably a colleague or team member, to move faster or get things done quickly.
Yeah, yeah
The artist affirms something with a positive intonation.
I like the way you do it, when you do it
When you doin, what you doin
The artist appreciates the skills and efforts of someone doing something they're good at, and acknowledges their expertise.
Check this out right here, son
We about to move to make you feel some
A lot of positive vibrations to build from
Cause all I wanna do is lose some and win some
Have a little of prosperity and then some
The artist introduces his message and expresses his ambition to create an uplifting, inspiring atmosphere filled with positive energy; he wants to succeed, make progress, and achieve abundance and success.
Livin my life handsome, has always been a dream but
Now it's time to really achieve by all means (Bust it)
I keep my shit, plus thirty in between
When an arm reach out to grab the supreme
The artist reveals his aspiration to live a good life and realize his potential by any means necessary, and also his preparedness to defend his status and worth from anyone who tries to take it away.
Cause I won't stop, and AP won't stop
And Tab won't stop until we reach the top
That means we won't quit, so we stay thick so you can enjoy it
I know you like the way it's goin down, honey, honey
I know you like the milky-mellow sound, honey, honey
Doin this ain't all about money, money
I know you like the way I sound, right, right
The artist acknowledges the persistence and motivation of himself and his group, and their determination to succeed; he promises to keep creating content that fans will enjoy, reminding them that it's not all about making money, and that his artistic style is pleasing and enjoyable to listen to and experience.
As I enter the room I absorb the mood
Positive vibe supplied by a positive crew
And negativity exist and you must acknowledge
You can be intelligent and never go to college
Cause the way we live in society
It ain't really the way that it's supposed to be
And don't get close to me if you're contaminated
Take a picture of your soul and get it laminated
Put them in your wallet next to your money
Money represents your whole and soul represents your honey
Ain't got honey then you ain't got bees
And if you ain't got no money I'ma still MC
Then empty L-O-V-E all over the track
Once you R-E-D then you never go back
'Til the end of studio with the Peas as Black
With Adam, Taboo, and alligator APL De AP
The artist observes the emotional climate in a certain environment and recognizes the importance of positivity; he also points out how education doesn't determine someone's intelligence and that society needs changing. He advises listeners to stay clear of negative influences, to capture their essence through artistic expression and to always value their spiritual essence above material wealth. He concludes by name-checking his fellow band members and the studio where they work.
I wanna travel the world and stop on every city
Rejuvenate your burnt out sea put down your Philly for a sec
Close your eyes and don't fret
Listen to the audible sounds and just let
Your soul feel the free feelin
Reprovide you with the ride, free fallin
To make your heart beat, skip, hypnotize you and
APL take you on a trip where your mind's at ease
Forget ballin 'cause I won't quit, and Will won't quit
And Tab won't quit so you can enjoy it
That means we won't stop
And I won't stop until we reach the top
I'd rather be ready for the future
Do it for yourself 'cause no one else will suit ya
I juxtapose for mine to maintain
And segregate myself from evil and pain
The artist expresses his desire to explore the world and experience different cultures, while also encouraging listeners to relax and enjoy the moment, to let their souls be uplifted and transported to a place of peace and ease. He reminds his audience of his commitment to excellence, his unwillingness to give up, and his determination to be prepared for the future. He advises listeners to pursue their own goals and avoid negative influences by maintaining boundaries and avoiding harmful people and situations.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LIAM JAMES FRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind