Will.i.am and Van Jones teamed up to host a groundbreaking tech summit in Los Angeles, aiming to spotlight the future leaders of the tech industry. Dubbed “Make Wakanda Real,” the event was held at Will’s FYI Campus and showcased a diverse range of innovators, tech experts, and entrepreneurs.
Special Guest Appearances
On Thursday, Nov. 9, Will.i.am and Van Jones joined forces to co-host an innovative tech summit in Los Angeles, aiming to spotlight the emerging leaders within the tech industry.
The “Make Wakanda Real” summit, spearheaded by music icon Will.i.am and political commentator Van Jones, sought to raise awareness about technological advancements and the need for diversity within the industry. Notable guests such as Tiffany Haddish, Ashton Kutcher, and Jason Lee joined the summit to support the cause, demonstrating the growing importance of minorities in the tech space.
The event attracted many influential figures, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, actor Boris Kodjoe, and Black Ambition Opportunity Fund CEO Felecia Hatcher, who offered their expertise and insights through virtual panels.
Will.i.am On AI’s Benefits
Ashton Kutcher, a renowned actor and venture capitalist, emphasized the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in bridging the gap for underserved communities, particularly in the medical and legal realms.
His commitment to utilizing AI for social impact has already led to the raising of hundreds of millions of dollars for various causes. During the summit, Will.i.am engaged in a lively discussion about the potential risks and benefits of AI.
Expressing co about AI becoming sentient and conquering humans, he exchanged banter with a computer program, highlighting the growing complexity of AI technologies.
The event received praise from Twitter(X) users, with one user stating, “That’s a great step towards thinking about the future,” and another commenting, “Amazing night.”
Issa Rae and Timbaland Headline For Tech Summit
Speaking of a more technological and innovative future, the annual AfroTech conference, celebrating Black success in the tech industry, featured headliners Issa Rae and Timbaland. The AfroTech conference, established in 2016, serves as a digital hub for Black S.T.E.M. professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinkers.
One thing you might not have known about Black Eyed Peas memberwill.i.am is that he is a big-time F1 racing fan. The fast-growing sport has been one of will’s favorite things to watch and he is happy to be a part of this partnership. It began back in early May of this year with the release of his first single in over a decade. He teamed up with another hip-hop legend, Lil Wayne for one of their few collaborations.
“THE FORMULA” got things started and now we have another track, “LET’S GO.” This one features J Balvin and unlike the previous collaboration, this is not their first rodeo together. The Latin singer and rapper teamed up on the Black Eyed Peas 2020 hit “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life).” will.i.am knows how to create global bangers and this is another one for sure.
It has radio-friendly and worldwide appeal with EDM and electronic-like production. The chorus is also very catchy. will.i.am certainly brought a stadium-ready track that will get everyone hype for the next big-time Formula 1 race. In fact, the 2023 season is still underway. The next race is tomorrow (October 22) at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
What are your initial thoughts on this brand-new single from will.i.am and J Balvin, “LET’S GO?” Is this the better of the two tracks from will.i.am? Did you know he was into F1 racing? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around will.i.am, as well as all of the hottest song drops.
Quotable Lyrics:
Comin’ through like trouble, rappin’ with the verbo Break through the barricade, deep up in a hurdle Gotta get over before I get on the number one Número uno, universal, ayy, ayy, ayy Y’all better follow the leader Never lookin’ back, that’s why I can’t see ya
Britney Spears and will.i.am first collaborated in 2012 for the hit “Scream & Shout.” Earlier this week, the pair teased a new song together, “Mind Your Business,” and it’s coming tomorrow, July 21. To increase anticipation, the Black Eyed Peas frontman discussed the track with CBS Mornings.
“Music is therapy for lots of people; people that make music, people that listen to music,” he said. “Dancing is therapy for lots of people; people that make music, people that listen to music. When you have that connection with music and rhythm and song and melody and harmony and you express yourself through that, it helps you with anything that you’re going through. I see that every time I see her dance on her Instagram, I light up because I see how much she loves music.”
“To collaborate with her now and then, when you’re in the studio and you’re making music, that’s the only thing that matters,” he continued. “So I see the same light, the same joy, the same love and passion.”
He added, “I’ve been a fan, a friend, and a supporter of Britney throughout the years. A supporter as far as someone who goes out and listens to her music, a supporter as far as someone that’s there to help champion her through her times where she was fighting for her liberation. She is an amazing person.”
