The Los Angeles-based quartet Black Eyed Peas is possibly the greatest bubblegum group of the Extreme Ice Fruit Explosion era. Following the path forged by The Monkees, The Archies and The Spice Girls, the Peas present themselves as crass, good-hearted, unfailingly loud scavengers of every shiny thing lying on pop’s cross-cultural dancefloor while simultaneously as calculatedly smart and seductive as test-marketed pop gets. The group’s more substantive musical and thematic statements are regularly interrupted by deep commitment to a good party, such as “Rock That Body”.

by Mark Emge

Although they blew up when Fergie replaced Kim Hill, the roots of Black Eyed Peas lie deep under the cracked sidewalks of south Los Angeles. The socially conscious group’s earliest connections go back to high school, when Will.i.am and Apl.de.ap were part of Tribal Nation, a breakdancing crew. Eventually the pair focused on music and split off into Atban Klann, an acronym for A Tribe Beyond A Nation. N.W.A.’s Eazy-E (!) first signed the peace-minded group in 1992. Many fun-loving hits have followed, including “Imma Be” from “The E.N.D.”.

by Mark Emge

“Da Doo Ron Ron.” “Wannabe.” “Macarena.” There is a hallowed place in music history for dumb songs. Occasionally an actual musical genius will record a dumb song (Little Richard); more often, they are the work of one-hit wonders (Baha Men). Black Eyed Peas (”My Humps”, anyone?) occupy a unique place in this tradition. But the nice, automated mid-tempo ballad “Meet Me Halfway” is a bridge between “Boom Boom Pow” and whichever nugget of silliness Will.i.am decides to release next from new disc “The E.N.D.”.

by Mark Emge

“Da Doo Ron Ron”. “Wannabe”. “Macarena”. There is a hallowed place in music history for dumb songs. Occasionally an actual musical genius will record a dumb song (Little Richard); more often, they are the work of one-hit wonders (Baha Men). Black Eyed Peas (”My Humps”, anyone?) occupy a unique place in this tradition. But the automated mid-tempo ballad “Meet Me Halfway” is a bridge between “Boom Boom Pow” and whichever nugget of silliness Will.i.am decides to release next from new disc “The E.N.D.”.

by Mark Emge

Although they blew up when Fergie replaced Kim Hill, the roots of Black Eyed Peas lie deep under the cracked sidewalks of south Los Angeles. The socially conscious group’s earliest connections go back to high school, when Will.i.am and Apl.de.ap were part of Tribal Nation, a breakdancing crew. Eventually the pair focused on music and split off into Atban Klann, an acronym for A Tribe Beyond A Nation. N.W.A.’s Eazy-E signed the group in 1992, but many in the Ruthless camp were puzzled by the group and the enthusiasm of Eazy, who had no problem reconciling his gangsta leanings with the peace-minded Atban. Although an album was recorded, Ruthless shelved it, unsure how to market a group whose style wasn’t dependent on violent braggadocio.

by Mark Emge

The death of Eazy-E in 1995 signaled the end of breakdancers Will.i.am and Apl.de.ap’s deal with Ruthless Records, so the pair recruited dancer/MC Taboo, and Atban Klann reappeared as Black Eyed Peas. The trio began gigging around L.A., dazzling hip-hop fans equally with their mic skills and footwork. The Peas’ debut, “Behind The Front”, was released to critical acclaim in ‘98–not only for the trio of MCs, but also their live band and backing vocalist Kim Hill. By 2003’s “Elephunk” Hill had been replaced by Fergie, and BEP stormed the Top 40 with three hits. Two years later, the precisely aimed crossover bullet “My Humps” shot them into the stratosphere.

“Boom Boom Pow”–Black Eyed Peas‘ first ever No. 1–is part of a project Will.i.am conceived called The Energy Never Dies, after which he named new disc “The E.N.D.”. “It’s a diary of music that at any given time, depending on the inspiration, you can add to it,” the artist/producer/songwriter explains. “I’m trying to break away from the concept of an album. What is an album when you put 12 songs on iTunes and people can pick at it like scabs?”

by Mark Emge

Nooo!!! The title of Black Eyed Peas‘ first album since ‘05 can’t be “The E.N.D.”! You mean it stands for “The Energy Never Dies”?…We knew that! “Boom Boom Pow” is the first single to drop from the June-scheduled disc. Will.i.am calls the new music “electric static funk”. He’s also excited about the accompanying tour. “Fergie said, ‘Our show needs to be ridiculous this time.’ So I’m gonna hold her to that and follow her lead.”

by Mark Emge