Will.i.am Develops Mortgage Relief Fund, Working With U2

Black Eyed Peas' frontman will.i.am may be one of the most successful artists in the music biz, but that isn't keeping him from helping those in need. The rapper, whose real name is William James Adams, Jr., has launched his mortgage relief program called i.am.home where he offers financial assistance to homeowners who are unable to keep up with their mortgage payments.

"I also started a Mortgage Relief Program called i.am home,' he told The Sun. "I rescue families who are losing their homes because they have no jobs and they can't pay the mortgage and the banks are foreclosing on their homes. All the people we help are debt free, they don't have to pay me back, but we've had some hiccups. There was one lady whose home we rescued and we found her a job at a hospital. Then she didn't show up to work on her first day and got fired."

The 35-year-old also started the Peapod Foundation to provide scholarships for students who can't afford college. So far, he has funded the tuition of nine students and sends e-mails to keep tabs on them regularly as well as offers them incentives to exceed expectations. "I say, 'If your GPA is 3.8 and above and you keep that steady for a year, pick where you want go in the world and I will let you come with us, here's our schedule.' It's something for them to work towards."

In addition to helping those in need, will.i.am recently released 'The Beginning' with his group Black Eyed Peas, and is next set to produce U2's upcoming album. "You talk about one day looking back at milestones in your career - working with those guys will be light-year stones. I look at U2 and think, 'Wow, I hope our group can stay together that long and still make brilliant music.'"'