will.i.am sat down for a recent video interview with Hip Hop Confessions where he offered a hot take on the Biggie versus 2Pac debate. While most Hip Hop fans typically have a preference (excluding Lil Yachty), the Black Eyed Peas rapper falls into a rare category — he doesn’t prefer either.
In a clip of the interview uploaded to Instagram by The Art of Dialogue, will.i.am explained how he came to that conclusion.
“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,” he said. “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?
“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/Tribe out the projects. It took me out the projects while I was still in the projects.”
will.i.am continued his argument by describing what Rakim, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest were able to do for him as a kid growing up in Estrada Courts housing projects in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.
“It took me out the projects physically, as far as being able to reach my dreams, that was my path out,” he added. “And it took me out of the projects as far as while I was in the projects, the worlds is painted for me. It kept me safe while I was in the projects. Had I loved 2Pac and Biggie while I was in the projects, I probably would have been stuck in the projects still.”
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will.i.am’s views on 2Pac and Biggie are in stark contrast to Wiz Khalifa’s. Last week, the weed connoisseur told DJ Whoo Kid why he prefers Biggie during an episode of his SiriusXM show.
“I like Biggie because lyrically like you could still listen to Biggie’s shit today and be like, ‘Wow, he really said that,’” he said.“He talks about clothes, like brands in a crazy way and he talks about cars in a crazy way and he talks about women. He’s just really poetic.”
He added, “That’s not to say one is better than the other. But I just love how complex his bars are. Pac is raw, Pac is crazy, he’s hard. Beat selection was wild and his work ethic was crazy and just his attitude and everything like that, but I’m more on the Biggie side for sure.”
#poprap #willsmith #familyfriendly
Lol will.i.am an idiot. Prince thought you absolutely sucked. Will.i.anidiot has no spirit he sold his shit for pennies
I’m not Will.i.am fan by any means, but to be fair to the guy I can see his point. You can still respect an artist knowing their very talented but not be a fan/follower due to subject matter or otherwise. I am a Pac and Biggie fan but feel how he feels about Em. I know he’s a gifted rapper but I was never able to really listen to too much of his shit.
I’m not a fan, but I’m glad he’s being real.
He’s right about not idolizing who the sheep do, but it’s independable to hear something like this from an artist who changed boom bap to radio pop.
He never did boom bap
You obviously missed the first BEP album
Respect for the statement. There is truth in his words. It may not hit the same for everyone. For those that hate on Will.I.Am, you need to check his production credits.
Hmm, guys you’re missing the ignorance to his comments, do you honestly believe when he states being in the “projects” listening to 2Pac/Biggie would keep a person (or him) stuck in the projects, essentially saying neither 2Pac or Biggie’s music does nothing to inspire one to better themselves, I beg to differ.
And the interviewer with the “I’m going to the source, I’m going prior” spare me abeg.
Yes!!! Wow the most ignorant thing I’ve heard from this lame. I have never been a fan of his, but this would make me dislike the MF. He went to Estrada once and filmed a video, had he said this before he would not have been welcomed. Wonder if he ever got his grandma out the PJs being that his music choices got him out.
Apparently people don’t know history. Will.i.am was trying to get put on and was given a contract by Eazy-E. They recorded some trash that was outside of their style and got shelved. I met them when they opened for Wyclef Jean playing in front of around a few hundred people and he autographed a single of Joints and Jams I bought there. Got a quick picture on a disposable camera with them and chopped it up for a few minutes – cool dudes back then. Those first few albums they put out were definitely influenced by Tribe and De La. Not a big fan of their future music but can never fault a super producer realizing the skill he has and then go pop and become one of the biggest artists in the world.
Will I am and everyone that think they got an opinion just get off pacs jock and let that man rest. If pac was still alive they would not be talking all this nonsense.
You wondering why? Why not krs? Why not Ericb? Why not Rakim?
Because 2pac had the strongest spirit nd No one ever remembers weak soulz
Pac paid the ultimate price and has been immortalized
You can me the sickest Mc inside and outside music, outlast everyone in the game and still never reach the impact 2pac reached at such a small time on earth
2PAC – STREET FAME II OG
Who is this Wil.I.am. When I think of the Black-eyed Peas, only Fergie comes to mind. He is definitely a hater.
Then you know jack shit about hip hop music. BEP’s best albums were before Fergie even joined the band. They were a straight hip hop group, then turned pop once Fergie came onboard.
Also, preferring one group to another isn’t being a hater. I love Pac and Biggie…. but I’d take ATCQ, De La Soul in a heartbeat over either of them because the music spoke to me more.
You definitely don’t think hip hop
My Humps does though, lol. Dude literally came in the game on the back of gangsta rap with Ruthless Records and is now talking down 25 years later because they put his bullshit songs in rotation on top 40 stations. Can’t make this shit up.
Guess William never heard PAC’s revolutionary political raps when he was with Digital Underground foh
When 2pac doesnt speak to your spirit, you have no soul
THE IMAGE HE PUT OUT WHILE HE WAS AN ACTIVE ARTIST WAS YOUNG AND RECKLESS. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IMAGE OVERSHADOWED THE DEEP CUTS FOR MANY WHILE HE WAS ALIVE. I’M A SUPER HUGE PAC FAN BUT NOT EVERYONE WAS MESSING WITH HIM.
pac n big gave millions hope to elevate their situations shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit a too short lyric had me not needing a full time job since the 90s and being able to lay in bed for the next 40 years if i want, love tribe as well
Never hear country singers talk shit about their dead. Never. This POP icon has some nerve. People think of BEP as pop and not hip hop.
Firstly I don’t need to hear shit about hip hop from a pop artist! GTFOHWATPOP!BS. William, no one speaks of you in the way people speak about Pac and Big, bitch never!! 20+ years and the love is still the same. They gave us so much, in such short time, real life! Two young men, slain in their early twenties trying to navigate a new life from street life. Fuck right off Will I am, your not a rapper and fuck your shit hits too!!
Will i am is actually really respected in the hip hop community and talented af. He went pop for sure but his pure hip hop was and still is gold. I don’t think you have to like someones music just because they are dead either and he said it was good just not what he listened to if you’re hating you’re just hating to hate
Y’all missing the point. He’s not hating on either one. He’s simply saying he came up with Tribe and De La. It’s all personal preference. Pac and BIG were dope but they are not necessarily everyone’s favorite MCs.
I REMEMBER THERE WAS A GROUP NOT INTO BIGGIE, PAC AND THE RISE OF THE JIGGY ERA BACK THEN. ALOT OF THEM GRAVITATED TOWARD TRIBE, DE LA, GANG STARR, COMMON SENSE, AND THEM. ALOT OF THIS CROWD ALSO HATED NAS IT WAS WRITTEN ALBUM. THIS ISN’T HATE, IF YOU LIVED IN THE TIME FRAME YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THESE WERE THE LANES THAT EXISTED FOR LISTENERS.
Only morons listen to thug rap 30 years straight. Biggie and Pac were nice but Biggie had a big mouth and he was gloating way too much after 2Pac got shot like he won a championship or something so he got shot too. not the end of story but the end of his run in my cd player. in those days there were many top rappers on the rap charts with ability not just one or two
Motherf—-r you perform with a white chick and made out on her appeal and you throwing shade at two of the best that ever did it. Kick rocks clown.