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Both the Black Eyed Peas and Gwen Stefani have strayed far from their roots for more pop pastures --BEP from hip-hop and Stefani from ska. But at tonight's concert in the HP Pavilion in San Jose, despite purist grumblings, BEP were energetic -- successfully firing up the crowd for Stefani. Stefani, on the otherhand, made me miss No Doubt. She was more visually exciting than musically appealing -- full of eye candy, changing costumes, bouncing this way and that. Her music was more mechanical, and even her hit, "Hollaback Girl" was off and flat. And for much of her set, which lasted a little over an hour, the audience looked listless, stunned that their idol went bananas.
BLACK EYED PEAS STUNNED BY HUMPS SUCCESS
The members of the BLACK EYED PEAS only got together to shoot the video to their latest single MY HUMPS after US radio DJs turned it into a surprise hit.
The hip-hop collective recently decided to make a clip for the track, taken from their latest album MONKEY BUSINESS, after realising how popular it had become on the airwaves without them having released it as a single.
And the Peas decided to have fun with the video by going back in time.
WILL.I.AM tells AllHipHop.com, "I wanted to recreate the biker short, drop Nissan truck, Troop jackets, the 808 bass era of hip-hop. When groups like the GUCCI CREW, SALT-N-PEPA, JJ FAD, EGYPTIAN LOVER and MC SHY D ruled the airwaves.
"Classic swap meet hip-hop. To love hip-hop is to understand every shape hip-hop has been and can be."
Best Buy Canada to Hold Free Black Eyed Peas Concert
Montreal, QC, October 13, 2005: Best Buy Canada has announced that it will be offering a free, ticketing concert by chart-topping group The Black Eyed Peas, in celebration of the opening of five new stores in the greater Montreal area at the end of October. The concert will take place on Sunday, October 30 at Bell Centre, and over 12,000 tickets will be given away between October 24 and 27.
"We are thrilled to really 'arrive' in Montreal, and we want to share our excitement with everyone," commented Kevin Layden, President and COO of Best Buy Canada. "The Black Eyed Peas are the perfect reflection of Best Buy's energy. The Company is all about offering a unique and fun experience to its customers, and there's no current group that embodies this more."
The concert on Sunday, October 30 is the culminating event to a weekend of celebrations marking the grand openings of the five new Montreal locations, which will be in Anjou, Laval, Taschereau (Greenfield Park), Pointe Claire and St. Bruno. Each store, including the two stores previously opened in Marche Central and Lasalle, will participate in the celebration beginning on Friday, October 28. All seven locations will feature opening ceremonies including $1,000 daily shopping spree giveaways, charity cheque presentations, and events and special in-store celebrity guest appearances throughout the weekend.
A limited number of tickets will be given away each day from October 24-27 at 12:00 p.m. at each of the seven Best Buy locations in the Greater Montreal area (150 pairs per day, per store). Ticket giveaways will be on a first come, first serve basis, and only one pair will be allowed per person. Additional tickets will also be given away through a variety of media co-promotions.
The seven participating locations are: Marche Central (8871, boulevard de L'Acadie); Lasalle (7077 boulevard Newman); St. Bruno (1235, boulevard des Promenades); Anjou (7200, boulevard des Roseraies); Laval (1560, boulevard Le Corbusier); Taschereau, Greenfield Park (1000 Auguste St.); and Pointe Claire (6815, Aut. Transcanadienne).
The Black Eyed Peas is a global multi-platinum, A&M/Universal Music Canada recording artists. The group recently released its fourth album, Monkey Business, follow-up to the 2003 breakthrough release, Elephunk, which sold over 7.5 million copies worldwide and close to 700,000 copies (and counting) in Canada. Monkey Business has been at the trop of the radio and retail charts since being released in June, and features singles like Don’t Phunk With My Heart, Don’t Lie, and My Humps.