In late 2012, will.i.am and Britney Spears teamed up for “Scream & Shout,” and it turned out to be a hit: It topped charts around the world and managed a No. 3 peak on the Billboard Hot 100, and just a couple months ago, the song’s video reached a billion views on YouTube. Now, the pair is getting back in the saddle with a new collaboration that’s set to drop today (July 18).
will.i.am and Spears shared a teaser video for “Mind Your Business” yesterday, which starts by looking back at their previous collab with the lyrics, “You are now rockin’ with will.i.am and Britney, b*tch.” It then offers a brief snippet of the new song, which sees Spears singing, “Mind your business, b*tch.” The video notes the song is set to arrive today.
will.i.am all but confirmed the collaboration in a recent interview, saying with a smile, “Yeah, there’s been things in the works, things that we’ve done in the past.” He also noted, “We’ve done cool things together, and I’m so happy that she’s on this new journey and shining. She’s still got hurdles, but you know what, we’re all there to support her.”
The song isn’t out yet, but there’s a pre-save link here.
Tyler, The Creator, showed The Black Eyed Peas some love on July 1. The band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album, 1998’s Behind the Front. Tyler says he credits that album for his start into bossa nova music, saying, “Thank you for helping shape my ear and getting me started to write words down” in a lengthy Tweet. However, he also called will.i.am, the de facto leader of the Black Eyed Peas, a “dipstick.” So despite his appreciation for what BEP has done for his career, Tyler still took a silly potshot at the performance group’s main guy.
Despite the slight dig, he also praises will.i.am for his ability to locate great samples for BEP music. Tyler says that will.i.am’s ear is what led him to do the Sergio Mendes project years later. He’s making a reference to Mendes’ Timeless, which showcased will.i.am as a collaborator on the 2006 album. While he gives a nod to the music producer and artist, he still calls him a dipstick outright. So what happens when will.i.am finds the Tweet and responds to the rapper?
Tyler, The Creator & The Black Eyed Peas Love/Hate
will. i. am is still a dipstick BUT 25 years ago Behind The Front by the Black Eyed Peas (1998) released. one of the first hip hop albums i owned. 7 years old, i wrote my first rap to the second half of ‘positivity’ ( starts around the 5 minute mark). ‘the way you make me feel’ (… pic.twitter.com/EeJrRAABRZ
Will.i.am saw the Tweet and responded in kind, but only in kindness. “Thanks for the LOVE,” he wrote to Tyler, The Creator. “I’m beyond proud of you… You’re an amazing contribution to the world of music and all things creative…” He’s also celebrating the anniversary of the album, which launched his career for the most part. However, Behind the Front only got to number 129 on the Billboard 200. It wasn’t until Fergie came on and they released 2003’s Elephunk that they became the hip-hop icons they are today.
As for Tyler, The Creator, he recently released Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale, in which new music from the album’s cutting floor made it back into this deluxe version of Call Me If You Get Lost. New singles include “Dogtooth” and “Sorry Not Sorry.” And this is not the first time Tyler has posted about will.i.am, with an apparent beef brewing way back in 2013 over an alleged bet between the two musical artists. However, based on the current Twitter back-and-forth, it looks like it’s all water under the bridge…even if Tyler is still taking mini-jabs at the BEP legend.
Will.I.Am, a multi-talented musician, producer, and entrepreneur, has significantly impacted the music industry, but what is his net worth in 2023? Let’s dive deeper into his successful journey and explore how he has amassed his wealth.
Will.I.Am Net Worth
As of 2023, his estimated net worth is around $70 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Will.I.Am’s Early Career & Success With Black Eyed Peas
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER, 1999: (L-R) Haitian-American rapper, producer, songwriter and actor Praz Michel, Haitian rapper, musician and actor Wyclef Jean, Filipino American rapper, singer and record producer Apl.de.Ap, American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Will.I.Am and American rapper, songwriter, actor and DJ Taboo, of the American musical group Black Eyed Peas, pose for a portrait in the studio circa November, 1999 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images)
Born William James Adams Jr., Will.I.Am began his career in the early 1990s. He formed the group Atban Klann, which eventually evolved into the Black Eyed Peas (BEP). The band’s big break came in 2003 with their third album, Elephunk. The album included hit singles like “Where Is the Love?” and “Let’s Get It Started,” catapulting the group to international fame. The following albums, Monkey Business, The E.N.D., and The Beginning, also garnered massive success. The BEP’s global album sales have exceeded 80 million, significantly contributing to Will.I.Am’s net worth.
