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".
B Boyz
will.i.am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Da da da da da hey!
B Boy….dance!
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
Place that, taste that, chase rap ill
I've got skills, not run of the mill
Told you before I ain't never gonna chill
Blaze that, uh, we can raise that up
Sedate the rhyme, or pour it straight in the cup
Yo, drink it down, cause I'm wearin' the crown
All the little children now please gather around
Listen to me, now, while I'm splittin' this free
Not the kind of guy that you ever see like me
When I do it it's good, cause we bumpin' the hood
And records come out on the street and they go triple wood
Uh, the style's just too hot,
Lovin' the rhythm the way and I make that pop
When it comes to rockin' freeze yo, I just don't stop
Right now you'll hear the record drop
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
Now, yo, I speak to the people
Give them the real, and not the evil
I won't deceive you, come in the flesh
Tap on the mike, give it a test
When it comes to rhymes, my mind never rests
You can say that I'm spiritually blessed
Yeah, every time that I'm at events
When I step to the mike, I get straight off my chest
There's no time left, hip hop's dyin'
Can't you see Mother Hip Hop's cryin'
Yeah, I'm tryin' to move to Zion
Spit rhymes off that do now without tryin'
When a record come out, you should be buyin'
Supernatural, that individual that gets lyrical
Put a crown on me, cause I am Imperial
I should have my face on front of a box of cereal
Freestyle crunchies for when you get the munchies
This is for the children, this if for the child
The way that I freak the style
Put a skirt on it, he'll watch me do work on it
Clean it off and then blow off the dirt on it
Like I said, search and destroy
This is dedicated to all the B Boyz
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
In will.i.am's song "B Boyz," he is encouraging B Boys and B Girls to come together and dance. He opens the song by chanting and hyping up the crowd with "da da da da da hey!" The rest of the song is filled with lyrics that show off his skills as a rapper and a performer. He talks about "blazing" and "raising up" the rhythm, demonstrating his ability to create an upbeat and lively atmosphere.
As the song progresses, will.i.am shifts his focus to more meaningful topics, talking about the state of hip hop and how it needs to change. He speaks directly to his listeners, urging them to buy records and support the genre. Overall, "B Boyz" is a fun and energetic song that also has a deeper message about the importance of hip hop culture.
Line by Line Meaning
B Boy and B Girl, come on let's…
Calling all B Boys and B Girls to come dance
Da da da da da hey!
A catchy hook to get people to dance
B Boy….dance!
Another invitation to the B Boys to dance
Place that, taste that, chase rap ill
Putting the beat in the right place, adding flavor with the lyrics, chasing after the perfect rap
When I rock that I do bill
I make a lot of money when I perform
I've got skills, not run of the mill
I'm a talented rapper, not average or ordinary
Told you before I ain't never gonna chill
I won't stop or slow down, I'll always be pursuing greatness
Blaze that, uh, we can raise that up
Making the music hotter, increasing the energy
Sedate the rhyme, or pour it straight in the cup
Calming down the lyrics or leaving them raw
Yo, drink it down, cause I'm wearin' the crown
Listen to my rhymes because I'm the best
All the little children now please gather around
Everyone, come listen to my music
Listen to me, now, while I'm splittin' this free
Focus your attention on me while I freestyle
Not the kind of guy that you ever see like me
I'm unique and different from other rappers
When I do it it's good, cause we bumpin' the hood
My music is popular and played in the neighborhood
And records come out on the street and they go triple wood
My albums sell well and reach a wide audience
Uh, the style's just too hot,
My style is on fire and can't be stopped
Lovin' the rhythm the way and I make that pop
I'm proud of my rhythms and how I make them sound
When it comes to rockin' freeze yo, I just don't stop
I'm a great performer who never stops moving
Right now you'll hear the record drop
The beat is about to hit and everyone should get ready to dance
Now, yo, I speak to the people
I communicate directly with my fans
Give them the real, and not the evil
I'm authentic and honest in my music, not just trying to make a profit
I won't deceive you, come in the flesh
I won't lie to you, I'm being real and genuine
Tap on the mike, give it a test
Testing the equipment before performing
When it comes to rhymes, my mind never rests
I'm always thinking of new lyrics and ideas
You can say that I'm spiritually blessed
My talent is a gift from a higher power
Yeah, every time that I'm at events
I always bring my best to live performances
When I step to the mike, I get straight off my chest
I speak from my heart when I perform
There's no time left, hip hop's dyin'
The rap industry is struggling and I want to save it
Can't you see Mother Hip Hop's cryin'
I personify hip hop as a mother figure who is suffering
Yeah, I'm tryin' to move to Zion
I'm trying to bring positive change and hope to the industry
Spit rhymes off that do now without tryin'
I can easily freestyle and make good rhymes
When a record come out, you should be buyin'
Fans should support their favorite artists by buying their music
Supernatural, that individual that gets lyrical
My rhymes are extraordinary, and I'm unique as an artist
Put a crown on me, cause I am Imperial
I'm the king of the rap game
I should have my face on front of a box of cereal
I'm so popular that I could be on a cereal box
Freestyle crunchies for when you get the munchies
My rhymes are like comfort food for your soul
This is for the children, this if for the child
My music is for anyone who enjoys it, regardless of age
The way that I freak the style
My unique style is what sets me apart as an artist
Put a skirt on it, he'll watch me do work on it
Even if you put me in a skirt, people will still be impressed by my skills
Clean it off and then blow off the dirt on it
Brushing off struggles and challenges to shine through as an artist
Like I said, search and destroy
I'm constantly pushing forward to overcome obstacles
This is dedicated to all the B Boyz
This song is specially made for breakdancers and hip hop fans
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
Final invitation for everyone to dance along with the B Boys and B Girls
B Boyz, and B Girlz, c'mon let's dance!
Final invitation for everyone to dance along with the B Boys and B Girls
Contributed by Keira A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.