Will.i.am Saying “Humanity Has Issues, Actually” Is a 2018 Mood

Hearing someone speak the truth both bluntly and casually is a bit like staring into the sun. It's uncomfortable, sure, but also feels somehow right even though you've been taught to shrink away from it. And watching Will.i.am speaking about Serious Issues on a British news programme, with all the relaxed manner of someone chatting about what sort of hot sauce to buy at the weekend, is jarring yet addictive. I can't look away.

The UK public seems to have adopted Will.i.am as its own – he's much loved as the longest-standing judge on our version of The Voice, and the affection clearly runs both ways. Remember when he made a music video on the set of soap opera Coronation Street? Anyway, as a gesture of his love, Will.i.am this morning appeared on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme (see the full thing here), where he was asked about sexism in the music industry:

But this was just the beginning. When asked if he believes that sexism is at play in music, he went holistic (and, truthful), saying:

And certainly, he's not wrong about that sentiment (although he's wrong about seeing ads on the BBC because it's famously not allowed to sell advertising on its public services. Brits pay an annual fee that makes supporting the BBC akin to paying tax. Anyway). He continues:

Again, right on, Will.i.am. Asking myself where the lie is, I come up empty-handed. Finally, he went abstract:

Now listen. I'm not about to rip into anyone for going on TV and talking about injustice, especially when so few men have stood up to discuss gendered discrimination in the music industry. This is a much-needed perspective to hear on a national news channel. Nothing that Will.i.am said was wrong, and I am very grateful that he spoke on this issue. "Humanity has issues, actually" is just such an unbelievably great quote and, if I'm honest, a perfect 2018 mood, that I had to pay tribute. "Humanity has issues, actually" is the only phrase that begins to explain everything we're going through as a species, the "actually" a gorgeous, know-it-all accent. Let me demonstrate:

"Why is there sexism in the music industry?"
"Humanity has issues, actually."

"Why are the polar ice caps melting"
"Humanity has issues, actually."

"Why are you still in bed at 3PM, Lauren?"
"Humanity has issues, actually."

See? It works for everything.

On the Black Eyed Peas' song "Boom Boom Pow" there's a line where they say "I'm so three thousand and eight / You so two thousand and late." Now we're finding out just how right they were.

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