Solo Music Career & Collaborations
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 08: Singers will.i.am, winner of the Best Urban/Alternative Performance award for “Be OK” poses in the press room during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Apart from his success with the BEP, Will.I.Am has also enjoyed a fruitful solo career. His first solo album, Lost Change, was released in 2001. However, it was his third solo album, Songs About Girls, that gained more recognition with singles like “I Got It from My Mama” and “Heartbreaker.” Additionally, Will.I.Am has collaborated with numerous high-profile artists, such as Britney Spears, Usher, and Justin Bieber, further increasing his net worth.
Television & Film Appearances
NEW YORK – JULY 18: Musician Will.i.am attends the Mandela Day: A 46664 Celebration Concert at Radio City Music Hall on July 18, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)
Will.I.Am’s involvement in television and film has also contributed to his wealth. He has been a coach on the UK version of The Voice since 2012, bringing his unique perspective and experience to aspiring musicians. In the film industry, he has lent his voice to animated characters in movies like Rio and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. These diverse projects have expanded his portfolio and earnings.
Will.I.Am: Tech Entrepreneur & Philanthropy
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Singer will.i.am attends the 40th American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Will.I.Am’s ventures extend beyond music and entertainment, as he has made significant strides in the tech industry. He founded his own technology company, i.am+, specializing in consumer electronics and artificial intelligence. The company has developed products like the Puls smartwatch and the Buttons Bluetooth earphones.
His philanthropic efforts are also noteworthy. Will.I.Am founded the i.am.angel Foundation, which aims to transform lives through education, inspiration, and opportunity. The foundation has launched initiatives like i.am College Track. This program provides comprehensive support to students from underserved communities. There is also i.am STEAM, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math education. These ventures not only help others but also bolster his brand and reputation.
Conclusion/TLDR
With an estimated net worth of $70 million as of 2023, Will.I.Am has undoubtedly achieved a great deal throughout his career. His success can be attributed to his work with the Black Eyed Peas, solo music projects, collaborations, television appearances, and tech entrepreneurship. His philanthropic initiatives also demonstrate his dedication to giving back and making a difference in the lives of others. As Will.I.Am continues to evolve and explore new opportunities. His net worth will likely continue to grow.
will.i.am has long held a reputation for being at the forefront of innovation in music. The Black Eyed Peas frontman has been quick to embrace technology, from a Bluetooth face mask to an AI-powered messenger platform for artists to collaborate. And as AI has come to dominate the discussion of the musical landscape, it’s only natural that will has some strong opinions on where the technology is headed.
will shared those views with UPROXX at the launch of his FYI messaging platform, giving his candid view and explaining why he thinks “the machine is gonna do everything.” Comparing AI to well-worn tools in hip-hop like turntables and beat machines, he envisions a future where AI is not just “the group” — writing, producing, and “performing” the music — but also the marketing, legal, and accounting departments, ensuring that algorithms maximize the efficiency of every aspect of the music industry, essentially replacing human beings in most fundamental positions, save for one.
“The future of popular music isn’t people,” he predicts. “But the future of social activism around music, that’s the only way I think we are still going to be needed.” He suggests such artists as Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Public Enemy, and Stevie Wonder as examples before warning that creating music to feed recommendation algorithms is going to become impossible. “The algorithm will out-algorithmic you.”
The antidote, he says, will be to create “organic” music that taps into human emotions more effectively than the machine-created variety. The future is full of possibilities and not all of them are particularly appetizing, but there’s no question: The genie is out of the bottle, and there’s no going back. will.i.am knows this and remains on the cutting edge, whether that’s pushing the genre into new markets like Formula 1 racing or just continuing to contribute his unique viewpoint in songs like “The Formula” with Lil Wayne.
Watch will.i.am break down the future of AI in music above.
MIAMI – will.i.am needs to eat. He’s been pulled into TV live hits, quick meetings, meet and greets, and plenty of selfies, and he hasn’t had time to sit down to collect his thoughts. He puts an order in at the Mercedes compound in the team village and should have just enough time to enjoy that before heading out to the track for driver intros and a chance to showcase his new track, “The Formula” with Lil Wayne, marking a pivot for F1 that feels almost two decades coming.
While those driver intros — much more NBA All-Star Weekend than traditional motorsports — still are taking a little bit of getting used to, it’s the culmination of something will.i.am has seen as the future of F1 since his first in-person race experience in Singapore in 2008. F1 is hitting its stride in the States, which means more American-style pageantry and a general shift toward personalities that took a huge step forward in large part thanks to Netflix’s Drive To Survive series. As Max Verstappen (who ran a perfect race, starting near the back due to a fluky qualifying session on Saturday, but still managed to pass fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez to win the Miami GP) mentioned during a short Q+A in Heineken’s Paddock Club, he often can’t do much more than go from training or track to hotel and back. Going out to dinner is a challenge now.