Posted: 10/13/2005 12:32:00 PM
Hip-Hop Charts:
Twista's New "Day," The Black Eyed Peas Bubbling Again, Trina Lives The "Glamourest Life"
Thursday - October 13, 2005
In this week's charts, Twista rises to the top, the Black Eyed Peas move up a notch and Trina shares her Glamorest Life.
Over the past couple of weeks Atlantic Records have been killing the Hip-Hop charts, holding down most of the spots. This week, the game remains the same thanks to new releases from Twista and Trina.
Reigning over the charts this week is Twista at No. 2. His offering, The Day After, seems to be following in the footsteps of his last platinum joint, Kamikaze. Twista has definitely been making it happen since his "Slow Jamz" days; and now with "Girl Tonite" he's certain to blow. Soundscan records show that in its first week The Day After sold 128,898 units.
Six weeks after releasing his sophomore set, rapper/producer Kanye West sits comfortably on the charts at No. 6. Late Registration continued to sell like hot cakes another week. It doesn't hurt that Kanye received four nods for the '05 Vibe Awards, with album of the year being one of them. 'Ye moved 94,010 this week, bringing his sales-to-date total to 1,640,570 units.
Moving up a notch to No. 9 is the Black Eyed Peas. Monkey Business is up 4% this week in sales, as the BEP keep on raking in the dough. Currently, the Peas are on tour. Look for them to come and phunk up your neighborhood with cuts from Monkey Business. This week's sales stand at 79,533 copies. The Peas sold 1,696,688 LPs so far.
In the No. 11 spot is Trina's The Glamorest Life. Miami's "Diamond Princess" spent last week making the press rounds and constantly avoiding questions about her relationship with Lil' Wayne. Her singles, "Don't Trip" featuring Weezie and "Here We Go" featuring Kelly Rowland, are climbing up the charts, gaining spins on radio all over the country. Week one sales for Trina are 77,477 units.
Up next at No. 16 is Three 6 Mafia. Their latest offering, Most Known Unknown, goes down in the books as another classic from Three 6. Juicy J and DJ Paul had another fly week as their Sony release pushed 62,004 additional records, hiking its numbers to 187,618 CDs sold.
Following in the 17th place is The Trinity. Atlantic Record's dutty Sean Paul had a second week burnin' up the charts. Despite a 43% drop, Sean Paul managed to buoy 60,909 additional albums. Thus far, The Trinity sold 168,371 copies.
Grabbing No. 19 is Young Jeezy. His debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, continues to speak for itself. With current singles, "And Then What" and the Akon-featured "Soul Survivor," what's going to be the next one to make his fans "go crazy"? Jeezy made an appearance on BET's "106 & Park" recently and announced that his next single to drop is "Trap Star." Jeezy sold an additional 53,032 units this week. His total is 801,343 albums to date.
Holding down No. 25 is The Naked Truth. Even in prison, Lil' Kim is keeping her head up. Her latest offering has fans all over the place putting their "lighters up." Kim moved 44,170 copies of The Naked Truth this week. To date, Kim moved 153, 973 LPs.
Coming in at No. 29 is Paul Wall. The Swisha House rapper keeps his title another week as The People's Champ. Wall's new single "They Don't Know" is keeping his buzz going. The Houston-bred MC moved 37,792 units, bringing his total to 331,648 copies.
Lastly, David Banner reaches out, 50 Cent gears up and Damian Marley jams on. At No. 41, Banner continues to reach out to Hurricane Katrina victims. Check out Banner's appearance on "Last Call with Carson Daly" on October 13th. His recent appearances and concerts helped the southern rapper boost his sales pushing 26,680 records. To date, Certified has sold 157,311 units. A few slots down at No. 43 The Massacre keeps on caking. 50 Cent is prepping for the release of his video game "Bulletproof" on November 15th. On a music side of things, Fiddy stacked an additional 26,569 CDs this week. According to Nielsen's SoundScan, The Massacre sold 4,627,771 copies in thirty-two weeks. Rounding off the Hip-Hop charts at No. 50 is Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. Marley's release Welcome To Jamrock had another jammin' week. With a 29% dip, Marley sold an additional 22,501 LPs. His offering has moved 179,777 copies to date.
