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Just
before he was swallowed by a sea of humanity at Chicago’s Grant
Park to listen to Barack Obama’s victory speech,
singer/songwriter/producer will.i.am delivered an emotional testimony
on the power of Obama’s campaign to a pack of reporters
backstage.
He
un-holstered his Blackberry from his hip, with tears in his eyes, and
read a heart-tugging text message from his mother on the evening Obama
became the most powerful man on Earth. “’You have no idea
how proud I am. I remember in the projects when we were told our vote
didn’t count. And we stopped voting. And now I’m glad that
you’re a part of it all. You make me so, so proud,’”
the front man of the Black Eyed Peas said, bathing in the euphoric
atmosphere.
“When
my mom sends me a text like that, that’s like …,”
will.i.am paused to compose himself. “I can’t even put it
into words. Music saved my life. I was supposed to be written off. I
think about all my mother did for me. She raised me the right way.
I’ve been blessed. Here I am. I’ve loaned my career [and]
my passion to inspire the youth for people to go out and vote. Here we
are in Chicago [experiencing] America’s new birth.”
will.i.am
penned what Kevin Frazier of “Entertainment Tonight” called
the anthem of Obama’s campaign, “Yes We Can.”
will.i.am said he was inspired to compose the song after a speech Obama
delivered during the Democratic presidential primary season this past
winter.
“Well,
writing a song is one thing. But people listening to it is
another,” he began, still trying to steady his emotional ship.
“I was inspired by Barack’s speech in New Hampshire and
turned the inspiration into a song. I didn’t change the words. I
kept the words and added melody and my friends came out and did the
video.” Those friends included musicians John Legend, Common, NBA
legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, jazz maestro Herbie Hancock, actors Hill
Harper and Nick Cannon and TV personality Farnsworth Bentley. “It
took [just] three days to do. Normally, in the Black Eyed Peas, it took
two months [to do a song]. Trying to figure how to market it, sell it,
and record it … but this time, I said put it on the Internet and
see if the people respond to it. And that’s what happened.”
– terry shropshire
