Will.i.am Has ‘No Shame’ In Being Feminine Amid His Sexuality Being Questioned

Will.i.am opened up about his childhood in relation to having feminine mannerisms. The Black Eyed Peas founder reflected on questions surrounding his sexuality in an interview with The Diary Of A CEO last Monday (July 31).

The rapper said that he "didn't have a man" in his life due to the absence of his father. He was raised solely by his mother. He said that is the reason he tends to have more "super feminine" mannerisms.

Growing up, many people questioned his sexuality due to how he expressed himself. "So growing up in the ’90s, we were like, ‘Are you gay?’” the "Boom Boom Pow" rapper said. "A lot of people questioned [me] because I was feminine."

While owning that he still carries himself this way today, he says that being feminine is his "superpower." He also clarified his sexuality, stating that he has always "liked girls" and has never been attracted to men.

The Los Angeles native has even spoken on this topic in his music with a message urging listeners to be kind to one another. The Black Eyed Peas, which consisted of will.i.am, Taboo, APL.DE.AP, and Fergie at the height of their success, tapped in Snoop Dogg for the 2019 song "Be Nice."

He told the host that when he produced the song, he assured himself that there was nothing wrong with being emotional, adding, when your "creative, you're always sensitive, you're hypersensitive."

Will.i.am also revealed that he would like to have kids one day. He reflected that he would have had a different answer ten years ago if asked the same question.

The 48-year-old has never been married or had children. The last person he was publicly linked to was Big Brother star Casey Batchelor back in 2014.

"I don’t have time for girlfriends, and that’s why I just keep busy," he told The Mirror in 2015. I keep going because that’s what I want to do."

Hip-Hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. While the genre is one of the youngest, its impact has been massive. The genre originated in the early '70s in New York in African-American communities in the Bronx. Hip-hop starts with the music: rapping, DJing, and freestyling. But those elements led to others, including breakdancing and graffiti art.

Hip-hop has been in the mainstream in ways that its founders never would have dreamed.

"When we started on this journey decades ago, we were often told, 'No.' No, you won't be able to leave New Jersey. No, if you rap, you can't sing. No, singers can't become actresses. No, actors can't also produce," Queen Latifah said to Entertainment Weekly in a statement as she is set to become the first female rap artist to be celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors.

"To now be recognized amongst so many multi-hyphenates feels unbelievable, not for just me and my team, but for our community. I'm beyond grateful for this recognition."

Throughout this year, hip-hop has been celebrated in performances by some of the greats. At the 2023 BET Awards, there were performances by MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, The Sugarhill Gang, D-Nice, Warren G, Yo-Yo, Trick Daddy, Trina, Uncle Luke, Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray -- also known as "Def Squad," and more highlighted rap on Culture's Biggest Night.

Earlier this year, Questlove curated a hip-hop tribute at the 2023 Grammy Awards where Missy Elliott, Run DMC, Salt n Pepa, Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, Nelly, GloRilla, Lil Baby, and more took to the stage. That led to a summer tour featuring the Roots and LL Cool J where they were joined by different hip-hop legends at each stop on the tour.

If you have been a fan since the beginning or you've just begun listening, you'll learn more from these projects. Take a look at five documentaries on these hip-hop artists:

Biggie and Tupac is a full-length documentary on the lives and tragedies of the hip-hop icons, both of whom were taken from us far too soon. Besides footage of Biggie and Tupac, you will also see appearances from Snoop Dogg, Lil Cease, and more. You can stream Biggie and Tupac on Amazon Prime Video.

Jay-Z is one of the best rappers ever. The New York native's 2004 documentary Fade to Black shows fans how he got started. At the center of this film is Jay-Z's sold-out Madison Square Garden concert in 2003... which, at the time, were supposed to be his final shows. There are appearances from his wife Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and more. It took about 15 years for this documentary to be available to stream and it is worth the wait. You can stream Fade To Black on Tidal or Amazon Prime.

Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy takes us back to where it all began for Kanye West: the Southside of Chicago. Kanye West's artistry has impacted hip-hop like no other, as his diverse skills in producing and designing put him in a league of his own. You can stream Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy on Netflix.

Nas: Time Is Illmatic takes a deep dive into Nas' iconic debut album Illmatic. In the New York native's documentary you will also hear accounts from Alicia Keys, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell. You can stream Nas: Time Is Illmatic on Peacock.

https://www.fuse.tv/v/eminem-count-me-in/b068fe5935e445f144177ad06023ac7b

Eminem has had quite a career in hip-hop and this documentary takes a look at many of his accolades. In 2022 he performed at the Super Bowl alongside Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent. He was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year for his contributions to hip-hop. You can stream Eminem: Count Me In on Amazon Prime Video.