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".
Nah Mean
will.i.am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
will.i.am's in the house and uh (yeah)
Phife Dawg's in the house and uh (yeah)
Lots of honeys in the crib and uh (yeah)
We got Zumas in the fridge so uh (yeah)
Pop a cap and fill me up (ya nah mean?)
Let's get this party started up (ya nah mean?)
Yeah, and we don't stop, c'mon, and we don't stop
[Phife Dawg]
Guess who's back and outta blood clot house?
With obscure ways to turn a party out
Shut a sucka, down, stage left clown
It's the Five-Foot Invasion that's about to go down
So what the deal, now? Who want it with the Phifer?
Number one, hands down, yo eff you and your cypher
If you wan' see me, betta make sure you're ready
Better revamp your ish, make sure it's legit
Rethink before recitin, gotta make sure you ain't bitin
Cause what I lack in height-in, I sho' make up in writin
+Remember this Titan+, who verses stay tight and
step up on the scene and the whole place bitin
Should a brought'cha A-Game, you wouldn't be so frightened
So now we're on the steez that ya broad-a straight likin
Better yet lovin, she love to get ta cuttin but EWW~!
(Yeah)...So I passed her on to will
[will.i.am]
Yo, we did it like this and we did it like that
Mr. will.i.am comin heavy on the track
You know it's intact precise and exact
When I'm hittin' your lovely with the soul clap
Cause nothin vibrates without a vibe
And you'll never have a nation if you never had a +Tribe+
And that's the sure shot
A-check, check, baby, cause ya don't stop
[Phife Dawg]
Diggy-Dawg Mutt Ranks, here I go to end the soft
Peep my persona, I bleeds up north
With a basic uniform would be, all types
of Tim boots, LIG, or a Sean John suit
My Knickerbocker retro compliments all that
New Era fitted to match, now who you think started that?
Queens we dress for success, never catch us lookin awful
Steel briefcase with the all black snorkel
With all that bein said, I rest in ATL
But New York is like my badge of honor, I wear it well
And with all that I've accomplished, no doubt my head swell
While clowns +Wish+ to be Carl Thomas or R. Kel
Need mortal words of Nas, +It Ain't Hard to Tell+
If you don't honor your craft then you can never excel
Y'all must of caught amnesia for all this work my Tribe put in
Despite breakin up, promoters still bookin
Tip "Amplified", I think a million was sold
Shaheed and Lucy Pearl, I think a million was sold
I'm the only one from Tribe who didn't get to see gold
Yet I'm platinum in the streets so my jewels you hold
Quadruple platinum if you let me tell it, well mother- uh!
Landspeed, yeah, that's right, I said it
Them bitch-ass niggaz coulda said they ain't know how to sell it
So when I'm seen in Cincinnati, y'all go straight +Hi-Tek+ it
When I'm seen in Motown, I'm a straight +Jay Dee-er+
Phife Dawg, left hand on penis, yuh nah see it?
One time for your mind, don't make me tap your jaw
I rep this mic for El Salvador to Baltimore, and even more
Hardcore, I bring to ya raw, ha!
You know I have no flaws , yeah
It's like that, y'all, it's like that, y'all,
It's like that-a-da-da-dat, it's like that y'all,uh
[Chorus]
[Outro: Phife Dawg] (will)
Yeah, Black Eyed Peas in the house and uh (yeah)
One fourth of Tribe in the house and uh (yeah)
We rep it like this (yeah)
'Robi one, where you at son? (yeah)
LA, back down to Queens
ATL, Oaktown, wassup? Ya nah mean?
