Will.i.am

Will.i.am has always operated like a man from the future. Born William Adams in 1975 in Los Angeles, he emerged from the city's hip-hop scene, co-founding the Black Eyed Peas as a backpack rap group. His genius, however, was recognizing that the genre's future was in infectious, stadium-sized pop hooks. He masterminded the group's reinvention in the early 2000s, incorporating Fergie's vocals and layering in electronic beats to create era-defining anthems like 'Where Is the Love?' and 'I Gotta Feeling.' Beyond music, his mind raced with ideas about technology and design. He launched a successful line of headphones, became a creative director for Intel, and debuted a 'smartwatch' concept years before the market exploded. His TED talks and public appearances often focus on STEM education and the social impact of innovation. While his musical output with the Peas has ebbed, Will.i.am's primary stage has become the intersection of pop culture and technology, where he acts as a charismatic, if sometimes controversial, prophet of what's next.