By his own admission, will.i.am, the rapper/singer/songwriter/producer, is a “popthropologist”.
“I’m someone who studies pop culture in current times versus past civilizations,” explains The Black Eyed Peas founder.
Such pompous declarations might be ill-placed for anyone else, but not for this 38-year-old musical icon, who, since he launched the Peas in 1995, has managed to be to the forefront of pop music, with millions of record sales to his credit.
“Music has allowed me to travel around the globe and meet fans and see what is happening in popular culture,” he adds. “It literally saved my life.”
It’s also something he is using to pay it forward, travelling the world to inspire youngsters to find the means to turn their dreams into reality.
“When I was young, my family and friends supported my dreams and mission to become a success in the music business. Now that I have achieved success it is my turn to support young people,” he says.
On Wednesday, will.i.am will join legendary producer Quincy Jones and Timbaland at the Producers Panel at the first ever Dubai Music Week at Dubai World Trade Centre to discuss the music production industry. The trio will also pick one Arab musician who will be groomed by Jones for an international career.
The six-day event, owned by Jones’ company, Global Gumbo Group, will also see will.i.am take the stage for a DJ gig the next day, on September 26, along with Timbaland.
“It will be exciting to return to Dubai and to see how the city has grown since my last trip with The Black Eyed Peas,” says will.i.am, who performed with his band eight years ago in the city. “Dubai is very focussed on the future, which I find extremely interesting.
“I will [be talking] about the state of the music industry, which, like Dubai, has undergone tremendous change in the past decade.”
Born William Adams in Los Angeles, will.i.am was raised by his single mother, who encouraged his early interest in music to sway him away from the prevalent gang culture.
“It gave me focus,” he says. “And this focus and drive propelled me to become successful versus falling in with the wrong crowd.”
Despite forming The Black Eyed Peas in 1995, it wasn’t until 2003’s Elephunk album, with his song Where is the Love? that will.i.am first tasted massive international success. By 2011, a year after their sixth album, The Beginning, was released, they had sold 42 million and became the band with one of the most downloaded tracks in the world.
will.i.am has also worked on a number of solo albums, with his fourth, #willpower, released in April. And to prove that he’s as relevant and in touch with the current crop of pop stars, the album features collaborations with everyone from Justin Bieber to Miley Cyrus, Nicole Scherzinger, Skylar Grey and Britney Spears.
These days though, he’s somewhat of a “chic geek”.
Besides the always interesting fashion choices – signature funky eyewear, check – he currently serves as the creative consultant with chip maker Intel, owns a stake in Beats, Dr Dre’s hit range of designer headphones, and launched his fashion-meets-technology brand i.am+ last year. The brand’s first product, the foto.sosho iPhone accessory, which enhances the phone’s camera, was made available in the UK.
Last year, he also launched Ekocycle, a brand which, along with The Coca-Cola Company, aims “to elevate the importance of recycling and to turn waste into a valued commodity”. It sells co-branded fashion apparel, accessories and sporting goods that incorporate recycled plastic bottles.
“STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, is fascinating and vitally important,” he says, explaining his obsession with technology. “Everything we do, devices we use, the cars that we drive, all incorporate technology. We should celebrate leaders in STEM like we celebrate pop stars and athletes.”
To ensure it’s not all just lip service and brand building, will.i.am says he’s enrolled himself in a computer code writing class.
“Every student should learn how to write computer code – it is today’s and tomorrow’s global language,” he says. “Digital media has opened up creative expression to almost anyone. If you have a smartphone and a laptop computer, you can make a movie or a music video. You can also publish/share your creativity with millions of people and bypass traditional barriers at TV networks or film studios.”
Philanthropy is an essential element of his success story, he adds.
His non-profit i.am.angel provides free education to youngsters in his hometown community of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles.
“By supporting [the youth] through education, these students can become successful leaders who will create new jobs and businesses versus moving away from the area,” he says. “I am hands-on: I visit the i.am College Track centre at Roosevelt High School regularly to check on student progress, arrange for enrichment field trips and activities, and also present on stage with top students at industry conferences.
“Students from i.am. College Track have presented on stage at my annual TRANS4M conference, met President Bill Clinton, met NASA astonauts and scientists, travelled to China as exchange students to advance their Mandarin skills, and most recently presented at the ESRI Users Conference before 10,000 GIS/mapping experts.
“The TRANS4M conference day also includes a benefit concert the same day in the evening where we raise millions of dollars needed to help support i.am.angel foundation programmes.”
Music, however, is the first love, and performing around the world.
“The way we consume music has changed,” he says, when asked how he thought the industry has evolved. “Fans are visually oriented, so they want to see a music video for every song. Just putting out a song/audio only is no longer enough. Downloading music and buying individual songs versus an album has changed the notion of what an album is.”
For his Dubai Music Week performance, he only has one assurance: “It will be an electrifying night.”
•will.i.am will join Quincy Jones and Timbaland for the Producers Panel at Dubai Music Week on September 25 and will perform the next day, along with Timbaland. For tickets prices to specific events and other concerts including Selena Gomez (September 27) and Bollywood night (September 28), go to dubaimusicweek.com
