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".
Be Ok
will.i.am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get a little black dress just because
Me and my boo just broke it off
I'm a stay fly although he's gone
I don't really care about who he's with
I'm get mine and he'll get his
Even though I was in love with him, I really hope the best for them
And my cryings detrimental,
Tell me what I'm getting into,
I can't lose my mind.
I think its time for me to let go cause my heart can't take it no mo,
You were all I lived for but I leave you behind.
I'm a be OK,
I'm a be OK,
I'll survive, I'll be fine, I won't cry, no way
I'm a be OK,
I'm a be OK,
Don't you talk, I'll move on,
Baby walk away
All I gave to you, I'm so broke and blue
Make believe its cool I'm so over you.
I'm a keep my head up hold it high,
Really did my best God knows you try
Even though it hurts I will survive,
I'll wipe my eyes, I'll say it loud
Take a deep breath and count to 10,
Today's a new day I'll start again,
I'm a find myself so deep within,
I'm a survivor I'll wink
Very sentimental
And my cryings detrimental,
Tell me what I'm getting into,
I can't lose my mind.
I think its time for me to let go cause my heart can't take it no mo,
You were all I lived for but I leave you behind.
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I'm a be OK,
I'm a be OK,
I'll survive, I'll be fine, I won't cry no way
I'm a be OK,
I'm a be OK,
Don't you talk, I'll move on
Baby walk away
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I gotta rock the mic I'll be right back,
Gotta catch a flight, my Samsonite's packed,
Three months rapping all around the map,
Girl I see you on the internet on Ichat,
Cyberspace is the place to see my lady,
Baby we can instant message on the daily
Half way you could met me out in Asia
Cause ninety days without seeing you is crazy.
We got three days banging up in Shang Hi
Last day I see the water hanging in yo eye
I know my mama told me not to make a lady cry
But that's impossible when all I gotta say is bye
But I'm a, I'm a
I'm a be OK,
I'm a be OK,
I'll survive, I'll be fine, I won't cry no way
I'm a be OK,
I'm a be OK,
Don't you talk, I'll move on baby walk away
All I gave to you, I'm so broke and blue
Make believe its cool I'm so over you.
I'm so broke and blue
Make believe its cool I'm so over you.
The lyrics to will.i.am's song "Be Ok" reflect the singer's determination to move on and be okay after a breakup. The song begins with will.i.am taking his Lexus to the mall to get a little black dress, symbolizing his desire to move forward and take care of himself. Although he and his former partner have split, he remains confident and determined to stay fly and not let the breakup affect him.
The lyrics convey a mix of emotions. While will.i.am admits to still caring about his ex and hoping the best for them, he acknowledges that it's time for him to let go and not let it consume him. He realizes that his heart can't handle the pain anymore and he needs to focus on healing. Through the chorus, he reassures himself that he will be okay, that he will survive and move on. He emphasizes his resilience and determination to rebuild and find himself again.
Overall, the lyrics of "Be Ok" show will.i.am's journey towards healing and finding happiness after a breakup. It portrays a mix of emotions, from sentimentality and heartbreak to determination and resilience. Through the song, will.i.am encourages listeners to believe in their own ability to overcome hardships and emerge stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm take my Lexus to the mall
I'm going to the mall in my fancy car
Get a little black dress just because
I'm buying a black dress for myself for no particular reason
Me and my boo just broke it off
My significant other and I recently ended our relationship
I'm a stay fly although he's gone
I will continue to look stylish and confident despite my partner's absence
I don't really care about who he's with
I am not concerned about my ex-partner's new relationship
I'm get mine and he'll get his
I will focus on my own happiness, and he can focus on his
Even though I was in love with him, I really hope the best for them
Although I had strong feelings for him, I genuinely wish the best for him and his new partner
Very sentimental
Feeling very emotional
And my cryings detrimental
My crying is harmful to myself
Tell me what I'm getting into
Help me understand the situation I am involved in
I can't lose my mind
I cannot allow myself to go crazy
I think its time for me to let go cause my heart can't take it no mo
I believe it is time for me to move on because my heart cannot handle it anymore
You were all I lived for but I leave you behind
Although you were my reason for living, I am leaving you in the past
I'm a be OK
I will be fine
I'll survive, I'll be fine, I won't cry, no way
I will endure, I will be okay, I will not cry, it's not going to happen
Don't you talk, I'll move on
Don't try to persuade me, I will move forward
Baby walk away
Leave, depart from me, baby
All I gave to you, I'm so broke and blue
Everything I gave to you has left me feeling emotionally drained and sad
Make believe its cool I'm so over you
Pretending that I'm fine when in reality, I have moved on from you
I'm a keep my head up hold it high
I will maintain a positive attitude and remain confident
Really did my best God knows you try
I truly gave it my all, and God knows you tried as well
Even though it hurts I will survive
Despite the pain, I will continue to live and thrive
I'll wipe my eyes, I'll say it loud
I will dry my tears and express my emotions confidently
Take a deep breath and count to 10
I will take a moment to calm myself and regain composure
Today's a new day I'll start again
Every day is an opportunity for a fresh start
I'm a find myself so deep within
I will discover my true self from within
I'm a survivor I'll wink
I am a survivor and I will give a confident wink to show it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILL ADAMS, BOB MARLEY, CHRISETTE PAYNE, KEITH HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind