will.i.am’s next project is a tech geek’s paradise

Will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas are out here changing the way we engage with art, pushing the mediums of concert-going, film and graphic novels to a new level through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). “We’re doing music, (documentary), short film, long-form, graphic novel, AR, VR,” the producer told CNN. “Things that we’ve never done. Things that the industry hasn’t done.” He ain’t lying.

This epic undertaking was born from the creation of a Marvel Comics-produced graphic novel called Masters Of The Sun. Will.i.am describes the graphic novel as “a heightened story on the rise and the fall of what hip-hop was meant to be.” That overarching theme is embedded in an allegory centering a group of heroes battling an ancient god that transforms gangsters into zombies as a metaphor for drugs ravaging Black communities in the 80s. The story in itself is powerful that the characters literally fly off the page. Literally. Users can download an app that allows the characters to jump off the page when reading the novel with the app. It’s our science-fiction fantasies (and nightmares) come to life.

 

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Thanks to everyone who came by yesterday to @samsung837 in New York featuring a panel discussion with @iam @realpeterock and @damionscott01 with moderation by @natasharenee of @theybf_daily about @mastersofthesun . 📸 by @abipolinsky

A post shared by Masters Of The Sun (@mastersofthesun) on Jan 28, 2018 at 11:28am PST

The graphic novel has spawned an hour-long virtual reality film and a Masters Of The Sun album that the Black Eyed Peas will be performing on tour. The AR app will allow for the audiences on tour to experiences an added a layer of reality through graphics projected around the stage. The album will also be included in the score for the movie, which was written by the Black Eyed Peas and Hanz Zimmer, with features from Queen Latifah, Rakim and KRS-One. Yo, is this real life?!

 

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@bep(@apldeap @taboo @iamwill )presents @mastersofthesun VR in partnership with @oculus out now on @samsungusa VR Gear. Watch the trailer featuring @therealstanlee , @therulernyc , @iamjamiefoxx , @queenlatifah #Rakim @therealjasonisaacs and @teacha_krsone. Much appreciation to @trailerparkinc for the support.

A post shared by Masters Of The Sun (@mastersofthesun) on Jan 26, 2018 at 12:05pm PST

“We’re going to augment the layer between the person on stage — us — and the audience so that when they’re watching the show through the lens of their phone, they’re seeing something that’s not there,” Will.i.am told CNN. “It’s like Pokémon Go on steroids.” Will.i.am has never been one to think small and in his quest to always be futuristic, he might be onto something here. This is the future of media and how we interact with its many facets. That being said, take all of our money.