In the rock-’em, sock-’em “Transformers”-style video for “Imma Be Rocking That Body” — the Black Eyed Peas’ latest single mashed up with another cut from the hip-hop group’s Grammy-winning “The E.N.D.” album — rapper-producer Will.i.am admonishes his bandmates for fearing a futuristic recording device.
Of course, in real life the quartet — featuring Will, fellow rappers Taboo and Apl de Ap, and singer Fergie — has no qualms about embracing technology. The Peas clearly dig sleek chic. And it has worked out nicely for the L.A.-based group, which has risen from a critically acclaimed trio (Fergie joined in 2003) to a commercial juggernaut. The group set a Billboard record in 2009 by logging 26 consecutive weeks at No. 1 with its wriggly dance club jams “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling.”
We caught up with Will.i.am via an old-fashioned cell phone before the Peas’ stop at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on Friday:
Q Is everything functioning properly on the tour? I hear it’s a pretty high-tech experience.
A Yeah, it’s our biggest production ever. I remember when we used to play 200-seaters. I remember when we played college lunch quads.
Q Do you think about that when you’re on these big stages?
A Yes, I sure do. I remember when we were like, “We got 200 bucks today!” I remember that. I remember the first time somebody said, “Can you sign this?” I remember our first tour bus opening up for Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes, and Wyclef. I remember when people were calling me Wyclef! Now people call Wyclef Will.i.am.
Q You guys must laugh about that.
A I laugh about it now. I wasn’t laughing before.
Q Did you ever envision that at this point in the band’s career you would be at the peak of your popularity, given that it usually goes the other way?
A Nope. I didn’t think it would be like this. I didn’t think we would ever contribute to a new (Billboard) record. I didn’t think we could ever do that. It’s crazy; no group in the history of groups or singers has ever done that. The Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, all of them. The Black Eyed Peas? Holla!
Q In the opening scenes of your new dancing-fighting robots video, you tell your bandmates that they can’t claim to be futuristic and also be afraid of the future. It sounds almost like you’re trying to send a message to listeners, that if musicians are going to forge new paths, we have to be accepting of the technology that goes with it.
A That statement wasn’t just a random thing. That was like a little bomb. That statement can be put into: “You can’t say we want change and not be willing to change. You can’t say we’re going to fix the economy and not fix the people who are the reason why the economy goes.” That statement can be put anywhere. What that statement means is common sense
Black Eyed Peas
With: Ludacris
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: HP Pavilion
Tickets: Officially, the concert has sold out although, as usual, tickets remain on the “secondary” market.