MUMBAI: Will.i.am donned many roles in his life. The multi-faceted artist worked towards the glorification of underground hip-hop music, education of EDM, and unofficial spokesperson for the computers and technology turns 41 today. Here's a timeline description of Will.i.am's journey towards several phases that shaped the musician's career. 

1987: Will.i.am (born as William James Adams Jr.) began his musical career with the future The Black Eyed Peas member Allan Pineda, while the singer was in the eighth grade.  

1992 - Will.i.am's formed the rap group Atban Klann with Allan Pineda and three other rappers. Compton rapper Eazy E's Ruthless Records signed the group in 1992, making it Will.i.am's first official contract. 

1995 - Will.i.am recorded his first album with the group. However, the album 'Grass Roots' never released due to the death of Eazy E (the man who discovered Will.i.am and Pineda).

1997 - Atban Klann became Black Eyed Pods, after Eazy E's death. The group eventually changed the name to 'The Black Eyed Peas'.
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"Black Eyed Peas is a chameleon group."

1998 - Started working on debut album under the name 'The Black Eyed Peas'. Released the single 'Joints & Jam'. In the same year, the group was signed by Interscope Records.  

2000 - Second album 'Bridging The Gap' was released. 

2000 - Will.i.am released his solo effort titled 'Lost Change' with Medusa, Planet Asia and Terry Dexter. The track titled 'Lost Change' was the official soundtrack to the film of the same name. 

2001 - Will.i.am composed the theme music for action-adventure series Samurai Jack for Cartoon Network.

2001 - He launched his own clothing line i.am. The line, however, debuted in 2005. 

2002 - One of the most important years with regards to Will.i.am's creative growth. The singer enjoyed the success of Peas' second album 'Elephunk' selling 8.5 million copies worldwide. In the same year, Will.i.am recorded 'Secrets' - the soundtrack for Dexter's Laboratory - The Hip-Hop Experiment. 

2006 - The Black Eyed Peas' 2005-release 'Monkey Business' won a Grammy for 'Best Rap Performance by a Group or Duo'. 
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"If my mind's not trying to fix something or create something, I don't know what to do. It just throws me off."
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2007 - Will.i.am formed an all-female soul band 'Paradiso Girls'. The same year, he did a remix to the Hillary Duff's song 'With Love'.

2009 - Also a philanthropist, Will.i.am launched i.am.angel foundation that focused on transforming people's lives through education. 

2010 - Will.i.am revealed, to an interview with the tabloid The Sun, that he's suffering from tinnitus - a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears due to loud music.
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"I was born and raised in the ghetto, on welfare, two minutes from homeless."
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2011 - For his creative innovations, Intel hired Will.i.am to work on the company's upcoming projects. 

2012 - Will.i.am launched i.am+ camera.

2013 - The singer revealed he has ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. 

2014 - Will.i.am became the Chief Creative Officer of 3D Systems.
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"It should be mandatory that you understand computer science."
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2015 - Will.i.am teamed up for design of Smart Watchs for a Dutch company in late 2015.

2015 - Two years after judging the popular talent show 'The Voice', Will.i.am quit from the judges' panel. The singler later joined the show in 2016. 
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"Educating people, I think that is the best gun control."