We caught up with the man of the hour, will.i.am, shortly before he received the President’s Award at the BMI Urban Music Awards. The Black Eyed Peas founder and his bandmate apl.de.ap spoke about the group’s new album The Beginning and the likelihood of it coming out this year.

Plus, will shared what it was like to work with Nicki Minaj on their single “Check It Out” and reveals apl’s crush on the Harajuku Barbie. “She loves music, she loves to express herself, and she’s a sick-ass lyricist,” the head Pea told Rap-Up TV. “A lot of people think she maybe got a ghostwriter—nah, that’s her. She’s fresh.”

Source: Rap-Up.com