(And we don't stop, c'mon, and we don't stop)
The lyrics of will.i.am's song Nah Mean are talking about a party that they are having, with will.i.am and Phife Dawg being present. The song starts off by mentioning that they have a lot of "honeys" present in the party along with "Zumas in the fridge", which is a reference to a popular brand of energy drinks. Phife Dawg then begins his verse by announcing his arrival and calling himself the "Five-Foot Invasion". He goes on to challenge anyone who is ready to compete with him and his skills. will.i.am then comes in with his verse where he talks about how he is "hitting" the crowd with his "soul clap" and that no nation can exist without a "Tribe". Phife Dawg continues his verse where he talks about his personal style and how he dresses. He also mentions the success that Tribe has had in the past and that despite not being as commercially successful as his bandmates, he is still well-regarded in the streets. The song ends with Phife Dawg and will.i.am shouting out different locations and giving props to their respective hometowns.
The lyrics of Nah Mean are a tribute to the golden age of hip-hop, where the lyrics mattered more than the beats. The song is also a celebration of the individuality and creativity of the artists involved, with each artist showcasing their unique style and personality. The references to energy drinks and fashion brands are a nod to the influence that consumerism has had on hip-hop culture. Overall, the lyrics of Nah Mean reflect the upbeat and celebratory mood of a party and serve as a reminder of the power of music to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
will.i.am's in the house and uh (yeah)
I'm here and I'm ready to party
Phife Dawg's in the house and uh (yeah)
My buddy Phife Dawg is here too
Lots of honeys in the crib and uh (yeah)
There are a lot of attractive women here
We got Zumas in the fridge so uh (yeah)
We have some high-quality drinks in the fridge
Pop a cap and fill me up (ya nah mean?)
Can I get something to drink, please?
Let's get this party started up (ya nah mean?)
Let's have a good time
Yeah, and we don't stop, c'mon, and we don't stop
We're not stopping any time soon
Guess who's back and outta blood clot house?
I'm back and ready to party
With obscure ways to turn a party out
I know how to make a good party happen
Shut a sucka, down, stage left clown
I can get rid of anyone who's ruining the party
It's the Five-Foot Invasion that's about to go down
My group is about to take over this party
So what the deal, now? Who want it with the Phifer?
Who's ready to party with me?
Number one, hands down, yo eff you and your cypher
I'm the best, and I don't care about anyone else
If you wan' see me, betta make sure you're ready
If you want to party with me, be prepared
Better revamp your ish, make sure it's legit
Make sure you're ready and have everything you need
Rethink before recitin, gotta make sure you ain't bitin
Think before you start rapping so you don't copy other people
Cause what I lack in height-in, I sho' make up in writin
I might be short, but I'm a great writer
+Remember this Titan+, who verses stay tight and
Remember me, the rapper with great lyrics
step up on the scene and the whole place bitin
Everyone is interested in me when I arrive
Should a brought'cha A-Game, you wouldn't be so frightened
If you were better, you wouldn't be scared of me
So now we're on the steez that ya broad-a straight likin
Now we're on the style that the women here like
Better yet lovin, she love to get ta cuttin but EWW~!
She likes to dance, but I don't want to think about that
(Yeah)...So I passed her on to will
I'm making will take care of her
Yo, we did it like this and we did it like that
This is how we party
Mr. will.i.am comin heavy on the track
will.i.am is doing a great job with the music
You know it's intact precise and exact
It's perfectly done
When I'm hittin' your lovely with the soul clap
When I start dancing with the women, it's mesmerizing
Cause nothin vibrates without a vibe
You need positive energy to have fun
And you'll never have a nation if you never had a +Tribe+
You need a group of like-minded people to make something great
And that's the sure shot
That's a guarantee
A-check, check, baby, cause ya don't stop
Keep dancing and having fun
Diggy-Dawg Mutt Ranks, here I go to end the soft
I'm ready to stop all the weak music
Peep my persona, I bleeds up north
Look at how I act, I'm from the north
With a basic uniform would be, all types
I can dress up in anything
of Tim boots, LIG, or a Sean John suit
I can wear different styles of clothing
My Knickerbocker retro compliments all that
My clothing goes well with the party's theme
New Era fitted to match, now who you think started that?
