Black Eyed Peas

TheBlack Eyed Peasare an American musical group formed inLos Angelesin 1995, composed of rapperswill.i.am,apl.de.apandTaboo. The group's lineup during the height of their popularity in the 2000sfeaturedFergie, who left the group in 2018. They have sold an estimated 80 million records, making them one of thebest-selling musical acts of all time,and were ranked 12th onBillboard's 2000s Decade-End Artist of the Decade Chart and 7th on the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade.
Originally forming as analternative hip hoptrio, they signed withInterscope Recordsto release two albums—Behind the Front(1998) andBridging the Gap(2000)—before rebranding to a more marketablepop-rapact; their third album,Elephunk(2003), yielded the group's mainstream breakthrough.Its lead single, "Where Is the Love?" (featuringJustin Timberlake), peaked atopmusic chartsin 13 countries, including the United Kingdom, where it spent seven weeks at number one and became the country's biggest-selling single of that year. Their fourth album,Monkey Business(2005), was met with continued commercial success; it receivedtriple platinumcertification by theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA) and peaked at number two on theBillboard200.
The group's fifth album,The E.N.D.(2009), yielded their furthest commercial success; it peaked atop theBillboard200 and spawned threeBillboardHot 100-number one singles: "Imma Be", "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling". For one week, the latter two songs made the group one of the 11 musical acts to have simultaneously held the top two spots on theBillboardHot 100, where they remained for a then-record 26 consecutive weeks. Two other singles from the album, "Rock That Body" and "Meet Me Halfway", peaked within the top ten of the chart. "I Gotta Feeling" became the first single to sell over than one million downloads in the United Kingdom.At the52nd Grammy Awardsceremony, the group won three awards from six nominations. The group's sixth album,The Beginning(2010), released the following year, and spawned theBillboardHot 100-top five singles "The Time (Dirty Bit)" and "Just Can't Get Enough". In February 2011, they performed in theSuper Bowl XLV halftime show.
In 2011, the Black Eyes Peas announced they would be going on indefinite hiatus to pursue other activities, briefly reuniting in 2015. Fergie was announced to have left the group in 2018, andJ. Rey Souljoined the group as a touring member that same year. Soul also appeared as a featured artist on select tracks on the group's seventh album,Masters of the Sun Vol. 1(2018), which failed to chart. They followed this with the albumsTranslation(2020) andElevation(2022), which delved intoreggaetonandLatininfluences.
In 1988, while attending two different high schools, William James Adams Jr and Allan Pineda Lindo met at the all-ages dance venue Club What? in Los Angeles. They formed a hip-hop dance and music crew named Tribal Nation. Adams took the stage name Will 1X while Pineda Lindo adopted the name apl.de.ap. Their friends joined the group –Dante Santiagoand Mooky Mook, followed shortly by DJ Motiv8. ActorDavid Faustinoopened an all-ages club named Balistyx in 1991 inside the oldWhisky a Go Go, and Tribal Nation played there. RapperEazy-Ecaught their show and signed the group toRuthless Records, changing the group name toAtban Klann. Their first album project,Grass Roots, was shelved at the end of 1993, never to be released. They released a promo song "Let Me Get Down" in 1994, billed as being produced by the Black Eyed Peas: the production team of DJ Motiv8 and Will 1X. Mooky Mook left the group in 1995, and Eazy-E died ofHIV/AIDS. The group's contract with Ruthless was stalled, so Santiago also left the group. Will 1X changed his stage name to will.i.am.
In 1995, will.i.am and apl.de.ap formed a new group named Black Eyed Pods with Jaime Gomez (Taboo), andKim Hill, a singer who featured on a selected number of their tracks. They later changed "Pods" to "Peas".Unlike the "gangsta rap" sounds of Los Angeles–based hip hop acts at the time, the trio performed with a live band and adopted a conscious musical and appearance style. After being signed toInterscope Recordsand releasing their debut,Behind the Front(1998) the group (and their accompanying live band) earned critical acclaim. One of the singles from the album was "Joints & Jam", and was featured on theBulworthsoundtrack. SingerSierra Swanappeared as a guest on the 1998 song "Fallin' Up". Their second album,Bridging the Gap(2000), produced the singles "Weekends" featuringEstheroand "Request + Line" featuringR&BsingerMacy Gray. Hill left the band while producing the album, but was still featured on the album tracks for "Hot" and "Tell Your Mama Come" as well as in the video for "Weekends".
In 2002,Stacy Fergusonwas chosen as the lead singer, after being introduced to the band by Santiago.Their new album,Elephunk, indicated a shift to a polished pop sound designed to attract mass audiences. In a positive review of the Black Eyed Peas' new-found style,Rolling Stonenoted that after the group "hired a blond bombshell named Stacy 'Fergie' Ferguson and gave up their pursuit of backpack-rapper cred, they have made a kind of spiritual practice of recording futuristic songs – a total aesthetic commitment that extends from their garish wardrobes to theirUnited Colors of Benettonworldview."
FromElephunkcame "Where Is the Love?", which became the Black Eyed Peas' first major hit, peaking at No. 8 on the U.S. Hot 100. It was more successful abroad, topping the charts in several other countries, including seven weeks at No. 1 in the United Kingdom, where it became thebiggest-selling singleof 2003. The single had similar results in Australia, staying at No. 1 for six weeks. In an interview with TalkofFame.com, Taboo shared thatJustin Timberlake's split withBritney Spearsimpacted the recording of "Where Is the Love?".The album subsequently spawned "Shut Up", which peaked at No. 2 in the UK and topped the charts and wentgoldand platinum in the U.S., UK, Germany, and other European markets. The third single from the album, although significantly restyled from the originalElephunkversion, "Hey Mama" hit the top 5 in Australia and the top 10 in the UK, Germany and other European countries and reached No. 23 in the U.S. The song received even more exposure in 2003 when it was featured in the first "silhouette" television commercial for theiPod. The fourth single from the album was "Let's Get Retarded". It won a 2005 Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and also received two nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rap Song. In 2004, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on their international Elephunk Tour, touring many countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Their fourth album,Monkey Business, was recorded through 2004 and was released on May 25, 2005. Much of the pre-production writing was performed on theJohn Lennon Educational Tour Buswhile on the Black Eyed Peas tour of 2004. The album's first single, "Don't Phunk with My Heart", was a hit in the U.S., reaching number three on theBillboardHot 100. ThisBillboardstatus was the highest peak yet of their career in the U.S. (this was later broken when "Boom Boom Pow" peaked at the top spot of theBillboardHot 100) and earned them another Grammy forBest Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The song reached three in the UK, and five in Canada, and stayed at number one for three weeks in Australia. Some radio stations, concerned about complaints of obscenity, played an alternative version, "Don't Mess with My Heart". "Don't Lie", the second single from the album, saw success on the U.S. Hot 100, reaching No. 14, although becoming somewhat more successful in the UK and Australia, reaching a peak of No. 6 in both countries. "My Humps", another song from the album, immediately achieved commercial success in the U.S. and also garnered fairly substantial radio play despite the sexually suggestive lyrics. It reached number three on the U.S. Hot 100 and number one in Australia, making it their fourth Australian number one single. However, many mocked the song for its poor lyrical content. For instance, John Bush, writing forAllMusic, described it as "one of the most embarrassing rap performances of the new millennium".Despite this, the albumMonkey Businessdebuted at number two on theU.S.Billboard200albums chart, selling over 295,000 copies in its first week and was latercertified3× platinum by theRIAA. Their next and final commercially released single from the album was "Pump It", which borrows much of its sound from "Misirlou", specificallyDick Dale's version. The track peaked at number 8 in Australia and number 18 in the U.S.
In September 2005, the Black Eyed Peas released aniTunes Originalsplaylist of their greatest hits, as well as some that were re-recorded specially available for purchase through iTunes. The playlist includes popular songs such as "Don't Lie", "Shut Up", and a new version of "Where Is the Love?". It has small stories containing info and commentary about the songs and how the group first met. In autumn 2005, the Black Eyed Peas set off to tour withGwen Stefanias supporting act. In December 2005, they embarked on the "European Tour", which toured multiple countries in Europe. The European leg which opened inTel Aviv, Israel, continued onto Ireland, the UK, France and Germany.
