William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced “Will-I-am”), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and actor. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas.
As a solo artist, will.i.am has released four albums, beginning with Lost Change (2001), through Atlantic Records. His second solo outing, Must B 21, was released on September 23, 2003. The track “Go!” was regularly used as the theme for the NBA Live 2005 and Madden NFL 2005 seasons. The third album, Songs About Girls, was released on September 25, 2007. He released his fourth studio album, #willpower, in 2013.
As a music producer, will.i.am has worked for other artists including A.R. Rahman, Cheryl, Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Kesha, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, David Guetta, U2, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj, 2NE1, and Baby Kaely. In collaborations and with the Black Eyed Peas, he has a total of 41 top-40 entries on the UK Singles Chart since 1998, and has sold 9.4 million singles in the UK.
In addition to his music career, will.i.am has also been a judge and mentor on the television talent show series The Voice UK (2012-present), The Voice Australia (2014), and The Voice Kids (2017-present).