lindamyers11: Will.i.am Says Artists Should Be 'Scared' Of iTunes

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Will.i.am Says Artists Should Be 'Scared' Of iTunes

'Believe me, I love Apple ... but iTunes shouldn't be the answer,' MC says at Grammy Foundation event.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

will.i.am
Photo: Ian Gavan/ Getty Images

Will.i.am is clearly tech-savvy — the MC was just named director of innovation at Intel — but the Black Eyed Peas frontman thinks artists' interest in technology shouldn't end with just releasing their tracks via an online retailer.

The rapper/producer recently chatted it up with attorneys and music industry insiders at the Grammy Foundation's annual Entertainment Law Initiative Luncheon in Los Angeles, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, will urged his fellow recording artists not to think of mega-successful e-retailer iTunes as a panacea for moving units.

"Believe me, I love Apple ... but iTunes shouldn't be the answer," will said, adding, "[For artists], it should be the scariest thing in the world."

The message may appear to be a bit harsh toward Steve Jobs' empire, but "The Time (Dirty Bit)" star ultimately maintained that aspiring artists should actively embrace technology as a means of enhancing their creative expression.

"We need to inspire kids to take notice of how and why a computer works," he said. "It's the marriage of art and science."

The BEP lyricist is already doing his part to conflate the tech and music worlds at his new post at Intel. When his partnership with the processing giant was announced, the star explained that he was looking forward to tinkering on game-changing projects.

"Nearly everything I do involves processors and computers, and when I see an Intel chip I think of all the creative minds involved that help to amplify my own creativity," Will said in a statement. "Teaming up with the scientists, researchers and computer programmers at Intel to collaborate and co-develop new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain is going to be amazing."

What do you think of will.i.am's thoughts about artists relying on iTunes? Let us know in the comments!

Related Artists