Dipdive

Dipdive was a social networking website created by will.i.am.^[1] It was best known for the original source site of the "Yes We Can" music video. The site allowed users to upload images, videos and audio files, post blog entries and create playlists. Dipdive was home to variety of creative content and social causes.

The website was shut down sometime in 2013 and its domain redirected to will.i.am's homepage. When asked about it in an interview with Fortune, will.i.am responded with "Ehh, I don’t want to do it anymore. I have something else I’m doing", insisting that "Dipdive wasn’t a failure" as the source code could potentially be reused in the future.^[1]

History

The site launched in an early Beta state when will.i.am launched the Barack Obama U.S. presidential election anthem video for "Yes We Can" on February 2, 2008 and the video for We Are the Ones on February 29, 2008. "It's a New Day" was subsequently uploaded to the site. The official launch of the full feature site was October 15, 2008 when Dipdive.com launched along with the UK release of will.i.am's third studio album, Songs About Girls. The site was created and is maintained by Dipdive LLC.

On February 22, 2009, will.i.am uploaded the full version of the previously-leaked, what would become a #1 hit, "Boom Boom Pow" on to the website and revealed that the Black Eyed Peas' official website will redirect to the new Black Eyed Peas channel on Dipdive. Almost a year after will.i.am's last song for Barack Obama, he posted a song along with a blog on his profile about his opinion of Obama's reaction to Kanye West's controversy of Taylor Swift, the song is entitled "The Jackass Song".^[2]

Profiles

Each user has their own profile page with blog, media player and photo album. Users may choose a theme to personalize their profile. Users can subscribe to their favorite Dipdive Channels. A list of media (audio, video, pictures) added by the user's favorite Channels and friends is displayed in their profile. Users may befriend other Dipdive users and send private messages and webcam recordings. Users can opt to get notifications of content updates from their subscribed Channels and friends. Users may comment on content throughout the website.

Importing from other websites

Because it was said that the Black Eyed Peas website will be closing, Dipdive allowed members to import their blogs, picture's and comments (from Dipdive members who have also imported) from The Black Eyed Peas website.

Dipdive allows users to show their latest Twitter tweet on the "What's Up?" section of their profile and log in via their Twitter credentials.

Dipdive allows users to show their latest Facebook status on the "What's Up?" section of their profile and log in via their Facebook credentials.

Channels

Channels are pages that are specially featured on Dipdive. They have their own themes. They have "fans" who add them to their favorite channels. Some Channels have forums on them. There are now 42 channels on Dipdive, some of them belonging to The Black Eyed Peas,^[3] Kero One,^[4] Natalia Kills^[5] K'Naan^[6] and Kimberly Wyatt,^[7] former Pussycat Dolls.

Exclusive to Dipdive

Some Channels and web series are featured exclusively on Dipdive.

DailyDips

The DailyDips Channel hosts a news web series. Each episode has 2-5 headlines of events (originally 7), they were formerly often made to be humorous. It was originally hosted by Michelle Joan Papillion and is now hosted by various hosts including Raquelle Gracie, a former member of the girl group, Hope who auditioned for the fourth series of The X Factor. In 2010, DailyDips introduced a new format with a different topic each day of the week: DipComedy Monday, New Music Tuesday, Fashion, Art & Philanthropy Wednesday, Sporting Thursday and Feature Film Friday. Several new hosts covered different days or multiple days, including Lilan, Vanessa, Rana, Milan and Michelle. In 2011, a new host joined the roster, Corey Conrad.

Shrink Rap

Shrink Rap is a web series where the hosts gets celebrity and artist guests to guess what a certain image is. It launched on the DailyDips (formerly "DipApproved") Channel.

Dippin on the Streets

Dippin on the Streets is also a web series. In this series, the hosts attend events and festivals. It launched on the DailyDips (formerly DipApproved) Channel and on the DipComedy Channel.

Beautiful Movements

Beautiful Movements is a Dipdive Channel founded by Kimberly Wyatt, it is redirected from "beautifulmovements.com". Wyatt states, "www.beautifulmovements.com is a place for self-expression where people listen, relate, and learn about self worth. Together we encourage growth through love, compassion, and positive action. Through poetry, song, art, dance, and ultimately being self-expressed we open ourselves to a world of possibilities. Nobody on this Earth can make you happy but yourself. So dive into a journey of self-discovery and be the change you wish to see in the world". The channel has a forum on it.

Worlds on Fire

World's on Fire is an art exhibition that took place from February 2 to February 9, 2009. The gallery featured portraits of 2009 Grammy nominees drawn by Lowbrow pop surrealism artists. After the event finished, the art, along with video footage including interviews with various celebrities, was uploaded to the Worlds on Fire Dipdive Channel: http://worldsonfire.dipdive.com/.

Who Killed the Music?

Who Killed the Music was another Dipdive-sponsored art exhibition that took place at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on 24 January 2010. Money was raised for The Grammy Foundation and will.i.am's i.am Scholarship Fund. A number of pop artists created original paintings with their interpretations of the cause of why the music industry is dying OR who is "killing it" right now in the music industry (who is excelling despite the industry's downturn). The art was on display at the exhibition and at http://whokilledthemusic.dipdive.com/.

In other media

• The Dipdive homepage is seen on portable devices in The Black Eyed Peas music video for "I Gotta Feeling".
• Lyrics in the song "Now Generation" by The Black Eyed Peas, make a reference to Dipdive.
• A video interface screen from Dipdive is seen in the beginning of will.i.am's music video for "It's a New Day".

References