(...Story Continued from Previous Page) That it was a
land of opportunity, the home of the free, and it was never executed up until
now. So that song is two things: It's a song and it's also a baton. If the
people didn't run to their nearest loved one and hand it off to them and that
loved one ran to their friend to hand it off, then it just would have been a
song.
How did it change you when you realized the impact that one idea
could have?
When you think of FOX and NBC and CBS, these big, huge networks, and the
millions of dollars they spent on content and then [the content] goes and sits
in this thing called the Internet graveyard. It's a heavy brick that doesn't
move. And when it comes to that, I'm just as powerful as an individual as all of
CBS. [Smiles.] Melissa who lives in Idaho is just as powerful as NBC because of
these new tools of technology and engaging. If she makes something, she has the
opportunity, with no finances, to reach millions of people. Fortunately for me
and unfortunately for them, the traditional networks don't understand the
culture, they don't get it. It's the concept of power to the people actually
exists now, it's not an idea.
Have you talked to Barack Obama since he won?
No.
What are your inaugural plans?
I'm performing at the Green Ball before Al Gore's speech. Now that we've got
Obama elected, now what? Now the hard work starts because if people just go home
and say, "Hey! Our guy's going to fight for us. It's going to be great. He's
going to fix it," then it's going to be the worst thing to ever happen to
America. It's important that people stay engaged. [For the] Green Ball, I've
created a piece of content around renewable energy because that's my new thing.
In the next couple months, I'll have solar panels in my house so I'll be
completely off the grid. I shouldn't be the only one on my block with solar
panels or with an electric vehicle.
I'm doing the Huffington Post ball. The inauguration committee, I haven't
heard anything from them, so as far as the official balls, no. But that's not
important. It, you know, kind of hurts my feelings. I might still hear from
them, but if I don't, what's important is I realize what I'm in now and that is
I have to continue to do things to inspire people to look at the world
differently. [Editor's note: Since this interview, will.i.am was confirmed for
the Jan. 18 "We Are One" Lincoln Memorial concert, alongside such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and U2.]
Switching tracks, in Rolling Stone, Bono praised you
for your remix on "Magnificent." How did working with U2 on their new album come
about?
It was summer in the south of France. I was DJ'ing in St. Tropez and
[Interscope Records chairman] Jimmy Iovine called and said, "Hey Will, why don't
you take a car and come meet me at Bono's house." I was like, "All right." So I
took a car and went to meet him at Bono's house. Cindy Crawford was there and George Clooney. I was like, "What? This is crazy." We had
lunch and Bono says, "Hey, I'm playing the record for people." People left and
Bono was like, "I want to change something on the song. Hey Edge, get your
guitar out." So I'm standing there watching them. Then they started asking me
all these questions and they said, "You want to come back tomorrow, we're going
to start recording some more." I was like "Cool, all right, sure." The vibe was
so dope. I felt like a family member they hadn't met. I'd met them at Jimmy's
house, but this was my first time vibing with them.
What happened next?
They were like, "What are you doing the whole month of November? Do you want
to come out to London with us to record?" What? Hell yeah, right? So I did that.
We recorded on "Magnificent" and "Crazy Tonight," [which] we did in the south of
France. The name of the song was [originally] something different. I was like,
"What was the lyric you said there: 'I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy
tonight?'" That's the hook right there. [I said] "If you're not going to use
that can I have that? Can I sample it before it even comes out?" I was so
enthused by that sentence.
You were named the Webby artist of the year. How many hours a day do
you spend on the Web?
Here's a nice poetic way of looking at it: How many hours a day do you swim
in the ether? I'm in the ether 24 hours a day because no matter if I'm awake or
asleep, I'm still connected to it. And no matter what time in the world, things
are always coming in to my section of the ether.
Melinda Newman is a freelance journalist who covers music and
entertainment for the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington
Post, the Hollywood Reporter, Performing Songwriter and a number of other
outlets. She is a former talent editor and West Coast bureau chief for Billboard
magazine.
Related: Obama's presidential playlist
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