The Black Eyed Peas are enjoying huge success with their recent release, “Elephunk.” The video for “Where is the Love” is topping the charts and they are on the road right now with Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. On top of all that, Will.I.Am has his very own show premiering this weekend on MTV2 called “My Definition.” As the BEPs headed to a gig in Athens, GA this afternoon, we had a chance to talk to Will about his show, response to “Elephunk,” and lots of other topics on his mind.

Be sure to look out for episodes of “My Definition” on MTV2 starting this weekend:

*Wed 7/30, 8:30 AM
*Thu 7/31, 5:00 PM
*Fri 8/1, 12:00 AM

(air times for Episodes #2, #3, & #4 following interview text)


Labelle: Will, what’s up with this new MTV2 show? I heard it’s called “My Definition.”

Will.I.Am: Yeah, this came out of history with MTV2 from almost 2 years ago…they wanted me to do some hosting and in the process I pitched them a few ideas that ended up being a freestyle show that they made into a pilot in 2001. But “My Definition” is like “The Bassment” meets “Unplugged” – just real raw, unrehearsed, ain’t nothin’ planned. Cats can be themselves…if they know who they are.

L: So it’s a series, lots of episodes, and you host?

W: Right, it’s my show, I created it to make a place where musicians, MCs and singers could demonstrate what they do when they’re by themselves. There’s no hype, no rehearsal, it’s more like let’s vibe and have a good time. If you fuck up, you fuck up; but if you pull off a freestyle it’s hot!

L: Is it just interviews?

W: No, we got videos, conscious-type videos. I mean, you don’t always have that much control over what gets on so the okey doke might slip through every now and then, but we mainly play conscious stuff like Talib, The Roots, Common, Mos Def, Black Eyed Peas, you know. Shit that rarely gets seen, even on BET.

L: From the show description, looks like you have some interesting guests.

W: Yeah, we got Travis from Blink-182, Rahzel, EZ Rock from The Rock Steady Crew, Pharrell, 311, all sorts of people coming on. The idea is to see cats being themselves, you know? It’s all improvised. So you see it like it really is – haters can hate, lovers can love.

L: How long will it be on? Did you tape the full schedule?

W: The way it works is every month we tape four more episodes, then they play on MTV2 over the next month and on like that.

L: Oh, OK, sounds good. So what about the tour? Looks like a lot of dates.

W: Yeah, we’re out for a while, October or November.

L: That’s what’s up. I want to ask you about “Elephunk” and the response it’s getting. If you’ve been following the Okayplayer boards then you know there’s been a strong reaction to it – comparing it to previous BEP stuff, a lot of folks see it as a turn toward pop, which is fueled even more by the touring with Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. Do you want to give some insight on that?

W: I’m a producer. I produce music. I can be clean, I can be dirty, I just produce music. I can do it all, and I want to be able to do it all – have a rap record, a rock record, all of it. How can I hate on other people out there when I can’t do what they do? I just make records. I make music.

L: So it’s about creative freedom, not being confined.

W: Well, I can’t always make records for myself – or any one way. A song like “Where is the Love,” that’s for everybody. Everybody. It may not be the song I make if I’m just making something for me. And cats may be like “I don’t think you came wit’ it” but it’s a song that was made for everybody, not just one type of person. Name me one cat in popular music that’s talking about the CIA, or telling the truth about terrorism, giving social commentary, shit like that, and it’s on top of the charts. This is one of the most requested songs out right now.

L: Right, but that’s kind of the point – the popular appeal…

W: But I mean, it takes the same effort to make a pop record that it does to make something that stays underground. You go out knowing who you want to get at and that’s what you do. If it sounds kind of “poppy,” it’s because we had intentions of making it popular. That’s how it went with “Where is the Love.” But it could have been the other way around too if that was what we wanted.

L: And what you do today may not be the same as what you do tomorrow, or what you did last week.

W: The industry don’t care about your creative integrity. If you want to get on the highway, you gotta pay the toll. That’s how it is. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. But we’re trying to be more conscious. You could be on an underground record and spit the hottest lyric and at the end of the day maybe it still ain’t about shit. Right now, it’s like if MCs use a nice metaphor cats lose their mind! Not to say that everything we do, or I do, is supposed to be profound, just that we try to get at them with reality. Current events, shit like that. Are you gonna play the game or sit at home complaining?

L: I hear you. Now what about other things going on with you? Anything else we should know about?

W: Well I got the next 4 episodes of “My Definition” coming up, and also some new music coming out at the end of August. It’s called “Must Be 21” and it’s all beats and MCs. KRS-One, Phife Dawg, MC Lyte, Planet Asia, Phil Da Agony, Tash from Tha Alkaholiks, Krondon, just a lot of good MCs.

L: Sounds great.

W: And there’s also my deal with A&M records – I was just made VP of A&R at A&M, so I’m looking to sign some new artists. Make bigger moves and some satisfying music and create opportunities for other cats at the same time. Cats need to get at me.

*

SHOW #1
7/30 @ 7:30pm & 2:30am
7/31-1:00am
8/3-1:00am
8/6-11:30pm

MTV2
SHOW #2
Wednesday, 7/30 @ 8:30am EST
7/31-5:00pm EST & 12:00am EST
8/02-7:00pm EST

MTV2
SHOW #3
Monday, 8/4 - 2:30pm EST
8/6-8:30am EST
8/7-5:00pm EST & 12:00am EST
8/8-1:00am EST
8/9-7:00pm EST

MTV2
SHOW #4
Sunday, 8/10-12:00am EST
8/11-2:30pm EST
8/13-9:00am EST
8/14-5:00pm EST & 12:00am EST
8/15-1:00am EST