Next week, look for Warren G. to return to the Hip-Hop charts with his release of In The Mid-Nite Hour.
Black-Eyed Popstars
By Tyler Adams
Published: Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Article Tools: Page 1 of 1
I was going to write a rock column this issue. Then my editor, Sarah Culp, asked me a question that I really had to think about. It wasn't one of those editor-typical, "Where's your article?" questions, but it really made me think. I just had to address it, and at least attempt to answer it. It's intimidating and confusing and somehow very intrinsic to the current state of pop music. Here's what Sarah asked me: "Why are the Black Eyed Peas popular?"
Good freaking question. It could be as simple as dumbing down lyrics, or proper promotion, or big guest artists, or adding Fergie, a pretty, light-skinned Latina girl, to a group of three dark-skinned emcees. But it's not. To understand the Black Eyed Peas' success and therefore the music industry better, we need to go look at the group's beginnings.
Black Eyed Peas (will.i.am and apl.de.ap) were actually signed to Eazy-E's label, Ruthless Records, as the group Atban Klann in the early 90's. The group was socially conscious, grooving, and great dancers. Unfortunately, Ruthless didn't know how to market them, and the Klann was dropped. In 1998, they reappeared as BEP, adding rapper Taboo, and released Behind The Front. That was followed by 2000's Bridging the Gap.
Those two albums ruled. I own them both, and besides being great dance albums, it also features some solid flow and decent lyrics, with excellent bass-funk production. Their live band rocked, they were critics' darlings, and their tours were packed. Neither album reached platinum status, though. Sometimes, that's what matters to people. I don't know whether it's the Peas themselves (and possibly their reported drug breakdowns after their first two discs), or the execs at A&M, the label the Peas moved to. But the last two albums have been incredibly different than the first two. They've sold. They've performed at the Super Bowl. What happened?
Black Eyed Peas sold out. They traded Kim Hill, the backup singer on the first two albums, for Fergie, a blonde pinup with a long showbiz past, immediately marketing her as a new member of the group; in reality, she plays the same role of 'hook girl' as Hill did on Behind The Front. The necessity of her addition is questionable, but look at it this way: The two albums before Fergie aren't platinum - some BEP fans don't even know about them. The two since are platinum; Elephunk, the first, twice over.
Elephunk is a good dance album. Not a big accomplishment for the Peas, as will.i.am has always been innovative in getting bodies moving. The first single, "Where Is The Love?" is a lukewarm plea for peace in the world that cribs its melody from Bob Marley and the Wailers' "No Woman No Cry," and featured one Justin Timberlake. Uhh...okay. The guests on Behind The Front were De La Soul and Chali 2na from Jurassic 5. This was a big step up in pop music profile, even if Timberlake didn't appear in the video. This was followed by "Hey Mama," which is a great dance song that you should never rap along to. The NBA playoffs spawned "Let's Get It Started"/"Let's Get Retarded," the latter, unedited version of which stormed charts, arenas and movies. Elephunk isn't offensively bad, but it's disappointing - yet coincided with serious commercial success.
This year's Monkey Business is a sucker punch of an album. Going in different stylistic directions is fine - it's part of music, but BEP has definitely fallen off. Hard. "Don't Phunk With My Heart," the lead single, is hypnotic, but the lyricism is painfully simple, and the song sounds half-finished at first listen. I honestly think BEP spent a good two weeks in the studio banging out a half-arsed version of Elephunk. If "My Humps" - the worst urban song to get major airplay in a year full of them - is any indication, I fear for the mainstream music scene. "My humps [9x], my lovely little lumps"? Gah.
No group, in my mind, has fallen off in quality, even as their star ascended in the public's conscience, the way Black Eyed Peas have. The frustrating part is they still have talent. Their first two albums deserve to be platinum. Most listeners who haven't heard the Peas' first two efforts their headphones off a lot more impressed with that than the gruesome experience of Monkey Business. When Sarah originally asked the question, I started rambling incoherently about Fergie, I think. My answer should have been, "I don't know...but I can explain."
The Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas at St James
10.10.05
Poor old Black Eyed Peas. You tour the world playing sell-out shows then plan your grand finale in New Zealand, a place you've been touring successfully for years (save one small incident involving the green stuff) to find part of the venue has snapped in the wind.
But the show must go on, and on Saturday night two shows did, just three hours apart.
It could have been a disaster if not for the admirably swift work that went into shifting the gig from the Supertop to the much smaller St James, although a frustrating round-trip to the original venue explains why there's no mention of the support set performed by R&B singer and producer John Legend. (He was great, enthused the women in our row). To their credit, the Peas did their best to make it look as though they weren't fazed by the ad hoc lighting and occasional screeches of feedback.
The energy poured off them the minute they launched into the jittery Hey Mama, the live band adding a suitably loose feel to the makeshift nature of the set.
Will.I.Am, Apl.De.Ap and Taboo were dressed in playful, krump-friendly get-up; Fergie was disappointingly casual in cargo pants, a black singlet and zip-up hoodie but a couple of impressive one-handed flips later and it seemed a wise choice.
If anything, the venue change exposed the Peas' tightly choreographed set, one that occasionally unwound amid the roving spotlights, and seemed a tad contrived compared to the free-wheeling dance sessions of gigs past.
Particularly in Pump It, the chirpy but cheesy hit from Monkey Business, the likes of which has turned a few of their older fans off their music.
Perhaps they were simply preserving some energy for the next gig.
And sure, they did mushy Peas: Where is the Love? was dedicated to victims of recent natural disasters and felt like a corny, Telethon moment.
But they also did hard-boiled peas, each band member performing a dazzling solo, and Will.I.Am jumping on for a quick blat on the skins.
They also minded their Peas and qs; the only mention of the problem venue care of Fergie's funny little impromptu song that not only proved what a great set of pipes she has but how professionally they handled the situation.
And by the time they really let loose in the encore of Don't Phunk With My Heart and Let's Get Retarded, it was obvious these guys are born entertainers.
You can't be Pea-d off with that.
Who: Black Eyed Peas
Where: St James
Black Eyed Peas To Play Free Show
Peas to play free Honda Civic Live Concert Oct. 22-23.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA Friday Oct.7.2005 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- Later this month, fans can enjoy a free concert with the Black Eyed Peas, courtesy of Honda.
The Peas are performing at the Honda Civic Live event taking place at San Francisco's Monster Park on October 22 and 23. Along with the music, those in attendance will have the chance to experience the all-new 2006 Civic before it hits dealers, and maybe even win one!
If you want to go to the San Francisco Honda Civic Live event featuring the Black Eyed Peas, you'll need to pre-register online at www.CivicLive.Honda.com.
The Black Eyed Peas' new album "Monkey Business" is in stores now.
Concert review: Black Eyed Peas
07 October 2005
HAPPY HIP-HOP: Fans rocked to the beat of the
Black Eyed Peas as their
Monkey Business Tour hit Christchurch's
Westpac Stadium last night.
The Black Eyed Peas hit Christchurch on a rainy Thursday night and phunked up the place.
Future star John Legend, who collaborated on the BEP's latest album, laid on some smooth grooves to begin, but wasn't a very effective warm-up act with his laid-back ballads. The crowd didn't want to "take it slow", it wanted happy hip-hop.
Luckily The BEPs were their own best intro, opening with Hey Mama.
Will I Am, Fergie, Apl de ap and Taboo, dressed in their unique fashions, took turns to front.
Despite occasional nasty feedback and a lack of clarity in some of the raps, Fergie's astonishing vocal talent shone through.
Meanwhile, the boys reminded us that the BEPs started out as a breakdancing troupe, with back-flips and mid-air splits.
Will I Am showed off his incredible impromptu MCing skills, making almost gratuitous use of the words "Christchurch" and "Noo Zealand".
The hip-hop outfit played mainly hits from Elephunk and the group's latest album, Monkey Business, which was released in May, plus a little old school stuff.
