The Jackass Song

"The Jackass Song"
Single by will.i.am
Released	September 17, 2009
Recorded	September 2009
Genre	Hip hop
Length	3:45
Label	will.i.am Music Group
Writer(s)	will.i.am
Producer(s)	Kanye West, will.i.am
will.i.am singles chronology
"America's Song" (2009) "The Jackass Song" (2009) "3 Words" (2009)

"The Jackass Song" is the fifth and final single released by The Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am from the political compilation album Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise. The song was released on September 17, 2009, and was inspired by Barack Obama's reaction following Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. It features a sample of Kanye West's "Heartless".^[1] will.i.am wrote a blog piece relating to the song, and it appeared alongside the song's music video on Dipdive.^[2]

Background

Regarding his intentions for the song, will.i.am said to Oprah Winfrey on her show: "The meaning of this song is to notice when people are being unreasonable and selfish. I wanted to write the new American anthem for this day and age—for this generation."^[3]

Production

will.i.am said that he wrote most of the song in a single evening.^[4] The recording came together quickly. Will recorded the song on September 13, right after performing at Obama's pre-inauguration concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

References

1. "The Jackass Song" uploaded by will.i.am
2. Blog written by will.i.am
3. no byline (2009-01-19). "Listen to will.i.am's 'America's Song'", Us Weekly. Retrieved on 2009-01-20.
4. Stevenson, Jane (2009-01-21). "Foster's America", Toronto Sun. Retrieved on 2009-02-10.