will.i.am facts for kids

William Adams
will.i.am in 2012
Born	William James Adams Jr. (1975-03-15) March 15, 1975 (age 50) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Will 1X Zuper Blahq
Alma mater	Harvard Business School
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter record producer entrepreneur actor
Years active	1988–present
Organization	i.am+
Works	Discography filmography production
Relatives	Lynn Cain (maternal uncle)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Hip-hop pop rap dance-pop electropop pop R&B
Instruments	Vocals keyboards bass drums
Labels	Epic E1 Interscope Beat Generation will.i.am Barely Breaking Even Atlantic Ruthless
Signature

William Adams (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. He formed the group with rappers apl.de.ap and Taboo in 1995. The group became very famous with hit albums like Elephunk (2003) and The E.N.D. (2009).

Besides working with his band, will.i.am has released music as a solo artist. He has also produced songs for many other famous stars, including Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, and Usher. He has won seven Grammy Awards for his music.

Outside of music, will.i.am loves technology and science. He has started his own technology companies and supports robotics education for students. He has also appeared on television shows like The Voice UK and voiced characters in animated movies like Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Rio.

Early life and education

William James Adams Jr. was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 15, 1975. He was raised by his mother, Debra, in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. His mother encouraged him to be unique and focus on his education and creative talents. To help him succeed, she sent him to schools in West Los Angeles, which required a long bus ride every day.

While attending high school, William met Allan Pineda, who is now known as apl.de.ap. They became best friends and started performing music together. They performed in clubs around Los Angeles and eventually formed a rap group called Atban Klann. This group caught the attention of record labels, starting William's career in the music industry.

Music career

The Black Eyed Peas

will.i.am performing with the Black Eyed Peas in June 2009

In 1995, the group changed their name to the Black Eyed Peas. They welcomed a new member, Jaime Gomez, known as Taboo. They released their first album, Behind the Front, in 1998.

The group became international superstars with their third album, Elephunk, released in 2003. This was the first album to feature singer Fergie. The album included the massive hit song "Where Is the Love?", which shared a message of peace and unity.

They continued their success with the album Monkey Business in 2005. Later, they changed their style to include more electronic and dance music sounds. Their 2009 album, The E.N.D., produced huge hits like "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling". "I Gotta Feeling" became one of the best-selling digital songs of all time.

Solo projects and producing

will.i.am in Los Angeles, California in 2010

Will.i.am has also released four solo albums. His album Songs About Girls came out in 2007. In 2013, he released #willpower, which included the popular song "Scream & Shout" featuring Britney Spears.

He is a very successful music producer, meaning he helps other artists create their songs. He has worked with:

• Michael Jackson
• Justin Timberlake
• Rihanna
• Lady Gaga
• Nicki Minaj
• Usher (producing the hit "OMG")

In 2012, his song "Reach for the Stars" became the first song to be broadcast from another planet. It was played by the Curiosity rover on Mars to an audience at NASA.

Technology and science

will.i.am speaking at a robotics event in 2011

Will.i.am is very passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). He wants to inspire young people to become inventors and engineers.

• Robotics: He is a big supporter of FIRST, an organization that holds robotics competitions for students. He even hosted a TV special to celebrate science and technology.
• Innovation: In 2011, Intel named him their director of creative innovation. He has also helped design smartwatches and other gadgets through his company, i.am+.
• Education: He plans to teach a class on artificial intelligence at Arizona State University starting in 2026.

Television and movies

Television

Will.i.am is a popular television personality. He has served as a coach on the singing competition show The Voice UK since it began in 2012. He also coached on The Voice Australia and The Voice Kids. On these shows, he mentors new singers and helps them improve their performance skills.

Movies

He has acted in several films, often using his voice for animated characters:

• Moto Moto: The hippopotamus in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008).
• Pedro: A rapping cardinal bird in Rio (2011) and Rio 2 (2014).
• John Wraith: A character in the superhero movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).

Personal life

In 2013, will.i.am shared that he has ADHD. He has said that music helps him focus his energy. He decided to become a vegan in 2017 to improve his health.

He is also known for his charity work. His i.am Angel Foundation helps students in his hometown of Boyle Heights get better education and access to technology.

In 2024, he graduated from Harvard Business School after completing a leadership program.

Discography

Studio albums

• Lost Change (2001)
• Must B 21 (2003)
• Songs About Girls (2007)
• #willpower (2013)

Filmography

Film

Awards

Will.i.am has won many awards for his music and television work.

• Grammy Awards: He has won 7 Grammys. Some of these were with the Black Eyed Peas for songs like "Let's Get It Started" and "I Gotta Feeling". He also won for his solo video "Yes We Can".
• Daytime Emmy Awards: He won an award in 2008 for his song supporting the 2008 presidential election.
• Latin Grammy Awards: He won an award in 2006 for producing an album for Sérgio Mendes.

Images for kids

• 

  will.i.am performing at a concert in 2009

• 

  will.i.am in 2018

• 

  will.i.am at a technology event in 2025

See also

In Spanish: Will.i.am para niños