Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas, anchored by original members will.i.am, Apl.de.Ap, and Taboo, have sustained a high profile across an unusual stylistic arc that moved from earthy hip-hop toward expansive dance-pop while consistently championing optimism and solidarity. Formed in Los Angeles, the trio drew early guidance in the late '90s from De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. Their fusion of accessible melodies with lyrics addressing social concerns reached a breakthrough the following decade via the message-driven single "Where Is the Love?," which became their initial Top Ten entry on domestic charts and reached number one from the U.K. through Australia. That momentum carried into the multi-platinum releases Elephunk (2003), Monkey Business (2005), and The E.N.D. (2009), each loaded with some of the era's most exuberant pop successes, among them the Grammy-winning tracks "Let's Get It Started," "Don't Phunk with My Heart," "My Humps," and "I Gotta Feeling." Following The Beginning (2010), their third Top Ten Billboard 200 project, the group paused for several years before resurfacing with Masters of the Sun, Vol. 1 (2018), a vigorous reclamation of their hip-hop foundation. Translation (2020) and Elevation (2022) extended their global dancefloor reach through reggaeton and Afrobeats inflections, yielding crossover Latin successes such as "Ritmo," "Mamacita," and "Don't You Worry," alongside the 2024 track "Tonight" with Becky G, supported by a wide range of featured artists.

The earliest ties among the principals trace to the early '90s, when high school students will.i.am (William James Adams, Jr.) and Apl.de.Ap (Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr.) belonged to the breakdancing outfit Tribal Nation. Shifting emphasis toward music, the pair departed to operate independently as Atban Klann, an enigmatic abbreviation for A Tribe Beyond a Nation. Eazy-E's Ruthless Records inked the act in 1992, though numerous figures at the label remained uncertain about the ensemble and Eazy-E's support for a crew whose peace-oriented, genial outlook contrasted with his own gangsta aesthetic. Despite completing a full album, Ruthless ultimately withheld it, uncertain how to present artists whose approach avoided the confrontational boasting typical of N.W.A.

Eazy-E's passing in 1995 closed any prospect of additional Ruthless arrangements. Undeterred, will.i.am and Apl.de.Ap enlisted fellow dancer and MC Taboo (Jaime Luis Gómez) and relaunched as Black Eyed Peas. The outfit began performing throughout their hometown of L.A., captivating hip-hop audiences with sharp microphone technique and intricate dance routines. Their 1998 debut Behind the Front appeared on Interscope and earned widespread praise for the three MCs as well as the accompanying live band and backing vocalist Kim Hill. Commercially it registered modestly, climbing to number 129 on the Billboard 200, while one of its three singles, "Joints & Jam," reached number 53 in the U.K. The 2000 follow-up Bridging the Gap retained a comparable approach and included guest spots from De La Soul, Jurassic 5's Chali 2na, and Macy Gray; the single "Request Line" peaked at number two on Billboard's rap chart and lifted the album to stronger sales than its predecessor.

A decisive shift arrived with the arrival of Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson), previously seen on the television series Kids Incorporated and formerly of the late-'90s vocal trio Wild Orchid, whose sound sat between Lisa Stansfield and En Vogue. She supplanted Kim Hill and supplied assured, direct lead vocals. The first album featuring Fergie, 2003's Elephunk, entered the Top 40 propelled by the Justin Timberlake-assisted "Where Is the Love?," "Hey Mama," and "Let's Get It Started." The opening track, which will.i.am began composing after viewing live coverage of the September 11 attacks, achieved even greater success abroad, topping charts in Canada, England, Germany, and Australia. "Let's Get It Started" secured the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration honor at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards.

Two years onward, the four-piece ascended further into mainstream prominence with Monkey Business. The set achieved triple-platinum status on the strength of "Don't Phunk with My Heart" and the lighter "My Humps," which respectively reached number three and collected Grammys for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 48th ceremony and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 49th. Fergie issued her solo debut The Dutchess in 2006, which also generated three number-one singles and was executive-produced by will.i.am, already a sought-after collaborator for Kelis, Diddy, John Legend, Ciara, and Nas. He resumed his own recording career with the 2007 album Songs About Girls, technically his third solo effort following two earlier exploratory, understated projects on the BBE imprint.

Black Eyed Peas ended a brief hiatus in March 2009 with "Boom Boom Pow," the first of three number-one singles that together dominated the charts for half the year and anchored The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies), released that June. Marked by a pronounced electronic dance aesthetic, the album also spawned "I Gotta Feeling" and "Imma Be," earned six Grammy nominations, and won Best Pop Vocal Album. The quartet returned swiftly in 2010 with their sixth LP, The Beginning, another electronic-tinged pop outing that yielded "The Time (Dirty Bit)" and "Just Can't Get Enough." Months later they headlined the Super Bowl halftime show before embarking on an extended sabbatical.

Throughout the ensuing period the members largely pursued separate endeavors. will.i.am maintained an active production schedule and solo output while serving for years as a coach on The Voice UK, later adding concurrent roles on The Voice Australia and The Voice Kids. Apl.de.Ap took a judging position on The Voice of the Philippines. Taboo released standalone singles such as "The Fight," which chronicled his recovery from cancer. Fergie assembled her second album, Double Dutchess. The sole Black Eyed Peas release during these years was a reworked version of "Where Is the Love" retitled "Where's the Love?," recorded with a children's choir and numerous high-profile vocalists and celebrities collectively credited as "the World." Issued in 2016 as a charity single benefiting will.i.am's educational nonprofit i.am.angel, the track responded to terrorist incidents in Paris and Brussels, the Orlando nightclub shooting, and the police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

Absent Fergie and augmented by J. Rey Soul, a singer signed to Apl.de.Ap's BMBX label following her appearance on The Voice of the Philippines, Black Eyed Peas maintained their engagement with weighty social themes upon reconvening for their first full-length in eight years. Crafted in tandem with a Marvel graphic novel sharing its title, Masters of the Sun, Vol. 1 represented a committed, robust reclamation of hip-hop and featured contributions from Slick Rick, De La Soul's Posdnuos, A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Nas. It marked their final Interscope release.

Following the 2019 Snoop Dogg collaboration "Be Nice," which emerged from the televised songwriting contest Songland, Black Eyed Peas joined Piso 21 for "Mami," signaling the direction they would pursue amid growing influences from South American and African dance music. Bolstered by a fresh Epic recording agreement, the group returned to platinum status in 2019 via the J Balvin-assisted "Ritmo," which led Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. The pattern repeated with the gold-certified "Mamacita," a team-up with Ozuna, while "Girl Like Me," featuring Shakira, topped the Latin Airplay chart. All three tracks appeared on the 2020 album Translation, which debuted at number 52 on the Billboard 200. The collective sustained its buoyant spirit on Elevation, released in 2022. They reunited with Shakira on "Don't You Worry," co-produced by David Guetta, then issued "Simply the Best" with Anitta and El Alfa plus "Bailar Contigo" alongside Daddy Yankee. In 2024 they supplied the single "Tonight" featuring Becky G to the Bad Boys: Ride or Die soundtrack, reaching the Top 40 of the Pop 100.