While East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights are known for many things, including its history and culture, people from the area would beam with pride when asked about two of the most famous celebrities who grew up in the neighborhoods: will. i. am and Taboo from Grammy award-winning Blacked Eyed Peas.

In a way, the LA natives never left the Eastside. Will. i. am said he visits Boyle Heights every time he’s back in LA, when he’s not jetsetting around the world. 

“I love going back to Boyle Heights,” the prolific musician said. “I’m here on Sundays, just cruising through. My mom is like, ‘What are you doing, Willie? You in East LA, huh? Yeah, mom.’”

Will. i. Am, whose legal name is William Adams, Jr., and Taboo, who was born Jaime Luis Gomez, met in Boyle Heights when they were 17 years old. Before that, their mothers, who also grew up in Boyle Heights, went to the same junior high school together. The 30-year friendship allows them to finish each other’s sentences without ever getting into a fight. 

While their original band Black Eyed Peas does not have a record label as of now, the two friends decided to team up and write a love letter to their hometown with a new track “East LA.”

“This neighborhood, my community means so much to not just me (but) my entire foundation, my family,” will. i. am explained. “We were on government assistance growing up. We went to Resurrection Church. We stood in the food lines. We survived together.”

The “East LA” sampled Santana’s “Maria Maria” as the music video featured mariachi musicians, Sixth Street Bridge, King Taco and the 710 Freeway.

“This isn’t like Hollywood. This is real. This is people who live there,” will. i. am. said. “Black and Brown, we get down.” 

Another landmark that was featured in the music video is Estrada Courts, a low-income housing project, with murals on the building. Will. i. am said he grew up in an apartment complex right in front of one of the murals that show up in the video.

The latest track and music video are making their moms proud as they thanked the musician sons for representing East LA.

“My memories of growing up in East LA start with music playing loud and watching the Chicano culture evolve and take over the streets. I never thought that my son would bring the music to my childhood neighborhood,” Taboo read his mom’s text message to him upon listening to his new music.

Taboo and will. i. am said they joined the protest that took place in response to immigration enforcement operations in downtown LA. 

“I’m proud to be Mexican American. Why not stand in solidarity with those people with our people?” Taboo explained. 

Will. i. am also said while their latest track was made in March, months before the recent raids began in June, they believe the song is what LA needs right now.

“It’s plastered all over on local radio, Latin radio, urban radio and pop. It’s doing its thing now,” he said.