Will.i.am wants to become a dad.

The 48-year-old rap star regrets not having kids a decade ago, and he remains keen to start a family one day.

During an appearance on 'The Diary of a CEO' podcast, the Black Eyed Peas star explained: "I want to have kids. I’m going to be an awesome dad."

Will admitted that his attitude towards parenthood has been transformed over the last decade.

He shared: "If you would have asked me this ten years ago, I would have a different answer.

"[I thought] you don’t start a family until you complete the ultimate - well, my version of ultimate. That is to be able to be of assistance and help and provide and service folks that resemble the hardships that I lived, without having to ever raise money ever again.

"Ten years ago, with what I know now, I would have had a kid."

Meanwhile, Will recently opened up about his tough upbringing, insisting that he wouldn't change anything about his childhood.

The music star - who was born in Los Angeles - told CNBC: "I wouldn’t change my past if you gave me a trillion dollars.

"If you say here, here’s a trillion dollars, give me your memories of the past or this trillion bucks. Like nah, I’ll keep my memories of the past.

"You can’t take that from me, you can’t take my love for my community, my love for my neighbours, that was beautiful."

Will actually described his early struggles as a "beautiful life experience".

He said: "The one thing poor people don’t want is when rich people come and give them food. So, my family signed up to give the free food to the poor families, and we were one of the poor families.

"As crazy as that may sound that that was a horrible life to live, it was a beautiful life experience because everyone was poor, but we were all there for one another."