Will.i.am, the record producer, DJ and founder of the rap group the Black Eyed Peas, has recently admitted that he was never a fan of 2pac or The Notorious B.I.G’s music, revealing: “Had I loved 2Pac and Biggie while I was in the projects, I probably would have been stuck in the projects still”.
In an interview on the Hip Hop Confessions podcast, the rapper revealed that, with regard to Biggie and 2pac, their “kind of music doesn’t speak to my spirit”. During the conversation, he continues to explain: “Like when people say 2Pac and Biggie, I’m such a Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul head that I don’t like 2Pac and Biggie. That kind of music doesn’t speak to my spirit. I like Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One, I like – if it’s like 2Pac or Biggie? It’s KRS-One. Why those two?”
On the podcast, the ‘Don’t Phunk With My Heart’ hit-maker revealed that before they made it big, the Black Eyed Peas were signed to Ruthless Records but were dropped after the untimely death of NWA’s Eazy-E. The rapper explained: “After Eazy-E passed, we didn’t have a co-sign…so when it comes to Black Eyed Peas in the world, we’re floating because we never had that co-sign”.
Revealing how he didn’t really hold 2pac and Biggie in very high regard, the rapper continued: “If it’s 2Pac and Biggie, I don’t hold them up like that. I hold Eric B. and Rakim like that. 2Pac’s dope – don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I don’t think he’s dope. It spoke to the projects. My escape is De La [and] Tribe out the projects. It took me out of the projects while I was still in the projects.” Adams really inferring here that he preferred music that he could escape to and not be constantly reminded of the negative.
Quite a controversial opinion, the host of Hip Hop Confessions himself confessed (as is the point of the podcast) that he has never listened to an Outkast album and only knows of Outkast singles that have music videos.
Will.i.am not feeling 2pac as an L.A. native is anomalous, to say the least, and the podcast is very interesting. You can watch the full episode of Hip Hop Confessions with Will.i.am in the video below.