After heading to Europe and Asia, they toured the U.S. again. The tour concluded in South America.In addition to touring, the Black Eyed Peas also headlined thehalftime showat theGrey CuponNovember 27, 2005.
The Black Eyed Peas starred in a series of web shorts forSnickers, calledInstant Def, appearing as a group of hip-hop superheroes. On March 21, 2006, the Black Eyed Peas released a remix album, titledRenegotiations: The RemixestoiTunes. It features remixed versions of "Ba Bump", "My Style", "Feel It", "Disco Club", "They Don't Want Music", "Audio Delite at Low Fidelity" plus the standard version and video of "Like That". The following week, the iTunes compilation was released on CD (without the music video). Participants on theEPincludedDJ Premier,Pete Rock,Erick Sermon,DJ Jazzy Jeff, andLarge Professor. In March 2006, the Black Eyed Peas hit the road again as the featured headliner for the 6th AnnualHonda Civic Tourwith supporting bandsFlipsydeandthe Pussycat Dolls. They again brought the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus on the tour with them to craft new songs forFergie's solo debut album. In 2006, they went on tour with the Pussycat Dolls.
In 2007, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on the Black Blue & You World Tour, visiting more than 20 countries, including: Macau, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Hungary, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Singapore, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Australia, Nigeria, Mexico, Thailand, Venezuela, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Argentina, the Philippines, El Salvador and Brazil. This tour was presented byPepsi, in conjunction with the new "Pepsi More" advertising campaign, featuring the Black Eyed Peas. They recorded the song "More" for the new Pepsi spot. On December 31, 2006, the Black Eyed Peas's tour concluded atIpanemaBeach inRio de Janeiro, Brazil for more than 1 million people, being their biggest concert ever. The Black Eyed Peas performed at theUK leg of Live Earthon July 7, 2007, atWembley Stadium, London. will.i.am performed a new song, "Help Us Out", at the event, which would appear on his album,Songs About Girls, as "S.O.S. (Mother Nature)". They headlined the main Ocean Stage at theSummer Sonic Festivalin Tokyo, Japan on August 11, and in Osaka, Japan on August 12, 2007.
The group's fifth studio album,The E.N.D, title that stands for "The Energy Never Dies", was released on June 3, 2009.The overall sound of the album has a more electro hop beat rather than the usual hip pop/R&B feeling of their previous albums. Following its release, will.i.am remarked that the album had been inspired by a trip to Australia, specifically the sound ofThe Presets' "My People". "The energy on the Presets' small little stage was crazy energy. That song My People – that shit is wild," will.i.am said, "That's the reason why this record sounds the way it does – my three months in Australia."In its first week, the album sold 304,000 copies and debuted at number 1 on theBillboard200. In the United States, the album became the ninth album to top the one million mark in sales in 2009. The album spent 38 weeks within the top 10 of theBillboard200.The E.N.Dwas the 7th bestselling album of 2009 in the U.S. It also debuted at number one in Australia, number two in New Zealand and three in the United Kingdom. Three additional singles, "Imma Be", "Alive", and "Meet Me Halfway", were released through theiTunes Storein the three weeks running up to the album's release.
The first single "Boom Boom Pow" was released on March 30, 2009, in the U.S. oniTunes. The single sold 465,000 downloads in its first week of digital release, the third-largest number of download sales in a single week overall, and the largest single-week and debut-download totals by a group in the history of digital-download sales, reaching No. 1 on the U.S. The single also reached the top spot inBillboardHot 100 and Pop 100. being the group's first U.S. No. 1, holding the spot for twelve consecutive weeks. It also reached number 1 in Australia, Canada, and the UK. On May 21, the Black Eyed Peas released "I Gotta Feeling" (produced byDavid Guetta) as the official second single from the album. The single charted at number three and then went to number one on the UK Singles Chart. It debuted at number 2 on theBillboardHot 100behind "Boom Boom Pow" and later surpassed it, taking the number 1 spot.The Black Eyed Peas joined a group of artists who have held the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on theBillboardHot 100simultaneously. From April 18, 2009, when "Boom Boom Pow" reached No. 1, through October 10, 2009, the last week "I Gotta Feeling" was atNo. 1, the group was on top of the chart for 26 weeks, more consecutive weeks than any other artist.
On July 30, 2009,Billboardannounced that the Black Eyed Peas set a record for the longest successive No. 1 chart run by a duo or group in theBillboardHot 100's history. "I Gotta Feeling" hit its fifth consecutive week at No. 1, following 12 weeks at the top by the Peas' "Boom Boom Pow";Boyz II Menreigned on the chart for two 16-week runs in the mid-'90s."Meet Me Halfway" was released as the third single from the album in September 2009. The single reached number one in the UK and Australia, making it their third chart topper fromThe E.N.Din both countries. It also peaked at seven on the U.S.BillboardHot 100, making it the group's third top-10 single fromThe E.N.D. "Imma Be" was released as the fourth single in the U.S. on December 15, 2009, reaching number one on theBillboardHot 100 for two weeks, becoming the group's third number one single on that chart. Heavy airplay in Canada caused "Imma Be" to reach number 5 on theCanadian Hot 100, their fourth consecutive top-five hit from the album. "Rock That Body" was then released as the fifth single, and has so far reached number nine on theBillboardHot 100.
In September 2009, the group embarked onThe E.N.D World Tour, visiting Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand. On September 8, 2009, the group performed live for Oprah Winfrey's 24th Season Kickoff Party, on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. An estimated 21,000 dancers in the streets performed aflash mobto the live performance of "I Gotta Feeling".The group performed at theAmerican Music Awards of 2009with the songs "Meet Me Halfway" and "Boom Boom Pow". They also won 2 out of 3 categories in which they were nominated; Favorite Rock/Pop Group & Favorite R&B/Soul Group. In October 2009, they also were the opening acts for 5 concerts of theU2 360° TourNorth America leg. The group performed at theGrammyson January 31, 2010. They performed a mash-up of "Imma Be"/"I Gotta Feeling". They won three awards out of the six nominations, including Best Pop Vocal Album forThe E.N.D., Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group for "I Gotta Feeling", and Best Short Form Video for "Boom Boom Pow".
On March 30, 2010, the Black Eyed Peas were the first group to broadcast a concert live in 3D.In June 2010, the Black Eyed Peas performed "Where is the Love?", "Pump It", "Meet me Halfway", "Boom Boom Pow", and "I Gotta Feeling" at the2010 FIFA World CupKick-Off Celebration concert in South Africa. The concert had over 700 million viewers worldwide, making it the biggest event the group performed in. They also performed atT in the Park 2010on the NME Stage on the Friday July 9 and Oxegen in Kildare, Ireland on Saturday July 10 on the Vodafone stage. In July 2010, the Black Eyed Peas performed "Boom Boom Pow", "Rock That Body" and "I Gotta Feeling" in Central Park as part of Good Morning America's free summer concert series. In December 2010 they appeared on theseventh seriesofThe X Factorin the UK performing "The Time (Dirty Bit)".
On July 27, 2010, the Black Eyed Peas released a remix album:The E.N.D. Summer 2010 Canadian Invasion Tour: Remix Collection. It was released oniTunesin Canada only, during the Canadian leg of The E.N.D World Tour. It mostly features remixes of the singles taken fromThe E.N.D.It also features a remix of "Let's Get It Started" taken fromElephunk; the remix was also a bonus track on the deluxe edition ofThe E.N.D.
Their sixth studio album,The Beginning, was released on November 26, 2010, and received mixed reviews.The album's first single release was called "The Time (Dirty Bit)",and was revealed on October 20, 2010, through will.i.am's Twitter account. The music video was directed by Rich Lee, who had previously directed the video for "Imma Be Rocking That Body"."Just Can't Get Enough", the second single fromThe Beginningwas released on February 18, 2011. Its music video was released on March 16, 2011, and it was filmed inTokyo, one week before theearthquake and the tsunami. The video was directed by Ben Mor.The group's third single was "Don't Stop the Party" and it was released on May 10, 2011. On the same day, a music video for the song was released oniTunes, along with the single. The video, which is directed by Ben Mor, features on stage and backstage footage of the group duringThe E.N.D. World Tourin 2009–10. The video premiered onVevoon May 12, 2011. On May 22, the group appeared on the2011 Billboard Music Awardsand won one of their four nominations, for "Top Duo/Group".
On February 6, 2011, the Black Eyed Peas headlined theSuper Bowl XLV halftime show. The Black Eyed Peas were the second artist to have performed in both the Super Bowl andGrey Cuphalftime shows, and are one of only three artists to have ever done so as of February 2017.Shania Twaindid it before them (performing in the2002Grey Cup and2003Super Bowl halftime shows)andLenny Kravitzdid it after them(performing in the2007Grey Cup and2014Super Bowl halftime shows). On April 2, 2011, the group appeared on the 24th AnnualNickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
On July 6, 2011, during a concert atAlton TowersinStaffordshire, the Black Eyed Peas announced they are taking an indefinite hiatus following the completion of their current tour. will.i.am later confirmed the news on Twitter, adding that the break does not mean they will "stop creating".On November 23, 2011, the group made their last performance forThe Beginning TourinMiamiwithopening actsincludingCee Lo GreenandQueen Latifah.
During an interview with NRJ, will.i.am, in talking about his solo album, also confirmed that the Black Eyed Peas would start recording sessions for their seventh studio album in 2015.In an interview onCapital Breakfast, will.i.am said that the Peas would reform in 2015 for their 20th anniversary.The Peas premiered a new song titled "Awesome", that was included in commercials for the 2015 NBA playoffs. The song did not include Fergie, with people questioning if she would be a part of the upcoming album. On the 20th anniversary of their debut, the Peas premiered a new song titled "Yesterday" throughApple Music,though the song also did not feature Fergie.
On August 31, 2016, the Black Eyed Peas released a new version of their 2003 song "Where Is the Love?". The song, titled "#WHERESTHELOVE", is credited to "The Black Eyed Peas featuring The World". The song, as well as the accompanying video feature all four members of the group, will.i.am, Fergie, apl.de.ap, and Taboo,and many other popular artists such asJustin Timberlake,DJ Khaled, andJessie J.It is the group's most recent work with Fergie, and her last live performance with them happened in 2015.
On June 3, 2017, they performed at the opening ceremony of the2017 UEFA Champions League Finalin theMillennium Stadium,Cardiff, Wales. The performance, which included apyrotechnicdisplay, ran long and delayed the second-half kickoff by several minutes.Then on the next day, they performed atOne Love Manchester, a benefit concert organized byAriana Grande.On June 4, 2017, aBillboardarticle rumored that Fergie was departing from the band. will.i.am initially dismissed this, but they announced that she was taking a break from the group to work on her second solo albumDouble Dutchess, while the remaining members were working on the graphic novelMasters of the Sun.On January 9, 2018, Black Eyed Peas released their first single without Fergie, titled "Street Livin'". On February 18, 2018, will.i.am officially confirmed Fergie's departure in an interview with theDaily Star, also confirming that she would not feature on the group's seventh studio album.The next day, formerThe Voice of the Philippinesseason 1finalist and Team Apl.de.ap member Jessica Reynoso (under the stage name "J. Rey Soul") joined the group as a female vocalist and "semi-official" member.On May 17, 2018, the Black Eyed Peas released a single called "Ring the Alarm".The single "Get It" was released on July 10, 2018.The music video for "Constant pt. 1 and 2" was released on YouTube on August 30, 2018.The group released a single named "Big Love" on September 12, 2018. The group released another single titled "Dopeness", featuring South Korean rapperCL, on October 25, 2018.Their seventh studio album,Masters of the Sun Vol. 1, was released the following day on October 26. This marked their first album since 2010'sThe Beginning. The album is considered to be a sequel toBridging the Gap.In 2018 the Black Eyed Peas performed as part of the pre-game entertainment at theAFL Grand Final.
The Black Eyed Peas performed in the closing ceremony of the2019 Southeast Asian Gamesin the Philippines.The Black Eyed Peas performed in the 93rdMacy's Thanksgiving Day Paradein 2019. They appeared on theNHLfloat and performed their latest hit "Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)." In 2019, the group signed a deal with their new labelEpic Records.On October 11, 2019, the group released the song "Ritmo (Bad Boys for Life)", taken from theBad Boys for Lifesoundtrack (2020). The song debuted at number 100 on the USBillboardHot 100and became the Black Eyed Peas' 17th Hot 100 entry and their first since 2011's "Don't Stop the Party". "Ritmo" peaked at number 26 on the Hot 100.
On April 10, 2020, the group released the single "Mamacita", which featured J. Rey Soul alongside rapperOzuna. In an interview withBillboardon May 19, 2020, Reynoso talked about an upcoming eighth album, describing it as "very Afrobeat, Latin vibe, dance -- just very uplifting music, which is what we need right now at this time of our life, you know?"On June 11, 2020, the band revealed the tracklist and album title asTranslation, with the release date listed as June 19.While promoting the album, will.i.am said that Fergie had stepped back from the group because she wished to devote more time to her role as a mother. will.i.am continued "we're here for her, and she knows how to contact us for a retreat or a breakaway" should she wish to return to the group.
On August 30, 2020, the group's performance of "Ritmo" closed the2020 MTV Video Music Awards. The performance was met with negative reception due to will.i.am., apl.de.ap and Taboo each performing with an illuminated pelvic area.The band was also criticized by longtime fans who were not yet aware of Fergie's previous departure from the group, or J. Rey Soul's membership.
On October 27, 2022, across their social media platforms, the group announced their ninth studio album, titledElevation, which was released on November 11, 2022.On theWonderful World of Disney: Magic Holiday Celebrationtelevision holiday special which aired onABCNovember 27, 2022, the Black Eyed Peas performed "I Gotta Feeling" and "A Cold Christmas".
On December 10, 2005, the Black Eyed Peas' cover of theJohn Lennonclassic "Power to the People", which was mostly recorded on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, was released byAmnesty Internationalas part of theMake Some Noisecampaign to celebrate human rights. The song was later released on the 2007 John Lennon tribute album,Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.
The Black Eyed Peas dedicated the music video of their 2011 single "Just Can't Get Enough" to Japan as the country had beenhit by an earthquake. The group filmed the music video a week before the earthquake struck.In July 2011, the Black Eyed Peas founded a school for New York teenagers where students of 13–19 years can learn video production and music using professional equipment. The Peapod Foundation, in collaboration with the Adobe Foundation, opened the music academy and media Peapod Adobe Youth Voices in Manhattan on July 19. The school will have its facilities in a building operated by the Urban Arts Partnership, which provides art-school programs for adolescents studying in areas of very low income. Young people will be admitted according to the recommendations of their teachers and their expressions of interest in the subjects taught, such as camera work, editing and graphic design.On September 3, 2011, the group performed a concert inMinot, North Dakotato benefit the victims of the2011 Souris River floodthat damaged over 4,000 homes and displaced over 12,000 people in Minot and along the Souris River.Fergie is married to Minot native,Josh Duhamel. On September 30, 2011, the group performed a free concert, "Chase Presents The Black Eyed Peas and Friends", for over 50,000 people in New York City's Central Park.The event raised over $4 million for the charity.
On August 31, 2016, the Black Eyed Peas' remake of their song, "Where Is the Love?", titled "#WHERESTHELOVE" was released and will.i.am told in an interview that all proceeds raised from the song will go to his "i.am.angel foundation", which funds educational programs and college scholarships in the United States.
The Black Eyed Peas appeared in the video gameThe Urbz: Sims in the City, released November 2004. The game features the band as they help the player gain control of the city.
In June 2011,Ubisoftannounced they were developingThe Black Eyed Peas Experience, a dance video game forKinectandWii.On November 11, 2011, the game was released internationally in association with Ubisoft.
Current members
Former members
Touring and session members
Studio albums