Vida Loca

Album: Translation (2020)
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Songfacts®:

  • "Vida Loca" translates to "crazy life." Here, will.i.am admits to being a bit unhinged.

    Don't you know I'm loco?
    No quiero no problemo


    Will has little regard to the opinion of others and just does what he wants.
  • Nicky Jam jumps in for the second verse, which he sings in Spanish. He starts off by riffing Ricky Martin's 1999 classic "Livin' La Vida Loca."

    Vida loca y no e' la de Ricky (Ah)
    Con una canción y me busco el ticket


    Martin's song is about a seductive woman who makes him forget his troubles and go crazy.
  • Will.i.am is renowned for being tech savvy, but it seems Nicky Jam is less so. He recalled to Billboard:

    "Will hit me up on DM. I didn't even know he used Instagram like that. Like a groupie, I was starstruck. I think I left him a voice note because I'm not good with texting - I'd rather just talk."

    Jam added that Will contacted him again two or three months later, They met at the studio, and "did magic" together.
  • Tyga raps the third verse, He strays from the song's "going crazy" theme by talking about hooking up with a girl at a party.
  • Will.i.am gives a nod to his former Black Eyed Pea colleague Fergie. He uses the same Spanglish "dour, tres, two, uno" countdown as on their 2006 collaboration "Fergalicious."
  • Rick James and MC Hammer get songwriting credits because "Vida Loca" interpolates "U Can't Touch This." The music of Hammer's 1990 hit is based on James' "Super Freak."

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