WILL.I.AM
Songs About Girls
(Interscope)

Clearly, will.i.am loves him some ’tang. The BEP frontman’s first true solo album is devoted entirely to pleasing the women (plural) in his life. Just imagine the happy beats from Fergie’s album with will rapping/singing over them about love, lust, and “tops like a cantaloupe.” Be sure to guard wifey’s melons around this dude.

KEY SONGS: “Donkey,” “Dinamite,” “Damn Damn Damn”

Will.i.am addresses those who hate on his brand of rap.
“I’m not out of touch with rap. the people THAT ARE saying that are not in touch with rap history. They don’t go back to Herbie Luv Bug. He was responsible for Kwamé, Salt-N-Pepa, and Antoinette. When I do ‘My Humps’ with Fergie, all we’re doing is channeling that Salt-N-Pepa and Antoinette vibe. And then they say, ‘Oh, that’s pop.’ No. People just aren’t hip to those eras I pull from. But the makers of hip-hop appreciate and acknowledge our place in hip-hop.”