From their outward appearance and public persona, the Black Eyed Peas seem like the perfect embodiment of a fun-loving — albeit very successful — Top-40 group. The multi-racial quartet, known for its funky, flamboyant fashion sense, looks like it stepped from the pages of a “United Colors of Benetton” ad; and their infectious blend of hip-hop, pop, and funky R&B has struck gold with an equally diverse worldwide audience. Hits like “Let's Get It Started,” “Where Is the Love” and “Don't Phunk with My Heart” have helped the Peas' last two albums — 2003's Elephunk and 2005's Monkey Business — sell well over 10 million copies combined.
But the group paid its dues on the way to becoming international pop stars. Before they rose to the top of their game, the members of the Black Eyed Peas (William “will.i.am” Adams, Allen “apl.de.ap” Pineda, Jaime “Taboo” Gomez, and Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson) experienced what it's like to sink to the bottom of the show business barrel.
William Adams grew up in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in the projects of East Los Angeles. He attended an all-black chuch, but was bused to the racially mixed Palisades High School. He says his exposure to people of various racial and cultural backgrounds has helped shaped his music.
Allen Pineda grew up in the Philippines. He moved to Los Angeles when he was 14. Even though he didn't speak English, he and Adams shared a love of hip-hop and soon became friends. The two teenagers started began rapping and performing together around Los Angeles Along with another friend, Dante Santiago, they formed a group called Atban Klann.
Adams' socially-concious lyrics and jazzy flow made Atban Klann a top attraction on L.A.'s alternative-rap scene in the early '90s. Their style was the polar opposite of hardcore, but gangsta godfather Eazy-E signed the group to his Ruthless Records label.
“I think Eazy-E saw all of the ‘conscious' rap groups like A Tribe Called Quest coming out then, and he wanted one for himself,” Pineda said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Unfortunately, when Eazy-E died of an AIDS related illness in 1995, Atban Klann's album was shelved, and the group was dropped from the label.
Undaunted, Adams and Pineda reformed the group as the Black Eyed Pods, replacing Santiago with rapper Jaime Gomez, who they knew from their early club days. They also brought on singer Kim Hill as a steady background vocalist, and eventually changed the group's name to the Black Eyed Peas.
The group was signed to Interscope Records, and released its debut album, Behind the Front, in 1998. Underground hip-hop fans embraced the group, but radio and most record buyers did not. Their second album, Bridging the Gap, featured guest appearances by notables like Macy Gray, De La Soul, Jurassic 5, and Mos Def, but sold fewer copies than their debut.
After Bridging the Gap failed to find a wider audience, the group decided to take some time off. It was during their hiatus that the group nearly came apart at the seams.
Pineda received news from the Philippines that his brother had committed suicide. Around the same time, Pineda broke up with his girlfriend. He became increasingly depressed, and developed a crystal methamphetamine addiction. Gomez got hooked on the club scene, and started drinking heavily. Adams began philandering, and destroyed a nine-year relationship in the process. Hill quit the band. It took rehab and a few cold, hard reality checks to bring the group back from the brink.
The trio decided to put everything they had into their next album, which looked like it might be their last. During the recording sessions for the album that would become Elephunk, they needed a female vocalist to duet on a track called “Shut Up.” A mutual friend suggested Stacy Ferguson, whom they had met years before.
Ferguson had been a member of the moderately successful female pop trio Wild Orchid. She was unhappy with Wild Orchid's teenybopper image, however, and was looking for a project that reflected her musical tastes, which leaned more toward hip-hop and R&B. The Black Eyed Peas were a perfect fit.
Ferguson also shared something else with the members of the Black Eyed Peas. Like Pineda, she had recently recovered from an addiction to crystal meth.
She reached rock bottom after a two-year addiction, but says “a conversation with God,” her supportive family, and hypnotherapy gave her the strength to kick her addiction cold turkey.
Ferguson brought a visual balance to the Peas. With her pin-up worthy good looks and dance training, it was an easy decision to have her share the stage spotlight with the guys in the band. But Ferguson is no mere eye candy. Her vocal ability has allowed the Peas to explore an even wider gamut of musical styles.
Elephunk was a huge breakthrough album for the Black Eyed Peas, selling 7.5 million copies worldwide, and earning four Grammy nominations and one Grammy award. The follow-up, Monkey Business, did nearly as well, landing two Top-10 hits with the Grammy winning
“Don't Phunk with My Heart,” and “My Humps.”
With the success BEP has enjoyed over the past three years, Adams has become a sought after writer (John Legend's “Ordinary People”) and producer (Mary J. Blige, Nas). Ferguson has completed a solo album, the forthcoming The Dutchess, which features the Top-10 lead single, “London Bridge.” Pineda and Gomez are planning solo projects as well.
The sound of the Black Eyed Peas has changed drastically from the group's “underground” days. Even though their fans now number in the millions, some long-time supporters have accused the group of “selling out.” But the group members insist they always wanted to appeal to the largest possible audience. Having experienced the alternative, they prefer commercial success over someone's idea of artistic purity.