But all the drivers, despite the frustration, would agree this is ultimately good for the sport, and the opportunities to do more and more off-track have them reaching superstar status usually reserved for Oscar winners and first-name footballers.
There’s still more room for F1 to enter and disrupt the zeitgeist, and that’s where will.i.am comes in. As artist in residence for the sport, “The Formula” is just one component, and he sees chances to drop not just more songs into the mix, but add his cultural expertise and futurist perspective. It’s a project that seems uniquely suited for will, who has made his career on being not just in the moment, but creating the next moment in the studio, in business, in AI, and elsewhere.
UPROXX Sports had a chance to speak with will.i.am about the road to working with F1, where the sport can go moving forward, and what’s next.
Martin Rickman: How did the F1 opportunity come about for you?
will.i.am: There’s some opportunities that come to you, and then there’s opportunities that you materialize. So I had the idea to connect dots that people didn’t see, and those dots that people didn’t see are that F1 has amazing events that happen before the race. Friday’s crazy and the night is amazing, no matter what city you go to. Friday is the practice run. The party on Friday night is always the best. Saturday is qualifying. The party on Saturday is insane. Sunday is the race, and it’s like a moving freaking festival circus in the form of a race. But what the people see when it’s broadcast is just the race.
Just the race.
They don’t see the arts and the culture that’s happening in and around the races. And they fly artists out to perform at these parties, the local promoters. But that’s not captured in the broadcast.
No. That’s just for the people who are able to be at those.
Right. So I was like, “Hey, why don’t we do like an artist residency concept where one of the artists gets selected, they make an album, they release singles around key locations and videos?” In this case, me and Lil Wayne for the Formula. Me and J Balvin for a song that’s going to come out in the next couple of months. And then an album right around the end of the season in Vegas. And then the last song and video for Abu Dhabi in the race. And you repeat next year. And I pitched this concept to F1 CEO Stefano [Domenicali]. I attend the Harvard Business School. He was speaking. So I flew out to Mexico. He’s like, “Oh, I have to go to Boston and I’m speaking at Harvard.” I’m like, “I go to Harvard.”
You’re here right now.
And so he’s like, “Well, let’s meet up.” I was like, “Okay.” So from Mexico flying back to Boston is when I was like, “Whoa, I’m going to pitch him an amazing idea. Let me get this idea in order.” So I pitched him the vision at Harvard Business School.
Amazing. And so obviously he was into it, and then it led to it actually happening. Because nothing happens overnight. You work on things for years sometimes to make these things happen.
So it took from November the second until — here we are, May 5, May 8 — to get everything and the deal done, make the songs, shoot the video, record the orchestra, film the orchestra, film the video, film the part of this video for “The Formula” on the Saudi track. And all the activities, all the organizing strategy, finalizing on notes and edits all happened on FYI.
And for people who aren’t familiar yet with FYI, the app that you’ve been developing for the past three years, was this a good pilot opportunity for you to utilize the project, kind of in real-time, and then be able to continue to test everything that you had been working on?
So the first pilot, we knew the power of it by working with ITV, to do The Voice this year. And Mercedes, I worked with Mercedes very closely, the car that I made last year that I launched here [in Miami], we used the product for that. So we’ve stress-tested it and put it to work. But this is the first time it’s at this scale, though.
For F1 specifically for you, what was your introduction to the sport, and what is it about that sport that is so interesting? Is it that connective tissue between art, culture, music, fashion, sport, and all that? Because you live at that nexus, but you’ve always also lived at the nexus of the future of all of these things. And I feel you’re constantly thinking about that stuff before anyone else is.
The first race I’ve been to was 2008. So I went to Singapore. Black Eyed Peas did the show there. And then from there I was like, “Whoa, this is something else. What is this? This is not like any other sport.” And I knew about it even before then because I introduced Lewis [Hamilton] to Nicole [Scherzingerback] in 2007. That’s like a year. So 2007 when I introduced Lewis to Nicole, and 2008 we played Singapore and then, boom, we were rocking from there.
In terms of the future of sport and of this sport specifically, where do you see it heading? And do you think that the progress that’s been made, not just with Drive To Survive, with the opportunities you have for artists in residence, the parties, all those other things that are coming through, where can it go from here? Because it still feels like there’s an opportunity to kind of open the door up to more people, but also collaboration and creativity in those things.
Let’s take basketball as an example. Basketball in the 80s was not fashion and culture. It was just a sport. But Jordan and Nike brought a whole new vibrancy to wearing basketball shoes out in the world. Right?
