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 Other Side
will.i.am Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can’t put my arms around you
This feeling of no hope
Is overtaking me
It’s been really rough all night
With you locked on the other side
And the love that I can't find
Is the love that carries us
And I feel like I fly
To the other side of the world
Next to you
The way you smile leaves me tripping now
Time after time
As you wait there on the other side
I saw you on the pool deck
And I just nearly lost it
You’re always in my head
Your driving me crazy
You call me over to you
With a call to my hotel room
The love that we found here
Is the love that carries us
The way you walk makes me weightless
And I feel like I fly
To the other side of the world
Next to you
The way you smile leaves me tripping now
Time after time
As you wait there on the other side
Alone
No I don't wanna be
Alone
In a room that's empty
Alone
No I don’t wanna be
Alone
Without you now
The way you walk makes me weightless
And I feel like I fly
To the other side of the world
Next to you
The way you smile leaves me tripping now
Time after time
As you wait there on the other side
The lyrics of will.i.am's song The Other Side explore the overwhelming feeling of missing someone while being physically distant from them. The first verse finds the singer feeling trapped in a hotel room, unable to be with their loved one. The lack of hope and despair is palpable, with the "love that I can't find" adding to the sense of desperation. It's evident that the night has been long and challenging for the singer, who cannot help but feel that the only thing that can carry them through is the love they share with their beloved.
The chorus, where the singer sings about the love they share, highlights the power that love has. The way the person walks and smiles has a profound impact on the singer, making them feel weightless and free. The bridge section explores the fear of being alone, with the singer stating that they do not want to be alone in an empty room without their loved one. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the strength and power of love, even when physically apart.
Overall, The Other Side is a heartfelt song that explores a theme that many people can relate to - the feeling of missing someone when they're not present. The lyrics effectively convey the emotions associated with being separated from a loved one, and the chorus is powerful in its message that love carries us through the rough times.
Line by Line Meaning
Locked in this hotel room
Feeling trapped and isolated in a confined space
Can’t put my arms around you
Unable to physically embrace the person he desires
This feeling of no hope
A sense of despair and helplessness
Is overtaking me
Taking control of his emotions and thoughts
It’s been really rough all night
Experiencing a challenging and difficult time for an extended period
With you locked on the other side
Feeling separated and unable to connect with the person he desires
And the love that I can't find
Unable to locate the love he seeks
Is the love that carries us
The love he desires is what keeps him going
The way you walk makes me weightless
The person he desires has a captivating and mesmerizing way of walking
And I feel like I fly
He experiences a feeling of euphoria and lightness
To the other side of the world
Traveling to the farthest reaches of the world to be with his desired person
Next to you
Being in proximity and connection with his desired person
The way you smile leaves me tripping now
Her smile has a powerful and intoxicating effect on him
Time after time
Repeatedly and consistently experiencing the same emotions
As you wait there on the other side
The person he desires is patiently waiting for him but still out of reach
I saw you on the pool deck
Spotting the person he desires in a specific location
And I just nearly lost it
Almost losing control of his emotions due to excitement or anticipation
You’re always in my head
Thinking about the person he desires constantly
Your driving me crazy
The person he desires is causing him to feel overwhelmed and out of control
You call me over to you
The person he desires is beckoning him to come towards them
With a call to my hotel room
The person he desires is able to reach him despite their physical separation
Alone
Feeling isolated and lonely
No I don't wanna be
Expressing a clear desire to not be alone
In a room that's empty
Being in an empty and deserted space
Without you now
Feeling incomplete and unfulfilled without the person he desires
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Blake Stokes, Cameron Kapoor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind