This is an American hip-hop group from Los Angeles. From 1998, it began to conquer the hearts of listeners in different parts of the world. Thanks to the special approach to creating hip-hop music, the performers inspired people with free rhymes, a positive attitude and a fun atmosphere. Learn more about the triumph on stage and the tragedy behind it and all about the story of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Read more on los-angeles.pro.
Founding of the band
The band’s history began in 1989 with the meeting of eighth-graders William Adams (will.i.am) and Allan Pineda (apl.de.ap). They studied together in high school. The guys discussed their common visions for music and decided to create a duo. Within a few months, they started rapping in various bars and clubs in Los Angeles. Then, the duo was named Atbam Klann.
In 1992, the musicians signed a contract with Eazy-E. He was the head of the Ruthless Records label. Unfortunately, they never managed to release a single album with him. Eazy-Z died from AIDS in 1994.
In 1995, the Atbam Klann duet was joined by Taboo, a former member of the Grassroots group. It was necessary to come up with a new name for the trio. They chose the Black Eyed Peas. Later, they signed a contract with Interscope Records. In 1998, the performers released their debut album Behind the Front, which received good reviews from critics. Then, came the next album, Bridging the Gap.
Band members
Since the formation of the Black Eyed Peas, it has included several people, but three have remained with it since the start. Will.i.am proudly performed the functions of vocalist, pianist, synthesizer and bass guitarist. Apl.de.ap, who also provided vocals, mainly served as a drummer while Taboo showcased his talents as a vocalist, guitarist and DJ.
Kim Hill was the vocalist in the band between 1995 and 2000. After Hill left the band, Fergie took her place. She was a vocalist from 2002 to 2011. In 2015, she returned again and worked until 2018. Since 2018, during the tours, the vocal parts have been performed by Jay Rey Soul.
The lead members of the Black Eyed Peas have a net income of around $30 million as of August 2023. This is only during their work in the band. For example, will.i.am’s net worth alone is $70 million.
Breakthrough
The album Elephunk, which was presented in 2003 with a new vocalist, Fergie, gained the greatest recognition. She replaced singer Kim Hill, who left the band in 2000.
Elephunk included the anti-war anthem Where Is The Love?. It became their hit and reached number 8 on the U.S. Hot 100. It also topped the charts in various parts of the world, including the UK. There, it spent around six weeks at number one on the music charts and became the most popular single of 2003. When this hit was just born, the idea came to record this song together with Justin Timberlake. However, the Black Eyed Peas had to face a small problem. Timberlake’s production center forbade the use of the star’s name and filming for the music video. Still, the song turned out to be so energetic that it was remembered by listeners even without excessive advertising.
After that, the band felt what success is. They opened for Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. Even then, it was clear to everyone that the Black Eyed Peas are considered the best concert band performing music in the hip-hop style. The band began to be invited to perform at the most prestigious music award ceremonies, such as MTV Europe Music Awards, Brit Awards, Grammy and others.
The band is unique, because the members are not afraid to experiment, demonstrate new styles, use new sounds for the rhythm and combine all this with powerful lyrics. Will.i.am’s talent lies in his ability to combine live instruments, samples and drum machines into a single sound.
The band’s fourth album, Monkey Business, was recorded during the tour. This album was something like therapy for the whole group. It united the members and made them stronger. It was the first album the quartet wrote together. Deeper, mature themes can be found in the songs. Many duet songs appeared in this album. Justin Timberlake is back with the song My Style. Singers Sting, Jack Johnson and James Brown also contributed to the album. The song Don’t Phunk With My Heart entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard chart and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA and sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. In 2005, the Black Eyed Peas won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for Let’s Get It Started.
The next album was released in June 2009. The first two official singles from it Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a total of half a year (12 and 14 weeks in accordance). This became a record. In 2010, at the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, the group received three awards: Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Short Form Video for the clip Boom Boom Pow and the traditional Best Pop Vocal Performance for the song I Gotta Feeling, also having a nomination for Album of the Year. In November 2010, the Black Eyed Peas released the album The Beginning, which uses new technologies and sounds.
A break in creativity
The group was at the peak of popularity until July 6, 2011. During a concert at Alton Towers in Staffordshire (England), the members announced an indefinite hiatus. The band’s last performance was on November 23, 2011 with Cee Lo Green and Queen Latifah. It would be four years before the Black Eyed Peas made headlines again, announcing a seventh studio album in 2015, just in time for the band’s 20th anniversary. In the same year, during the NBA playoffs, the new track Awesome debuted. It was soon followed by the song Yesterday.
In 2016, the group officially returned to work and released a re-release of the hit Where is Еhe Love?. Such artists as Justin Timberlake, DJ Khaled and Jessie J took part in it. While working on the new album, the band also performed at several events, including the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final Opening Ceremony and Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester benefit concert. In 2018, the album Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 was released. Two years later, the album Translation was ready and Elevation came up in 2022.
Public activity
In Los Angeles, Taboo started an after-school martial arts and breakdancing program. He worked on his solo album, mixing Spanish and English rap with reggaeton. Will.i.am was engaged in the development of a clothing line and the release of albums for other artists. After the 2004 tsunami in Asia, he organized charitable aid and went to areas in Malaysia to help rebuild the homes of the victims. They didn’t just talk about how to make the world a better place, they actually tried to influence it and help those in need.
The i.am Angel Foundation helps in training young people from poor communities to give them the opportunity to work in decent jobs. Its initiative program i.am STEAM includes robotics, 3D Experience Labs and provides software ArcGIS (geographical information systems).