I started the trend of matching hats
Queens we dress for success, never catch us lookin awful
We always dress well in Queens
Steel briefcase with the all black snorkel
I have a cool briefcase and snorkel
With all that bein said, I rest in ATL
I live in Atlanta now
But New York is like my badge of honor, I wear it well
I still feel connected to New York even though I don't live there anymore
And with all that I've accomplished, no doubt my head swell
I'm proud of what I've done and confident as a result
While clowns +Wish+ to be Carl Thomas or R. Kel
Other people wish they could be as successful as me
Need mortal words of Nas, +It Ain't Hard to Tell+
In the words of Nas' famous song, it's not hard to see that I'm doing well
If you don't honor your craft then you can never excel
You won't succeed if you don't take your craft seriously
Y'all must of caught amnesia for all this work my Tribe put in
It seems like people forgot all the work my group did
Despite breakin up, promoters still bookin
Even though we broke up, people still want us to perform
Tip "Amplified", I think a million was sold
Tip's album Amplified sold a million copies
Shaheed and Lucy Pearl, I think a million was sold
Shaheed's group Lucy Pearl sold a million copies
I'm the only one from Tribe who didn't get to see gold
Out of my group, I didn't achieve the same level of success
Yet I'm platinum in the streets so my jewels you hold
Despite not being famous, I'm still valuable in my community
Quadruple platinum if you let me tell it, well mother- uh!
I'm even more valuable than you think I am
Landspeed, yeah, that's right, I said it
I'm moving fast and making things happen
Them bitch-ass niggaz coulda said they ain't know how to sell it
People who didn't believe in me are now trying to take credit for my success
So when I'm seen in Cincinnati, y'all go straight +Hi-Tek+ it
When I'm in Cincinnati, Hi-Tek's hometown, everyone should be respectful
When I'm seen in Motown, I'm a straight +Jay Dee-er+
When I'm in Detroit, Jay Dee's hometown, I pay respect to him
Phife Dawg, left hand on penis, yuh nah see it?
I'm joking around and having a good time
One time for your mind, don't make me tap your jaw
I'm just having fun, don't get mad
I rep this mic for El Salvador to Baltimore, and even more
I represent my music everywhere I go, from El Salvador to Baltimore and beyond
Hardcore, I bring to ya raw, ha!
I'm a hardcore rapper and I'm always authentic
You know I have no flaws , yeah
I'm perfect in my own way
It's like that, y'all, it's like that, y'all,
That's how we party
It's like that-a-da-da-dat, it's like that y'all,uh
Just keep having fun
Yeah, Black Eyed Peas in the house and uh (yeah)
My group is here and we're ready to party
One fourth of Tribe in the house and uh (yeah)
A member of my former group is here too
We rep it like this (yeah)
This is how we party
'Robi one, where you at son? (yeah)
I'm calling out to my friend Robi
LA, back down to Queens
We're representing both coasts of the US
ATL, Oaktown, wassup? Ya nah mean?
What's up to everyone from Atlanta and Oakland?
(And we don't stop, c'mon, and we don't stop)
We're not stopping the party any time soon
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
remaininginlight
RIP Phife. Legends never die...
MKisDefff
wouldve been great it will i am produced an entire phife album
Joel Kanny
It's a damn shame will.i.am didn't speak about Phife's death. It shows that he couldn't be bothered about hip-hop anymore, though MF DOOM didn't say anything about Phife's death despite him being on a KMD video.
Landy Williams
I wish I could find the instrumental to this song.
wot i di
PHIFE REST IN PEACE
DonaldWunder
Good Collab by Phife RIP
Cassius Clay
Say what?!! I was just going on a Minnie Ripleton trip through the Whosampled App and came across this. Never knew this album existed.
Get Some Have Some
This album has some Gems.
The one Will.i.am produced for John Legend on here, is Very nice.
Philip Ishevanopa Mago
so relatable