"Let's Get It Started" is a song recorded by American group

the Black Eyed Peas 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 Hil ...

. It is a clean version of "Let's Get Retarded" from their third studio album, ''

Elephunk ''Elephunk'' is the third studio album by the American musical group Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 24, 2003, by the will.i.am Music Group and A&M Records. The album charted at number 14 on the American ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart an ...

'' (2003). The album version was originally only reworked for its use in promotion for the 2004 NBA Playoffs on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

in April 2004; however, the new version was so well-received that it was released as the fourth and final single from ''Elephunk'' on June 1, 2004, by

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

and

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 ...

, also appearing on a reissue of the album. "Let's Get It Started" peaked at number 21 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, reaching the top ten in Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, France and New Zealand. Critically acclaimed, it won

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. The award was discontin ...

at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005), and was also nominated for

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...

and

Best Rap Song The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several ...

. The song's accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

features the group energetically performing in a nighttime Los Angeles setting. "Let's Get It Started" was remixed for the Black Eyed Peas' fifth studio album '' The E.N.D.'' (2009) as "Let's Get Re-Started", being included on its deluxe edition bonus disc. It was also featured on their remix album '' The E.N.D. Summer 2010 Canadian Invasion Tour: Remix Collection'' (2010). In early 2022, "Let's Get Retarded" was replaced with "Let's Get It Started" on the track listing of ''Elephunk'' on all digital and

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platforms, thus becoming unavailable.

Music video

The music video takes place in a nighttime setting on a Los Angeles street. It features the Black Eyed Peas, particularly

will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "Will-I-am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. ...

, performing energetic dances while singing the song, while varying objects in the background (including a grand piano) smash against the ground in real-time, slow and fast motion, and in reverse. The choruses feature the band on stage singing to a large crowd.

Track listings

* Canadian and European CD single, Australian CD 1 :UK 12-inch single # "Let's Get It Started" – 3:37 # "The Way U Make Me Feel" – 4:19 # "Let's Get Retarded" – 3:38 * UK CD single # "Let's Get It Started" – 3:37 # "Let's Get Retarded" – 3:38 # "Bridging the Gaps" – 4:56 # "Let's Get It Started" (video) * German mini-CD single # "Let's Get It Started" # "The Way U Make Me Feel" * Australian CD2 # "Let's Get It Started" # "The Way U Make Me Feel" # "Bridging the Gaps" # "Let's Get Retarded"

Personnel

The Black Eyed Peas *

– vocals,

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

apl.de.ap Allan Pineda Lindo (born November 28, 1974), known professionally as apl.de.ap (), is a Filipino-American rapper, singer and record producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Black Eyed Peas. Early life Allan Pineda Lindo was born ...

– vocals *

Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

– vocals * Fergie – vocals Additional musicians *

George Pajon George Pajon Jr. (born April 10, 1969) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. Early life George Pajon Jr. "attended private St. Matthias Elementary School, a Catholic K-8 school, in Huntington Park. Growing up in conservative ...

, Jr. – guitar * Mike Fratantuno – bass * Terence Yoshiaki – drums * Dante Santiago – backing vocals *

Noelle Scaggs Noelle Scaggs (born October 8, 1979) is an American musician and singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, known as the co-lead singer of the pop group Fitz and the Tantrums. Scaggs has also had numerous collaborations with the Black Eyed Peas, Dilated ...

– backing vocals (single version) * Keith Harris – additional drums (single version) * Tim "Izo" Orindgreff – saxophone, flute (single version) *

Printz Board Priese Prince Lamont "Printz" Board (born September 11, 1982) is an American record producer, songwriter, and singer best known for his work with Black Eyed Peas and being a member of the production group Bucky Johnson. In addition, Board has ...

– trumpet (single version) Production personnel *

Ron Fair Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...

– executive production * Dylan Dresdow – additional vocal engineering *

Tony Maserati Tony Maserati is an American record producer and audio engineer specializing in mixing. He was involved in the development of the New York R&B and hip-hop scene in the 1990s, working with Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, and Queen ...

– mixing *

Brian Gardner Brian Knapp Gardner, also known as Brian "Big Bass" Gardner, is an American mastering engineer. He has worked on a number of recordings since the mid-1960s, including classic rock, funk, disco, alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop punk and dance- ...

– mastering * Lee Groves – programming (single version) *

Mark "Spike" Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed She ...

– mixing (single version) * Robert Haggett – assistant mixing (single version) * David Treahearn – assistant mixing (single version)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2003 songs 2004 singles A&M Records singles ABC Sports Black Eyed Peas songs Interscope Records singles Music videos directed by Francis Lawrence Obscenity controversies in music Songs written by apl.de.ap Songs written by George Pajon Songs written by Taboo (rapper) Songs written by will.i.am