One Stop Music
This article on One Stop Music, is a short bibliography of a successful band that became the Black Eye Pea sensation which spanned the early part of the 2000s.
Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas (often misspelled as the Black Eye Pea music group) were without doubt, one of the most successful recording hip-hop artists of their era that entertained millions with their special brand of black eye pea music.
The Los Angeles based Black Eyes Peas are a four piece outfit comprising Taboo, will.i.am, Fergie (the sole female member) and apl.de.ap. From their humble beginnings, they went on to sell over 20 million records worldwide and won many awards including three Grammies.
The Black Eye Pea music mixes traditional hip-hop with a Latin American groove with a pop feel. It's a mix based on fun and commercial presence.
"Behind The Front" was the debut album released in 1998 and was a little different from their later music. The band was still a three piece and featured the single "Joints & Jam". It was a good indication of the future that lay ahead for the band as it sold a respectable 200,000 copies.
Follow-up "Bridging The Gap" was released two years later and reached a peak position of number 67 on the Billboard charts. This was an impressive achievement for a relatively unknown band. An appearance by soul singer Macy Gray on the single "Request + Line" gave the album rather more success than the debut, with over 300,000 sales.
However, it was the Black Eye Pea's third album in 2003 that really sent them into the big time. Female vocalist Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson joined the band and "Elephunk" opened up the Black Eyes Peas music to a far wider audience, with its more radio-friendly sound. The massive single, "Where Is The Love?" which was co-written by Justin Timberlake was a call to end conflict in the world, and touched the nerves of many, and saw the single rocket to number 1 in the music charts of almost every Western country.
This was followed by "Shut Up", a dance floor anthem everywhere. Combined with the next two singles "Hey Mama" and "Let's Get It Started", the album sold over 8 million copies worldwide. It was their next release that cemented their position as one of the best-selling hip-hop acts around.
In 2005 "Monkey Business" was relñeased and was a huge success in almost every commercial music-aware country worldwide. Spawning the monumental singles "Don't Phunk My Heart" and the semi-ballad "Don't Lie", it went on to sell over 10 million copies. Two other singles, the controversial "My Humps", which was accused of blatant sexual overtones and "Pump It" kept the album well in the public eye.
An exclusive Black Eye Pea Music iTunes release of their Greatest Hits and a new album are both expected out later this year. With the ongoing success of the band's solo projects, it seems we haven't heard the last of the Black Eyed Peas just yet.
Terry Didcott
One Stop Music