It’s not just performance. It becomes something else.
Yeah. Lifestyle and culture. So I think F1 is on its route to that because, if you think of fashion, I wouldn’t say that this sport has done that crossover of that yet but it’s on its way to do that. It’s on its way to impact that level of culture. I think Lewis is a big major factor on how it crosses over to the world of fashion like basketball has.
How important has it been to be able to sit at these tables with other people that maybe you haven’t had the chance to talk to yet, but you wanted to, whether it is Sergio or someone like that to work towards those next things you want to do?
Networking is great, but I don’t want to be that. You want to be careful that you’re not that guy. I don’t want to be that guy where it’s like going to tables because people, they want their space. They’re here with their folks. So it’s a balance. Taking the opportunity when people want to introduce you to people, but I also want to give people their space.
On May 5th, Will.i.am, the founder of the Black Eyed Peas, joined a growing list of hip-hop celebrities who have expressed concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.). During an appearance on Sirius XM, he engaged in a lengthy discussion with DJ Whoo Kid and his co-hosts, Mack and Jen. They spoke about the effects of A.I. on society and the arts. His views were similar to those expressed by other artists about the future of art. It seems uncertain in a world dominated by A.I.
When asked about his thoughts on whether artists should be worried about A.I., Will.i.am responded by stating that it is a legitimate concern. He went on to express his desire to safeguard his face from the potential threats posed by the technology, saying, “I am my face math, I don’t own that. I own the rights to ‘I Got A Feeling,’ but I don’t own the rights to my face or my voice? There are new laws and industries about to boof.”
Will.i.am is far from the only artist that has criticized A.I. Drake has been in the headlines a lot recently for the same reason. The rapper has been involuntarily involved in the new wave of A.I. music that has begun to saturate social platforms. From funny covers to nonexistent collaborations, A.I. creators are taking the concept and running with it. Drake isn’t too happy about it either. In fact, he called an A.I.-generated cover of Ice Spice’s “Munch (Feeling You)” the final straw. It’s not clear where to draw the line when it comes to A.I. “art.” Some musicians have even given people the go-ahead to use their voices as they choose.
Universal Music Group has urged streaming platforms to remove content created by artificial intelligence (A.I.), and many other artists, including Drake, have criticized this practice. This raises several issues, from copyright problems to human rights violations. If a creator can use an artist’s likeness or voice with no consequences, what implications does that have? Other musicians share Drake’s concern about this issue, and it seems that the problem is only getting worse. More and more websites are emerging that enable users to use a rapper or singer’s voice to create a new song. What do you think about A.I. in music? Let us know in the comments!
will.i.am and Lil Wayne both have extensive resume’s when it comes to their features and overall music catalog. Moreover, it’s a surprise as to why we don’t have more collaborations between the two icons. For as long as they’ve been in Hip-Hop we’ve only gotten two tracks with both of them. Jay Rock’s “All My Life (In The Ghetto)” and Wayne’s feature on the “Scream & Shout” remix. However, that all changes today with a new single from the rap powerhouses.
will.i.am and Lil Wayne have come together for their first collaboration track titled, “The Formula.” Not only that, it’s been a decade since the global producing legend released a solo single. Additionally, will.i.am is a big fan of Formula 1 racing, which most likely prompted the naming of this song. Formula 1 racing has become one of the fastest-growing sports to date. Furthermore, the 2023 FIA Formula 1 champion season will have more F1-inspired tracks as part of the Global Artist in Residence alliance. Interestingly, the release of this track from will. i.am culminates some buzz before the release of the Black Eyed Peas frontman’s solo album in the fall.
will.i.am Releases F1-Inspired Single
The track feels like an attempt at a summer bop, perfect for watching F-1 racing. It won’t be long ’til we see this in every commercial while the F-1 championship series is happening. “The Formula” track is the first of many tracks to be released and will also be featured during the Formula 1 Grand Prix broadcast. The Grand Prix starts this weekend May, 7, 2023.
Nonetheless, there’s no argument that the single is absolutely electrifying and energetic. Not only that the F-1-filled bars from Weezy make for a triumphant single. It’ll be interesting to see how Formula 1 follows this track. As Formula 1 racing and music begin to come together at break-neck speed, will.i.am is at the forefront delivering only the best. Additionally, the forward-thinking production from the legendary producer is second to none. The contagious rhythm and infectious pulsating bassline make for the perfect single to kick off the F-1 Grand Prix. Have you listened to the new track? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Lyrics:
This is the formula This is the formula This is the formula Ohhhh, I know you know oh, oh, oh