The first single off Monkey Business, Don't Phunk with My Heart, and the second single, Don't Lie, (which is playing almost continuously on radio and TV right now) were both received rapturously by the all-ages crowd.
Shut Up is a song they're obviously getting sick of singing, but, as a more intelligent hip-hop outfit than your average, they weren't afraid to take the mickey out of their own song or themselves.
They also took time to cover some non-BEP songs, with a few bars of No Woman No Cry, Drop It Like It's Hot, and This One Thing, among others.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBacked by some multi-talented musicians, they even made my least favourite BEP song, My Humps, infectious and fun.
The crowd really got going when the band played the non-PC version of Let's Get Retarded, which sadly, was the final song for the evening, although the Peas promise to return.
An excellent evening's entertainment and good value, too, for under $90 per ticket.
Monkey Business has never sounded so good.
Only the good lumps left for Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 20
By: NEKESA MUMBI MOODY - Associated Press
The Black Eyed Peas spent years languishing in hip-hop's underground before they found the formula to vault them into the mainstream ---- accessible pop melodies, star collaborations, marketing tie-ins and a sexy young thing to belt out catchy choruses.
That mix made their 2003 album "Elephunk" their big breakthrough. Their first two albums failed to sell 500,000 copies combined. But "Elephunk" ---- which featured the Grammy-nominated anthems "Where Is the Love" with Justin Timberlake and "Let's Get It Started," which became the National Basketball Association's playoff anthem ---- went multiplatinum and made them and their music ubiquitous.
Still, there are plenty of early Peas-heads who remain disgruntled about the group's leap to the pop world.
But go ahead and call them sellouts. Lead lyricist will.i.am doesn't mind.
"It's cool. It makes me feel good because that means they really liked our first record."
And then the group breaks out into uproarious laughter.
The Black Eyed Peas have plenty to be merry about these days. Coming off a Grammy this year and the success of "Elephunk" (2.7 million copies sold) the foursome should prove that they aren't a flash in the pan with their latest album, "Monkey Business." The disc, which again features Timberlake, along with the Godfather of Soul James Brown, sold 291,000 copies in its first week of release. And the funky first single from the album, "Don't Phunk With My Heart," was a Billboard top 10 hit. The latest, "My Humps," is hitting even bigger.
Amy Doyle, MTV's vice president of music and talent programming, says the key to the Black Eyed Peas' success is their ability to "straddle a wide audience ... their music is not polarizing."
"It's really all about the catchy songs that they write that get stuck inside everybody's head as well as a real vibrant live performance," she added. "And they always deliver really good videos too."
The Los Angles-based group, which initially started out years ago as the trio of will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo, first came onto the scene as an effervescent band that melded eclectic hip-hop beats with lyrics that were sometimes socially relevant, sometimes irreverent, but definitely apart from the sex and violence that permeates much of rap and hip-hop.
Critics loved it, and they had a strong following.
"When I go back then, and I think about our careers, I think we were pretty successful," says will.i.am, the most talkative member of the group, as they sit backstage, waiting to perform at an MTV event. "It was just a different level of success. We weren't waiting, like, 'Dude, I can't wait till we go five times platinum!!!' It was more like, 'Damn, I can't wait to buy a house.' That's what we were waiting for."
But they had to wait awhile. Their debut CD, 1998's "Back to Front" had modest success. But the weak response to the follow-up, "Bridging the Gap," left them feeling particularly defeated, and they fell into destructive habits.
"Me and Tab were going out drinking every night," says will.i.am.
Eventually, the band decided to put all their focus into "Elephunk," which they saw as potentially their last album. Though not everyone was quite as willing to straighten up.
"He got mad at us because we took him to rehab," will.i.am says of Taboo, as they all start to laugh.
"Because they told me they would take me shopping!" Taboo cries out ---- to the laughter of the group again.
Besides getting themselves together, they also decided to tinker with their sound. A previous female vocalist they used on tracks had left, so they found Fergie ---- a former member of Wild Orchid, which had modest success in the '90s.
