Global music icon and seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner will.i.am returns with a powerful new release, “EAST LA,” a collaboration with fellow Black Eyed Peas member Taboo. The release comes with a music video co-directed by will.i.am and Sterling Hampton IV, pairing striking visuals with a personal story.
Inspired by their shared upbringing in Boyle Heights, the single reinterprets the classic hook from Santana’s “Maria Maria,” grounding it in a story of cultural identity, community resilience, and personal history. Set against the backdrop of East Los Angeles, the track pulls from will.i.am’s experiences growing up as part of one of the few Black families in the predominantly Mexican-American Estrada Courts housing projects. His verses speak to a sense of solidarity forged in adversity and pride born from belonging.
Taboo, born Jimmy Gomez in East LA, adds a resonant layer to the track, offering his own tribute to the neighborhood that shaped his artistic and activist journey. Together, the duo crafts a track that feels both reflective and urgent, tying personal memory to broader cultural commentary.
will.i.am has said the song was inspired in part by recent ICE raids and the ongoing tension affecting immigrant communities across the U.S. “EAST LA” responds to that climate with love and defiance, honoring the unbreakable spirit of Boyle Heights and its people.
With his continued work in tech innovation and philanthropy—particularly through the i.am Angel Foundation, which supports STEM education for underserved youth—will.i.am remains at the forefront of creative and social leadership in music.
