Black Eyed Pea’s frontman will.i.am has been blasted by former bandmate Kim Hill for his comments about being hurt because the band isn’t “considered a black group”.
Will.i.am spoke to Wyclef Jean about the group’s rise to fame on his “Run That Back” podcast and said, “It still hurts a little bit [that] we’re not considered a black group because we got that big. And when you think of Black Eyed Peas, it’s no longer urban or black culture, which is not good for the black community that Black Eyed Peas is not looked at as a black group … because we’ve had international success.”
The comment has sparked fury from Hill and she responded in an Instagram video.
“For you to make that statement as if the onus is on the black community to celebrate you and the band when you didn’t celebrate us. It’s almost like there’s this cultural smudging,” she responded via an Instagram video.
She also said that she felt hurt by the snub.
“It almost hurts for it to slip off your tongue that a black woman had a part in something really magnificent, and I don’t understand it. I was really confused. I’ve heard in certain spaces that when you’ve had the opportunity to say my name, you don’t. But to… actually start 2021 off and actually see that you just would not talk about the evolution of the Black Eyed Peas at a time when Wyclef referenced it. I was there.”
Hill was an original member of the band when it formed in 1995 but left the band in 2000 while producing the album Bridging the Gap. She’s shared that her reason for leaving was that she was encouraged to use her sexuality for more exposure. Shortly after leaving she was replaced by Fergie and they shot to fame with their first major hit, ‘Where is the Love?’.
Love Pop?
Get the latest Pop news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Though Hill isn’t happy about the interview, she assures there’s no bad blood between her and the Black Eyed Pea’s frontman.
“It’s a bit insulting that…I’ll speak to you directly Will. I love you. I’ve made it plain. I’ve made it clear. And I’ve supported the Peas post my departure publicly and privately,” said Kim. She added that she’s reached out to and spoken with all of the guys over the years. “It wasn’t—it’s not my band. It’s not what I was in and that’s totally fine,” she also said in her post.
Watch the full video of Kim Hill clapping back at will.i.am below:
View this post on Instagram