Joining three guys who had been together for years wasn't easy for Fergie.
"It was like a gradual progression for me onstage, because they had been together for years. I'm coming onto the stage not really knowing where I fit in. So I kind of had to sit back and watch and find my niche in the band," she says.
"I think Fergie rounded out the package," says Doyle. "They were always a very talented group, but when they added Fergie they added another dimension. And then their songwriting definitely got better over time. They were able to capture the lighter side of a hip-hop audience as well as bridge the gap between hip-hop and pop with a very unique sound."
But some critics saw it as a blatant attempt to cross over. Given that their music has always been more palatable to club lounges than the gritty streets, it added even more fodder to those who considered the group watered-down hip-hop.
Those criticisms irritate will.i.am a little ---- but just a little.
"What's hip-hop?" he asks, adding: "If hip-hop is 'Shoot the (expletive), smack the (expletive) ... snort the coke, sell the coke, run from the (police),' then no, we're not. That's not us."
Black Eyed Peas - rise of the beat freaks
07.10.05
Taboo (left), Apl.De.Ap, Fergie and Will.I.Am
love performing but for Taboo touring is also
a chance to buy more shoes.
Let's hope the shoe stores in New Zealand are ready for the Black Eyed Peas. It's not Fergie, the sole girl in the LA hip-hop group, that they have to worry about either. It's Taboo, the rapper, break dancer, and shoe junkie.
"I'm a shoe consumer. I love shoes," he proclaims, after confessing to owning more than 700 pairs.
That rivals J.Lo, surely?
"I buy them every place I go, and on this tour - so far, in Canada - I've bought 12 pairs. I'm very guilty of spending my hard-earned cash on shoes. I'll buy some in New Zealand. I've been like that since I was a kid."
He wants to open a shoe store, too. "I don't want to have to buy them, I just want to look at them," he laughs. But the shoe shop may have to wait until later in life since he's got the Peas to think of, plus he's just scored his first acting role in a movie called Dirty with Cuba Gooding jnr, he's releasing a Spanish language album, and he's setting up a community centre in his home neighbourhood of Rosemead.
That community centre is something he is proud of. As he says: "I am a voice of my community so why not give something back."
Then again, Taboo can do that sort of thing now. His band of beat freaks made up of singer Fergie, and fellow rappers and break dancers, Will.I.Am and Apl.De.Ap, are huge. In New Zealand their latest album, Monkey Business, has sold more than 30,000 copies and it is equally as popular in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
And, thanks to Monkey Business, they're selling out stadiums in Canada and the US, which, up until recently, were countries they were not so big in.
"You know, when we started out it was in little clubs, now we've gotten to the level where we feel the hard work and determination that started in '98 with our first album [Behind The Front] is paying off.
"Elephunk [from 2003] was the hard work. Working three shows a day, opening for people, then after Elephunk we moved straight into Monkey Business which was a phenomenon. They didn't expect Elephunk to do as well as it did, and the way Monkey Business is going, it's going to surpass everything that Elephunk did."
But, unlike many US artists, their homeland isn't their main focus.
"Americans are kinda stuck up," he says. "You go to a show and you see cats in the audience hating it, with their arms crossed. Our music is not just for the States, our thing is worldly. We're not really concerned about whether we go platinum in the States. We're concerned about going to places like New Zealand where people are so beautiful and open-minded about our music."
It all started for the Black Eyed Peas when they were 16-year-old kids in high school and they had a record deal with a gangsta rap label called Ruthless Records run by Eazy E, a member of notorious hip-hop outfit, NWA.
"Remember gangstas?" asks Taboo staunchly, thinking back to when he was growing up with his band mates. "We were little kids. That's all I can say about that. That was a learning experience because we didn't know about business. That was the thing, we just wanted to rap and freestyle and battle fools. We just wanted to battle, that was our thing."
