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Wednesday January 18, 2012
will.i.am recently joined the University of Wisconsin marching band at LA Live in Los Angeles for a performance of his new song "Great Times." The celebration was part of the pep rallies for the 2012 Rose Bowl game between Wisconsin and Oregon, as well as the iamFIRST initiative to create awareness for will.i.am's efforts with education. The 301 person marching band, led by Professor Michael Leckrone, chose "Great Times" for its fitting lyrics and energy. The track is the Brazilian promo single for will.i.am's upcoming solo album, #WILLPOWER, which is due out soon.

will.i.am is also working with Ultrabook, an ultra portable laptop computer, as part of The Ultrabook Project. Using only his eyes, ears, and his Ultrabook, will.i.am will travel around the globe, writing and recording one new song inspired by each city he visits. Visit The Ultrabook Project website for more information on how to get involved.

Be sure to check out will.i.am's video for his single, "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)," and head to his official site for the latest news.
 
 
 
biography
A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, will.i.am is known not only for his work with The Black Eyed Peas, who have sold 31 million albums and 58 million singles worldwide, but also for his work with some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names, including Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, David Guetta, and film composer Hans Zimmer.

- A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, will.i.am is known not only for his work with The Black Eyed Peas, who have sold 31 million albums and 58 million singles worldwide, but also for his work with some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names, including Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, David Guetta, and film composer Hans Zimmer.

-Producer, composer and songwriter who has teamed with numerous recording artists, filmmakers and film composers including Usher, Nicki Minaj, Mick Jagger, Britney Spears and Hans Zimmer. will.i.am is a seven-time Grammy winner.

-Executive Producer/Creator, “i.am FIRST: Science is Rock and Roll”, a back-to-school primetime TV special that aired on ABC August 14, 2011 designed to get students excited about learning STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills in, and beyond the classroom.

-Directed and produced two TV spots for Chatter.com (salesforce.com) featuring the animated Baby Peas characters and Chatty the Cloud, February, 2011. Spots debuted during the Super Bowl bookending live performance by The Black Eyed Peas, a Super Bowl, advertising industry and artistic first.

-Selected by “Advertising Age” as a top digital creative executive in the magazine's annual Digital Innovators Issue (February 28, 2011). Guest columnist in “Advertising Age’s” annual Consumer Issue about “communiting”, will.i.am’s approach to engage consumers and transform communities through conversations vs. traditional advertising campaigns. (October, 2011)

-Director of Creative Innovation for Intel Corporation (appointed January, 2011)

-Actor: “Rio”, “Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa”, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”

-OWN TV, guest star/self in "Visionaries: Inside the Creative Mind" that was filmed after hours in the Musee du Louvre, Paris, France. Show premieres November 6 at 8PM ET/PT.

-Discovery Channel, guest star/self in “The Curiosity Project – The Robot Episode”, premieres Sunday, November 13 at 9 PM ET/PT.

-Founder, Dipdive Inc., a digital lifestyle online community and digital creative agency (traditional, animation, online and mobile content).

Philanthropy & Civic Service -Founder of i.am.angel foundation focused on activities that transform communities incorporating:

A) the will.i.am scholarship fund for deserving high school students to stay in school and then fund four year college tuition, launched in 2009. To date, 15 students have been awarded scholarships for the entirety of their post-secondary education;

B) i.am College Track Center, an after-school support center designed to keep at-risk high school students on a strong academic track through graduation via mentoring, home work assistance, and college application guidance. Mentoring and assistance continues as students enter and attend college;

C) i.am.home, a non-profit that helps people who are in danger of losing their homes by providing monetary assistance and financial literacy, launched in 2010.

-Co-founder, Peapod Foundation, a non-profit organization supported by The Black Eyed Peas band members to mentor and foster young musicians and performers. The Peapod Foundation, a Charitable Service Fund administered by the Entertainment Industry Foundation encourages social change by uniting people, especially children, through the universal language of music. In 2008, the foundation opened the first Peapod Music & Arts Academy, a state-of-the-art music and educational center and recording facility serving foster care youth and other at-risk teens, at the Watts/Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club. The Peapod Foundation currently serves more than 1,000 students at 5 sites across the United States (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, New York City).

-National board member, Grammy Foundation, including support of Grammy Camp, a music camp for high school students.

-Advisor and advocate for FIRST, a teen robotics and science competition founded by inventor Dean Kamen designed to foster interest in math/science curriculum among high school students.

-Advisor, The White House Office of Public Engagement, including The First Lady’s “Joining Forces” military family support initiative, launched in April, 2011.

-Good Will Ambassador, President Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative that aims to dramatically increase the number, and diversify the composition of American students studying in China. will.i.am is directing and performing in a fund raising concert in Beijing on December 17, 2011 to benefit the Initiative.

-Leadership Council Member, Opportunity Nation, a bipartisan organization focused on restoring the American Dream through economic mobility through better skills, better jobs and better communities.