“I don't wanna be living at home with my mom and freestyling in the backyard 'cause I wanna be a purist,” Gomez said in an interview for Blender magazine. “Forget that sh--! I'm selling out? I'm selling out arenas, mother------!”
But the group paid its dues on the way to becoming international pop stars. Before they rose to the top of their game, the members of the Black Eyed Peas (William “will.i.am” Adams, Allen “apl.de.ap” Pineda, Jaime “Taboo” Gomez, and Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson) experienced what it's like to sink to the bottom of the show business barrel.
William Adams grew up in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood in the projects of East Los Angeles. He attended an all-black chuch, but was bused to the racially mixed Palisades High School. He says his exposure to people of various racial and cultural backgrounds has helped shaped his music.
Allen Pineda grew up in the Philippines. He moved to Los Angeles when he was 14. Even though he didn't speak English, he and Adams shared a love of hip-hop and soon became friends. The two teenagers started began rapping and performing together around Los Angeles Along with another friend, Dante Santiago, they formed a group called Atban Klann.
Adams' socially-concious lyrics and jazzy flow made Atban Klann a top attraction on L.A.'s alternative-rap scene in the early '90s. Their style was the polar opposite of hardcore, but gangsta godfather Eazy-E signed the group to his Ruthless Records label.
“I think Eazy-E saw all of the ‘conscious' rap groups like A Tribe Called Quest coming out then, and he wanted one for himself,” Pineda said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Unfortunately, when Eazy-E died of an AIDS related illness in 1995, Atban Klann's album was shelved, and the group was dropped from the label.
Undaunted, Adams and Pineda reformed the group as the Black Eyed Pods, replacing Santiago with rapper Jaime Gomez, who they knew from their early club days. They also brought on singer Kim Hill as a steady background vocalist, and eventually changed the group's name to the Black Eyed Peas.
The group was signed to Interscope Records, and released its debut album, Behind the Front, in 1998. Underground hip-hop fans embraced the group, but radio and most record buyers did not. Their second album, Bridging the Gap, featured guest appearances by notables like Macy Gray, De La Soul, Jurassic 5, and Mos Def, but sold fewer copies than their debut.
After Bridging the Gap failed to find a wider audience, the group decided to take some time off. It was during their hiatus that the group nearly came apart at the seams.
Pineda received news from the Philippines that his brother had committed suicide. Around the same time, Pineda broke up with his girlfriend. He became increasingly depressed, and developed a crystal methamphetamine addiction. Gomez got hooked on the club scene, and started drinking heavily. Adams began philandering, and destroyed a nine-year relationship in the process. Hill quit the band. It took rehab and a few cold, hard reality checks to bring the group back from the brink.
The trio decided to put everything they had into their next album, which looked like it might be their last. During the recording sessions for the album that would become Elephunk, they needed a female vocalist to duet on a track called “Shut Up.” A mutual friend suggested Stacy Ferguson, whom they had met years before.
Ferguson had been a member of the moderately successful female pop trio Wild Orchid. She was unhappy with Wild Orchid's teenybopper image, however, and was looking for a project that reflected her musical tastes, which leaned more toward hip-hop and R&B. The Black Eyed Peas were a perfect fit.
Ferguson also shared something else with the members of the Black Eyed Peas. Like Pineda, she had recently recovered from an addiction to crystal meth.
She reached rock bottom after a two-year addiction, but says “a conversation with God,” her supportive family, and hypnotherapy gave her the strength to kick her addiction cold turkey.
Ferguson brought a visual balance to the Peas. With her pin-up worthy good looks and dance training, it was an easy decision to have her share the stage spotlight with the guys in the band. But Ferguson is no mere eye candy. Her vocal ability has allowed the Peas to explore an even wider gamut of musical styles.
Elephunk was a huge breakthrough album for the Black Eyed Peas, selling 7.5 million copies worldwide, and earning four Grammy nominations and one Grammy award. The follow-up, Monkey Business, did nearly as well, landing two Top-10 hits with the Grammy winning
“Don't Phunk with My Heart,” and “My Humps.”
With the success BEP has enjoyed over the past three years, Adams has become a sought after writer (John Legend's “Ordinary People”) and producer (Mary J. Blige, Nas). Ferguson has completed a solo album, the forthcoming The Dutchess, which features the Top-10 lead single, “London Bridge.” Pineda and Gomez are planning solo projects as well.
The sound of the Black Eyed Peas has changed drastically from the group's “underground” days. Even though their fans now number in the millions, some long-time supporters have accused the group of “selling out.” But the group members insist they always wanted to appeal to the largest possible audience. Having experienced the alternative, they prefer commercial success over someone's idea of artistic purity.
“I don't wanna be living at home with my mom and freestyling in the backyard 'cause I wanna be a purist,” Gomez said in an interview for Blender magazine. “Forget that sh--! I'm selling out? I'm selling out arenas, mother------!”
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