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".
Reach For The Stars
will.i.am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I've seen the footprints on the moon
Why do they say the sky is the limit?
When I've seen the footprints on the moon
And I know the sky might be high
But baby it ain't really that high
And I know that Mars might be far
But baby it ain't really that far
Reach for the stars
Let's reach for the stars
Reach for the stars
Let's reach for the stars
Reach for the stars
Let's reach for the stars
(Let me see your hands up)
(Let me see your hands up)
Can't nobody hold me back
They can't hold me down
They can't keep me trapped
Tie me to the ground
Told y'all people that we don't mess around
When I turn it up
Please don't turn me (down)
I'ma turn it up
Louder than I was before
Like a lion out the jungle, you can hear me roar
I ain't lying, I'm as serious as cancer
It's a mega smasher, I'ma ghetto blaster
Hands up, reach for the stars
Hands up, get 'em up high
Hands up, if you really feel alive
Live it up, live it up
Why they say the sky is the limit
When I've seen the footprints on the moon
Why do they say the sky is the limit
When I've seen the footprints on the moon
And I know the sky, might be high
But baby it ain't really that high
And I know that Mars, might be far
But baby it ain't really that far
Let's reach for the stars
Reach for the stars
Let's reach for the stars
Reach for the stars
Let's reach for the stars
Reach for the stars
Let's reach for the stars (Let me see your hands up)
In his song "Reach For The Stars," Will.i.am questions why people consider the sky to be the limit when man has already set foot on the moon. He insists that the sky, though it may appear to be vast and expansive, is not as enormous as we think it is. Mars may be far, but not beyond our reach. He encourages everyone to reach for the stars and fulfill their dreams, reminding them that nothing can hold them back or confine them to the ground.
In the chorus, the repetition of the line "Let's reach for the stars" serves as a call to action, urging listeners to strive for greatness and pursue their aspirations. Will.i.am expresses his determination to succeed, indicating that nothing can impede his progress or dampen his spirit. He warns that he will only turn up the volume despite anyone trying to turn him down, exemplifying his unyielding resilience and unrestrained passion.
Overall, Will.i.am encourages individuals to ignore perceived limitations and to use their imagination and creativity to accomplish greater things. He inspires people to believe in themselves and to take bold steps towards achieving their goals, declaring that the sky is not the limit and that the possibilities are endless.
Line by Line Meaning
Why they say the sky is the limit?
Why does society believe there is a limit when I have already witnessed people stepping on the moon?
When I've seen the footprints on the moon
I have witnessed footprints on the moon myself, so why is society holding back from pushing the limits?
Why do they say the sky is the limit?
Why are people restricting themselves and being told that they can only reach a certain point when there is much more to explore and achieve?
And I know the sky might be high
I am aware that the sky is quite high, but it should not be a limitation as there are ways to surpass it.
But baby it ain't really that high
In reality, the sky is not as high as people perceive it to be, which should motivate individuals to aim higher.
And I know that Mars might be far
I am aware that Mars is quite far, but it should not stop us from reaching for it.
But baby it ain't really that far
In reality, Mars is not as far as it seems, and this should inspire us to set our sights even higher.
Let's reach for the stars
Let's set our goals high and strive to achieve the impossible.
Hands up, reach for the stars
Raise your hands and aim for something great.
Can't nobody hold me back
No one can hinder my progress or limit the potential success I can achieve.
They can't hold me down
Others do not have the power to bring me down and discourage me from reaching my goals.
They can't keep me trapped
People or circumstances cannot keep me confined or limited from what I can achieve.
Tie me to the ground
No one can restrain or limit my ability to reach for my goals.
Told y'all people that we don't mess around
I told everyone that we are serious about our aspirations and will not let anything stop us from achieving them.
When I turn it up, please don't turn me (down)
When I am giving it my all, don't try to bring me down or discourage me from pushing forward.
I'ma turn it up, louder than I was before
I will continue to pursue my goals with more ferocity and intensity than ever before.
Like a lion out the jungle, you can hear me roar
I am bold and confident like a lion in the jungle, and my determination and success cannot be ignored.
I ain't lying, I'm as serious as cancer
I am not exaggerating; I am deeply committed and driven to achieve my goals, and nothing can stand in my way.
It's a mega smasher, I'ma ghetto blaster
I am a powerhouse of positive influence, and I will smash any obstacles in my path like a powerful boombox.
Hands up, get 'em up high
Raise your hands as high as possible; show your readiness to achieve great things.
Hands up, if you really feel alive
Raise your hands if you have the energy and motivation to achieve your wildest dreams.
Live it up, live it up
Live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment of it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Onree J. Gill, Kenneth Oliver, Will Adams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mandii M.
todasssss.. todaaas las canciones de #willpower ME ENCANTAN <3 love u will.i.am <3
NAHUEL
Freshy? Geeking? También ? Porque son mis favoritass incluida está, aunque me gusten todas esas son mis favoritas
SuperDopeGuy
Still a great song 👍🔥
Paulnakrub
I cannot believe myself...im now falling in love with this album !!! WILL ! How genius you are !! So talented !!!
Jeremy Wong
Cant wait for the album to come out!! Love the music from Will.i.am!!
Luiz Eduardo
Toopissima, Will arrasando como sempre...
Luiz Eduardo
Toopissima, Will arrasando como sempre...
Cristhel Luciano
All your music is fantastic Will :)
TATIANA CASTILLO
Ufff que canción tan hermosa :D
Andres Rodas
I will reach the stars with this song!!!