In fact, Taboo says, they were Eazy E's amusement, and he would order them to break dance and freestyle for him. "He couldn't do it, because Eazy E was a gangsta. So he looked at us for entertainment, like, 'Man, these are weird niggers, with dreadlocks and funky clothes and crazy assed beats'. But he did teach us a lot about knowing business. Even though he had that [gangsta] persona he was a businessman. And he made a lot of money for that label."
Although Taboo is a bit of a braggart - actually, it is fair to say he's full of himself - the thing about Black Eyed Peas is that they have not let their success go to their heads. That's because they have worked to get to where they are now and it is a work ethic they learned as youngsters.
"While everyone was going out to parties we were practising. God intended us to have that work ethic way before we even knew we were going to be on stage, or knew what we were going to be receiving.
"And don't let nothing get to your head, if that shit gets to your head that shit could easily be deflated. Don't get a balloon head because it could easily be popped."
Although they love performing, the mundane touring schedule is enough to keep the Peas grounded, reckons Taboo. He laughs: "I'll tell you what I do everyday. Like now, it's 4.48pm, in Alberta Canada, this is how my day goes. We perform at exactly 9.30 at night, get off the stage at about 10.40pm, then there's the after party at every city. We're at the after party until like 2am. Then we get on the tour bus, drive for about six hours until we get to the next city, get to the hotel, lay down for a couple of hours, do phoners, and my whole day starts all over again."
It's a tough life being in one of the biggest bands on the planet. But at least there's no bus involved during their New Zealand tour so there's plenty of time for shoe shopping.
*Where & when: Supertop, Ericsson Stadium, tomorrow night
*Albums: Black Eyed Peas - Monkey Business; John Legend - Get Lifted
The Black Eyed Peas
October 4, 2005
Sydney Entertainment Centre, October 2
Like Roots Manuva, the American quartet known as the Black Eyed Peas brought a twist on the tricky terrain of the hip-hop show. They, too, stretched the confines of their genre, albeit in a very different way.
Unlike the British MC, the Black Eyed Peas have conquered charts all over the globe. Their credibility has justifiably taken a pounding - the pure, funky beats and rhymes of their first two albums (Behind the Front and Bridging the Gap) have been all but replaced by the colourful, lightweight pop explosion of albums three and four (the breakthrough Elephunk and this year's Monkey Business) - but the Peas couldn't care less. Their show is about spectacle more than music, let alone hip-hop.
They strode around the stage like the spoilt litter of some union between a catwalk model and a superhero, impeccably dressed and posing for all the millions of dollars they're worth.
The three male members are all breakdancers, so they took most opportunities to perform acrobatic moves to the hyperactive rhythms, while even their token female, lung-busting singer Fergie, seized her chance to do some one-handed cartwheels.
If all this sounds like the foursome might have been overcompensating for other shortcomings, there's truth in such a conclusion.
Black Eyed Peas tracks generally have a distinct format these days: blokes Will, Taboo and Apl share a bit of inconsequential rapping before they get to the pay-off: Fergie sings the hook in a powerhouse fashion with Shut Up and Don't Phunk With My Heart, and there is a monster chorus with which everyone gets to join in (Don't Lie, Let's Get Retarded). Resistance is futile when you're surrounded by thousands gleefully singing along - as is scrutiny of many of these "songs".
It wasn't all fun and frivolity; there was a social conscience as well as co-ordinated dance moves behind Where Is the Love? and, while the fiercely skilled backing band certainly deserved a brief moment in the spotlight, letting them each solo at length twice was a little excessive.
But if you look at what the Black Eyed Peas set out to achieve these days, you can't deny their success.
These four characters seem to take pride in being a multiracial act that similarly unites people of all backgrounds (and ages) and gets them jumping and chanting and generally feeling good. When an act can do this with such limited songwriting substance, it's perhaps even more impressive.
Explosive feast of hot Peas
26 September, 2005
Strutting: The Black Eyed Peas produced an explosive performance at Rod Laver Arena.
HIP-hop stars Black Eyed Peas confirmed their status as one of the world's hottest acts at Rod Laver Arena last night.
