Black Eyed Peas (band)
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Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hill in 2002. Originally an
alternative hip hop Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to confor ...
group, they subsequently refashioned themselves as a more marketable pop-rap act. Although the group was founded in Los Angeles in 1995, it was not until the release of their third album, '' Elephunk'', in 2003, that they achieved high record sales. Black Eyed Peas' first major hit was the 2003 single " Where Is the Love?" from ''Elephunk'', which topped the charts in 13 countries, including the United Kingdom, where it spent seven weeks at number one and went on to become Britain's biggest-selling single of 2003. Their fourth album, '' Monkey Business'', was an even bigger worldwide success, and became certified 3× Platinum in the United States. In 2009, the group became one of only 11 artists to have simultaneously held the number-one and number-two spots on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, with their singles " Boom Boom Pow" and " I Gotta Feeling", which topped the chart for an unprecedented 26 consecutive weeks. The album ''
The E.N.D. ''The E.N.D.'' (an abbreviation of, and subtitled ''The Energy Never Dies'') is the fifth studio album by American group Black Eyed Peas, released on June 3, 2009. Critics described the album as containing more anthemic and inspirational songs ...
'' produced a third Hot 100 number-one placement with " Imma Be", making the group one of few to ever place three number one singles on the chart from the same album, before being followed with "
Rock That Body "Rock That Body" is a song by the Black Eyed Peas from their fifth studio album '' The E.N.D'' (2009). The song serves as the fifth international single from the album, and was released in Australia on January 29, 2010, in the United Kingdom on ...
" and " Meet Me Halfway", which peaked in the top 10 of the Hot 100. "I Gotta Feeling" became the first single to sell more than one million downloads in the United Kingdom. At the
52nd Grammy Awards The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Pe ...
ceremony, held in January 2010, they won three awards out of six nominations. In November 2010, they released the album ''
The Beginning The Beginning may refer to: Film and television * "The Beginning" (''Eureka Seven'') * " The Beginning...", an episode of ''Gotham'' * "The Beginning" (''Red Dwarf'') * "The Beginning" (''Samurai Jack'') * "The Beginning" (''The X-Files'') * ...
''. In February 2011, the group performed in the
Super Bowl XLV halftime show The Super Bowl XLV halftime show took place on February 6, 2011 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas as part of Super Bowl XLV. The Black Eyed Peas headlined, performing a medley of their songs, with Slash and Usher making guest appearances ...
. Shortly after, the group announced they would be going on indefinite hiatus to pursue other activities, eventually reuniting in 2015. In 2018, Fergie was announced to have left the group after making sporadic appearances with the band since their return in 2015. That year, she was subsequently replaced by J. Rey Soul for touring, who also appeared as a featured artist on select tracks on the band's seventh album, '' Masters of the Sun Vol. 1''. In July 2020, the group released their eighth album, '' Translation''. Their new album ''Elevation'' was released in November 2022. Black Eyed Peas have sold an estimated 80 million records, making them one of the best-selling groups of all time. They were ranked 12th on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''s 2000s Decade-End Artist of the Decade Chart, and 7th on the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade.


History


1988–1994: Musical beginnings

In 1988 while attending two different high schools, William James Adams Jr and Allan Pineda Lindo Jr 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 Pinedo Lindo adopted the name apl.de.ap. Their friends joined the group – Dante Santiago and Mooky Mook, followed shortly by DJ Motiv8. Actor
David Faustino David Anthony Faustino (; born March 3, 1974) is an American actor and radio personality primarily known for his role as Bud Bundy on the Fox sitcom '' Married... with Children''. He has also voiced animated characters for Nickelodeon, including ...
opened an all-ages club named Balistyx in 1991 inside the old Whisky a Go Go, and Tribal Nation played there. Rapper
Eazy-E Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred t ...
caught their show and signed the group to
Ruthless Records Ruthless Records was an American record label founded by Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and Jerry Heller in Compton, California in 1986, where all of the Ruthless trademarks have been owned by Comptown Records, Inc. since 1997. Several artists on the la ...
, changing the group name to Atban 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 of HIV/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.


1995–2001: ''Behind the Front'' and ''Bridging the Gap''

In 1995 will.i.am and apl.de.ap formed a new group named Black Eyed Pods with Jaime Gomez ( Taboo), and Kim Hill, a singer who featured on a selected number of their tracks. They later changed "Pods" to "Peas". Unlike the "
gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...
" 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 to
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
and releasing their debut, ''
Behind the Front ''Behind the Front'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas released on June 30, 1998 through Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group. Background Most of the tracks were demos for the ''Grass Roots'' album, wi ...
'' (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 the '' Bulworth'' soundtrack. Singer
Sierra Swan Sierra Marie Swan (born April 5, 1978) is an American musician. She is known for her work with Dollshead, Black Eyed Peas and as a solo artist. Biography Early life Swan is the daughter of 1970s country and pop musician Billy Swan, who played ...
appeared as a guest on the 1998 song "Fallin' Up". Their second album, '' Bridging the Gap'' (2000), produced the singles "
Weekends The weekdays and weekend are the complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest, respectively. The legal weekdays (British English), or workweek (American English), is the part of the seven-day week devoted to working. In most of th ...
" featuring Esthero and " Request + Line" featuring R&B singer Macy 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".


2002–2005: Addition of Fergie and ''Elephunk''

In 2002, Stacy Ferguson was 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 Stone'' noted 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 their United Colors of Benetton worldview." From '' Elephunk'' came " 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 the biggest-selling single of 2003. The single had similar results in Australia, staying at No. 1 for six weeks. In an interview with TalkofFame.com, Taboo shared that
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
's split with
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
impacted 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 went gold and platinum in the U.S., UK, Germany, and other European markets. The third single from the album, although significantly restyled from the original ''Elephunk'' version, " 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 the
iPod The iPod is a discontinued series of portable media players and multi-purpose mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first version was released on October 23, 2001, about months after the Macintosh version of iTunes ...
. The fourth single from the album was "
Let's Get It Started "Let's Get It Started" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It is a clean version of "Let's Get Retarded" from their third studio album, ''Elephunk'' (2003). The album version was originally only reworked for its use in prom ...
". 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.


2004–2008: ''Monkey Business''

Their fourth album, '' Monkey Business'', was recorded through 2004 and was released on June 7, 2005. Much of the pre-production writing was performed on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus while 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 the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This ''Billboard'' status 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 the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) and earned them another Grammy for Best 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 for AllMusic, described it as "one of the most embarrassing rap performances of the new millennium". Despite this, the album ''Monkey Business'' debuted at number two on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart, selling over 295,000 copies in its first week and was later
certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
3× platinum by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. Their next and final commercially released single from the album was " Pump It", which borrows much of its sound from " Misirlou", specifically Dick 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 an ''
iTunes Originals ''iTunes Originals'' is a series of digital releases that were only made available through Apple's iTunes Store. It was developed by iTunes executive Alex Luke who also developed Apple's "Live From" and "Single of the Week" programs. Each release ...
'' playlist 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 with
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
as supporting act. In December 2005, they embarked on the "European Tour", which toured multiple countries in Europe. The European leg which opened in Tel 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 the
halftime show A halftime show is a performance given during the brief period between the first and second halves, or the second and third quarters, of a sporting event. Halftime shows are not given for sports with an irregular or indeterminate number of div ...
at the
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on November 27, 2005. The Black Eyed Peas starred in a series of web shorts for Snickers, called ''Instant Def'', appearing as a group of hip-hop superheroes. On March 21, 2006, the Black Eyed Peas released a remix album, titled '' Renegotiations: The Remixes'' to
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
. 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 the EP included DJ Premier,
Pete Rock Peter O. Phillips (born June 21, 1970), better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapping, rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongs ...
, Erick Sermon, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and
Large Professor William Paul Mitchell (born March 21, 1972), better known by the stage name of Large Professor (also Extra P. and Large Pro), is an American rapper and record producer. Based in New York City, he is known as a founding member of the underground ...
. In March 2006, the Black Eyed Peas hit the road again as the featured headliner for the 6th Annual Honda Civic Tour with supporting bands Flipsyde and the Pussycat Dolls. They again brought the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus on the tour with them to craft new songs for Fergie'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 by Pepsi, 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 at Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for more than 1 million people, being their biggest concert ever. The Black Eyed Peas performed at the UK leg of Live Earth on July 7, 2007, at Wembley 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 the Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo, Japan on August 11, and in Osaka, Japan on August 12, 2007.


2009–2011: ''The E.N.D'', ''The Beginning'' and hiatus

The group's fifth studio album, ''
The E.N.D ''The E.N.D.'' (an abbreviation of, and subtitled ''The Energy Never Dies'') is the fifth studio album by American group Black Eyed Peas, released on June 3, 2009. Critics described the album as containing more anthemic and inspirational song ...
'', title that stands for "The Energy Never Dies", was released on June 9, 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 of The 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 the ''Billboard'' 200. 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 the ''Billboard'' 200. ''The E.N.D'' was the 7th best-selling 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 the iTunes Store in 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. on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
. 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 in ''Billboard'' Hot 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 by David 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 the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 behind "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 2 Spot on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 simultaneously. From April 18, 2009, when "Boom Boom Pow" reached No. 1, through October 10, 2009, the last week "I Gotta Feeling" was at No. 1, the group was on top of the chart for 26 weeks, more consecutive weeks than any other artist. On July 30, 2009, ''Billboard'' announced that the Black Eyed Peas set a record for the longest successive No. 1 chart run by a duo or group in the ''Billboard'' Hot 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 Men Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan M ...
reigned 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 from ''The E.N.D'' in both countries. It also peaked at seven on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it the group's third top-10 single from ''The E.N.D''. "Imma Be" was released as the fourth single in the U.S. on December 15, 2009, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 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 the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
, 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 the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In September 2009, the group embarked on
The E.N.D World Tour The E.N.D. World Tour was the third concert tour by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, in support of their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). The tour began in Japan on September 15, 2009, with shows also performed in Australia and ...
, visiting Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand. In October 2009, they also were the opening acts for 5 concerts of the U2 360° Tour North America leg. The group performed at the Grammys on 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 for ''The E.N.D.'', Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group for "I Gotta Feeling", and Best Short Form Video for "Boom Boom Pow". 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 on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
in Canada only, during the Canadian leg of The E.N.D World Tour. It mostly features remixes of the singles taken from ''The E.N.D.'' It also features a remix of "Let's Get It Started" taken from '' Elephunk''; the remix was also a bonus track on the deluxe edition of ''The E.N.D.'' Their sixth studio album, ''
The Beginning The Beginning may refer to: Film and television * "The Beginning" (''Eureka Seven'') * " The Beginning...", an episode of ''Gotham'' * "The Beginning" (''Red Dwarf'') * "The Beginning" (''Samurai Jack'') * "The Beginning" (''The X-Files'') * ...
'', was released on November 30, 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 from ''The Beginning'' was released on February 18, 2011. Its music video was released on March 16, 2011, and it was filmed in Tokyo, one week before the earthquake 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 on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
, along with the single. The video, which is directed by Ben Mor, features on stage and backstage footage of the group during
The E.N.D. World Tour The E.N.D. World Tour was the third concert tour by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, in support of their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). The tour began in Japan on September 15, 2009, with shows also performed in Australia and N ...
in 2009–10. The video premiered on Vevo on May 12, 2011. On May 22, the group appeared on the
2011 Billboard Music Awards The 2011 ''Billboard'' Music Awards were held May 22, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and hosted by Ken Jeong. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from 2010. Performances Winners and nominees Winne ...
and won one of their four nominations, for "Top Duo/Group". On February 6, 2011, the Black Eyed Peas headlined the
Super Bowl XLV halftime show The Super Bowl XLV halftime show took place on February 6, 2011 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas as part of Super Bowl XLV. The Black Eyed Peas headlined, performing a medley of their songs, with Slash and Usher making guest appearances ...
. The Black Eyed Peas were the second artist to have performed in both the Super Bowl and
Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
halftime shows, and are one of only three artists to have ever done so. . Shania Twain did it before them (performing in the
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
Grey Cup and
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
Super Bowl halftime shows) and
Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. His style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop and folk. Kravitz won the Grammy Award for Best Male Roc ...
did it after them (performing in the
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
Grey Cup and
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
Super Bowl halftime shows). On July 6, 2011, during a concert at
Alton Towers Alton Towers Resort ( ) (often referred to as Alton Towers) is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, ...
in
Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...
, 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 for The Beginning Tour in Miami with
opening act A opening act, also known as a warm-up act, support act, or supporting act, is an entertainment act (musical, comedic, or otherwise), that performs at a concert before the featured act, or "headliner". Rarely, an opening act may perform again a ...
s including
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and Queen Latifah.


