will.i.am says hip-hop is the "new punk rock".
The Black Eyed Peas star – who is known for his futuristic production – is certain that a band like The Clash, a group formed in London in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk, are about to explode in rap form.
He told The Los Angeles Times newspaper: "Right now I look at hip-hop like punk rock – the Clash, Suicidal Tendencies," will.i.am said. "Hip-hop is going through its own punk phase, and we’re going to have a new Clash come out of it."
Black Eyed Peas recently returned with their first song without former singer Fergie.
The ‘My Humps’ hitmakers – also comprised of Apl.de.ap and Taboo – dropped political track ‘Street Livin’ which focuses on gun violence and other issues in the US, for their first single since 2016’s ‘#Wheresthelove’ remix "featuring The World", a version of their hit song ‘Where is The Love?’.
Alongside a link to the music video, they wrote on Twitter: "We have the POWER to make change together.
Prison Industrial Complex. Immigration. Gun Violence. Police Brutality. These issues are critical for our families, friends, communities, and world. Stay Woke, Take Action Now. #BEPStreetLivin (sic)"
It comes after will previously said Fergie could rejoin the group in the future, if they decided to reunite in Virtual Reality (VR) form.
The producer and ‘The Voice UK’ coach said: "There are infinite possibilities for the world to create.
"We could create virtual Black Eyed Peas.
"You could go back to when we started the group in 1998 and experience that story, you could go back to when we first got signed in 1997 when we first got signed to Interscope.
"What we were thinking in 2003 when we put Fergie in the group, there’s so much you can do."
It’s not yet known if ‘Street Livin’ is a one-off single or whether the band are in the studio preparing a follow-up to 2010’s ‘The Beginning’ LP.
will.i.am: Hip-hop is the new punk rock