Live, the Peas -- William Adams, Allen Lindo, Jamie Gomez and Stacy Ferguson -- took the same route as with their recorded work.
They expanded the parameters of hip-hop to pop and mainstream contexts, then drove it home with an explosive performance.
Sure, in many instances the Peas' flows unfold as indecipherable blabber, merely held together with sureshot slogans like Shut Up or Hey Mama.
But the hooks are undeniable. Even hip-hop purists could not hate the calculated and deliberate swoon carrying Don't Lie.
Ferguson proved her vocal power early in a sing-off against Adams. She won, but only after belting octaves while doing cartwheels across the stage.
Oddly, the stronger moments came when the Peas diverted from the obvious and threw down big bass grooves like Smells Like Funk and Dum Diddly.
Special mention to drummer Keith Harris for commanding, thunderous beats throughout a 90-minute set.
Support act John Legend blew up the spot, too. A sublime vocalist and pianist, Legend gave a raw soul set that will only intensify at his solo show at the Mercury Lounge tonight.
His band, especially drummer Chris Flueck, delivered tight instrumental hip-hop, ably serving Legend's songs of elevation and betrayal.
Black Eyed Peas - My Humps Lyrics
What you gon’ do with all that junk?
All that junk inside your trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get, you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.
My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump,
My hump, my hump, my hump, my lovely little lumps. (Check it out)
I drive these brothers crazy,
I do it on the daily,
They treat me really nicely,
They buy me all these ice-ys.
Dolce & Gabbana,
Fendi and then Donna
Karan, they be sharin’
All their money got me wearin’
Fly gearrr but I ain’t askin,
They say they love my ass ´n,
Se7en Jeans, True Religion,
I say no, but they keep givin’
So I keep on takin’
And no I ain’t taken
We can keep on datin’
I keep on demonstrating.
My love, my love, my love, my love
You love my lady lumps,
My hump, my hump, my hump,
My humps they got u,
She’s got me spending.
(Oh) Spendin’ all your money on me and spending time on me.
She’s got me spendin’.
(Oh) Spendin’ all your money on me, on me, on me
What you gon’ do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get, you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.
What u gon’ do with all that ass?
All that ass inside them jeans?
I’m a make, make, make, make you scream
Make u scream, make you scream.
Cos of my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump.
My hump, my hump, my hump, my lovely lady lumps. (Check it out)
I met a girl down at the disco.
She said hey, hey, hey yea let’s go.
I could be your baby, you can be my honey
Lets spend time not money.
I mix your milk wit my cocoa puff,
Milky, milky cocoa,
Mix your milk with my cocoa puff, milky, milky riiiiiiight.
They say I’m really sexy,
The boys they wanna sex me.
They always standing next to me,
Always dancing next to me,
Tryin’ a feel my hump, hump.
Lookin’ at my lump, lump.
U can look but you can’t touch it,
If u touch it I’ma start some drama,
You don’t want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
So don’t pull on my hand boy,
You ain’t my man, boy,
I’m just tryn’a dance boy,
And move my hump.
My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump,
My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump.
My lovely lady lumps x3
In the back and in the front.
My lovin’ got u,
She’s got me spendin’.
(Oh) Spendin’ all your money on me and spending time on me.
She’s got me spendin’.
(Oh) Spendin’ all your money on me, on me, on me.
What you gon’ do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.
What you gon’ do with all that ass?
All that ass inside them jeans?
I’ma make, make, make, make you scream
Make you scream, make you scream.
What you gon do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get you drunk,
Get you love drunk off this hump.
What you gon’ do wit all that breast?
All that breast inside that shirt?
I’ma make, make, make, make you work
Make you work, work, make you work.
She’s got me spendin’.
Spendin all your money on me and spendin’ time on me
She’s got me spendin’.
Spendin’ all your money on me, on me, on me.
Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas performs during a concert in Singapore September 20, 2005.
Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas poses for photographers.
Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.
Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.
Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.
Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie (L) and actress Eva Longoria meet on the red carpet as they arrive at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles September 18, 2005.
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