2015–2018: Fergie's departure, addition of J. Rey Soul, and ''Masters of the Sun''

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 on '' Capital 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" through Apple 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 as
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
, DJ Khaled, and
Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
. 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 the
2017 UEFA Champions League Final The 2017 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League, the 62nd season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 25th season since it was renamed from the European Cup to th ...
in the
Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm y Mileniwm), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Principality) for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it is the home of the Wales national rug ...
, Cardiff, Wales. The performance, which included a pyrotechnic display, ran long and delayed the second-half kickoff by several minutes. Then on the next day, they performed at One Love Manchester, a benefit concert organised by
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
. On June 4, 2017, a ''Billboard'' article 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 album '' Double Dutchess'', while the remaining members were working on the graphic novel '' Masters 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 confirmed Fergie would not feature on the group's seventh studio album, in an interview with the '' Daily Star''. The next day, former ''The Voice of the Philippines'' season 1 finalist 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 rapper CL, 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's ''The Beginning''. The album is considered to be a sequel to '' Bridging the Gap''.


2019–present: ''Translation'' and ''Elevation''

In 2019, the group signed a deal with their new label
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
. On October 11, 2019, the group released the song "
Ritmo (Bad Boys for Life) "Ritmo" (also known as "Ritmo (''Bad Boys for Life'')") is a song by American group Black Eyed Peas and Colombian singer J Balvin, released by Epic Records on October 11, 2019, as the first single from the soundtrack of the 2020 film ''Bad Boys fo ...
", taken from the '' Bad Boys for Life'' soundtrack (2020). The song debuted at number 100 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and 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 rapper Ozuna. In an interview with ''Billboard'' on 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 as '' Translation''. with the release date 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 the
2020 MTV Video Music Awards The 2020 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 30, 2020. Keke Palmer hosted the 37th annual ceremony, which was presented primarily from the channel headquarter in New York City, but with a virtual segments held in another cities,due the C ...
. 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 that their ninth studio album, titled ''Elevation'', which was released on November 11, 2022.


Appearances

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 a flash mob to the live performance of "I Gotta Feeling". The group performed at the
American Music Awards of 2009 The 37th Annual American Music Awards took place on November 22, 2009 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California. The nominees were announced on October 13, 2009. For the first time in history, there was no host for the year's cerem ...
with 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. 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 the
2010 FIFA World Cup , image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg , size = 200px , caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
Kick-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 at
T in the Park 2010 T in the Park 2010 was a British music festival that took place in Balado, Scotland, from 8–11 July 2010. It was the seventeenth event to take place. The festival was headlined by Kasabian, Muse and Eminem. Tickets for the event sold out on ...
on 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 the seventh series of '' The X Factor'' in the UK performing "The Time (Dirty Bit)". The group headlined the
Super Bowl XLV halftime show The Super Bowl XLV halftime show took place on February 6, 2011 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas as part of Super Bowl XLV. The Black Eyed Peas headlined, performing a medley of their songs, with Slash and Usher making guest appearances ...
on February 6, 2011. On April 2, 2011, the group appeared on the 24th Annual
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (also known as the KCAs or Kids' Choice) is an annual American children's awards ceremony show that is produced by Nickelodeon. Usually held on a Saturday night in late March or early April, the show honors ...
. After taking a few years on hiatus the group made their first live appearance at the opening ceremony of the
2017 UEFA Champions League Final The 2017 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League, the 62nd season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 25th season since it was renamed from the European Cup to th ...
in
Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm y Mileniwm), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Principality) for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it is the home of the Wales national rug ...
, Cardiff on June 3, 2017. The following day the group performed at the One Love Manchester benefit concert on June 4, 2017. They performed " Where Is the Love?" with headliner
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
. In 2018 the Black Eyed Peas performed as part of the pre-game entertainment at the AFL Grand Final. The Black Eyed Peas performed in the closing ceremony of the
2019 Southeast Asian Games The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 30th Southeast Asian Games, or the 30th SEA Games, and commonly known as Philippines 2019, was the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games, a biennial regional multi-sport event which ...
in the Philippines. The Black Eyed Peas performed in the 93rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2019. They appeared on the NHL float and performed their latest hit "Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)." On the '' Wonderful World of Disney: Magic Holiday Celebration'' television holiday special which aired on ABC November 27, 2022, the Black Eyed Peas performed "I Gotta Feeling" and "A Cold Christmas."


Philanthropy

On December 10, 2005, the Black Eyed Peas' cover of the John Lennon classic " Power to the People", which was mostly recorded on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, was released by
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
as part of the Make Some Noise campaign 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 been hit 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 in Minot, North Dakota to benefit the victims of the
2011 Souris River flood The 2011 Souris/Mouse River flood in Canada and the United States occurred in June and was greater than a hundred-year flooding event for the river. The US Army Corps of Engineers estimated the flood to have a recurrence interval of two to five ...
that 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.


Other media

In June 2011, Ubisoft announced they were developing '' The Black Eyed Peas Experience'', a dance video game for
Kinect Kinect is a line of motion sensing input devices produced by Microsoft and first released in 2010. The devices generally contain RGB cameras, and infrared projectors and detectors that map depth through either structured light or time of flig ...
and
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
. On November 11, 2011, the game was released internationally in association with Ubisoft.


Members

Current * Will.i.am – vocals, piano, synthesizer, bass (1995–2011; 2015–present) * Apl.de.ap – vocals, drums (1995–2011; 2015–present) * Taboo – vocals, DJ, guitar (1995–2011; 2015–present) Former * Kim Hill – vocals (1995–2000) * Fergie – vocals (2002–2011; 2015–2018) Touring * J. Rey Soul – vocals (2018–present) Timeline ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:10 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/2022 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1995 ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1995 Colors = id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:Piano value:purple legend:Keyboards id:DJ value:lavender legend:Production id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album id:bars value:gray(0.95) BackgroundColors = bars:bars BarData = bar:Will text:Will.i.am bar:Apl text:Apl.de.ap bar:Taboo text:Taboo bar:Kim text:Kim Hill bar:Fergie text:Fergie bar:Reynoso text:J. Rey Soul PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Will from:start till:24/11/2011 color:vocals bar:Will from:start till:24/11/2011 color:DJ width:7 bar:Will from:start till:24/11/2011 color:piano width:3 bar:Apl from:start till:24/11/2011 color:vocals bar:Apl from:start till:24/11/2011 color:DJ width:3 bar:Taboo from:start till:24/11/2011 color:vocals bar:Will from:12/04/2015 till:end color:vocals bar:Will from:12/04/2015 till:end color:DJ width:7 bar:Will from:12/04/2015 till:end color:piano width:3 bar:Apl from:12/04/2015 till:end color:vocals bar:Apl from:12/04/2015 till:end color:DJ width:3 bar:Taboo from:start till:24/11/2011 color:vocals bar:Taboo from:12/04/2015 till:end color:vocals bar:Fergie from:01/01/2002 till:24/11/2011 color:vocals bar:Fergie from:12/04/2015 till:30/04/2015 color:vocals bar:Fergie from:30/04/2015 till:31/08/2016 color:vocals width:2.5 bar:Fergie from:31/08/2016 till:30/09/2016 color:vocals bar:Fergie from:30/09/2016 till:18/02/2018 color:vocals width:2.5 bar:Kim from:start till:01/01/2000 color:vocals bar:Reynoso from:19/02/2018 till:end color:vocals LineData = layer:back color:studio at:30/06/1998 at:26/09/2000 at:24/06/2003 at:27/05/2005 at:03/06/2009 at:26/11/2010 at:26/10/2018 at:19/06/2020 at:11/11/2022


Discography


Studio albums

*''
Behind the Front ''Behind the Front'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas released on June 30, 1998 through Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group. Background Most of the tracks were demos for the ''Grass Roots'' album, wi ...
'' (1998) *'' Bridging the Gap'' (2000) *'' Elephunk'' (2003) *'' Monkey Business'' (2005) *''
The E.N.D. ''The E.N.D.'' (an abbreviation of, and subtitled ''The Energy Never Dies'') is the fifth studio album by American group Black Eyed Peas, released on June 3, 2009. Critics described the album as containing more anthemic and inspirational songs ...
'' (2009) *''
The Beginning The Beginning may refer to: Film and television * "The Beginning" (''Eureka Seven'') * " The Beginning...", an episode of ''Gotham'' * "The Beginning" (''Red Dwarf'') * "The Beginning" (''Samurai Jack'') * "The Beginning" (''The X-Files'') * ...
'' (2010) *'' Masters of the Sun Vol. 1'' (2018) *'' Translation'' (2020) *''Elevation'' (2022)


Tours

* 2003:
Justified/Stripped Tour The Justified & Stripped Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. It was launched in support of Timberlake's debut studio album, '' Justified'' (2002), and Aguilera's fourth s ...
(featured for
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
and Christina Aguilera)
* 2004: Elephunk Tour * 2005: Harajuku Lovers Tour (featured for
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
)
* 2005–2006: Monkey Business Tour * 2006: Honda Civic Tour * 2007: Black Blue & You Tour * 2009–2010:
The E.N.D. World Tour The E.N.D. World Tour was the third concert tour by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, in support of their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). The tour began in Japan on September 15, 2009, with shows also performed in Australia and N ...
* 2011:
The Beginning The Beginning may refer to: Film and television * "The Beginning" (''Eureka Seven'') * " The Beginning...", an episode of ''Gotham'' * "The Beginning" (''Red Dwarf'') * "The Beginning" (''Samurai Jack'') * "The Beginning" (''The X-Files'') * ...
* 2018: Masters of the Sun Tour * 2020: Translation


Comic books

*'' Black Eyed Peas Present: Masters of the Sun ― The Zombie Chronicles'' #1 (2017)


Awards and nominations


See also

*
List of artists who have had number-one singles on the UK Official Download Chart The UK Singles Downloads Chart is a weekly music chart that ranks most-downloaded songs in the United Kingdom over the past seven days. It is compiled by the Official Charts Company on behalf of the British music industry, and is based solely on ...
* List of best-selling music downloads in the United Kingdom * List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists


References


External links

* *
Profile at ''Forbes''

Black Eyed Peas YouTube channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Eyed Peas, The Hip hop groups from California American pop music groups American contemporary R&B musical groups Pop-rap groups Dance-pop groups Electropop groups Electronic music groups from California Musical groups from Los Angeles Musical groups established in 1995 Juno Award for International Album of the Year winners Rappers from Los Angeles A&M Records artists Sony Music Publishing artists Universal Music Group artists Interscope Records artists Grammy Award winners for rap music MTV Europe Music Award winners 1995 establishments in California Alternative hip hop groups