Elephunk | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 24, 2003 | |||
Recorded | August 23, 2001 – May 11, 2003 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 59:30 | |||
Language |
| |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
The Black Eyed Peas chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Elephunk | ||||
|
Elephunk is the third studio album by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 24, 2003, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group. Production of the album commenced in August 2001, and was affected by the September 11 attacks, which both caused anxiety to the group members and inspired the songwriting. During the process, Fergie joined the group as the female vocalist, replacing Kim Hill, who departed the group in 2000. The recording sessions went on to be extended until May 2003, which caused its release to be postponed multiple times.
The first album to have the group credited as The Black Eyed Peas, Elephunk is a hip hop and pop record incorporating an array of genres, such as R&B, Latin, funk, dancehall, rock and dance. It explores lyrical themes such as relationships, partying and social issues. The album was met with critical polarity upon its release, directed towards its variety of genres and lyrical content. However, several of the songs were received favorably and garnered the album six Grammy Award nominations and one win.
The Black Eyed Peas' breakthrough album, it was a sleeper hit, debuting at number 33 on the US Billboard 200 and peaking at number 14 after its 2004 reissue. It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over three million units in the United States. Internationally, it peaked atop the charts in Australia and Switzerland, reaching the top ten in nearly every other country. One of the best-selling albums of 2004, the album has sold over nine million copies worldwide.
Elephunk produced four singles. "Where Is the Love?" became the group's first top-ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number eight, and reached number one in 15 countries. Its follow-up singles "Shut Up" and "Hey Mama" achieved widespread international success but failed to duplicate the US success of "Where Is the Love?". Regardless, the former topped the charts in 14 countries, while the latter won an MTV Video Music Award. The final single "Let's Get It Started", a censored re-recording of the track "Let's Get Retarded", peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was further promoted globally with the Elephunk Tour (2004).
After signing a record deal with Interscope Records, the Black Eyed Peas released two critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful studio albums– Behind the Front (1998) and Bridging the Gap (2000). The latter produced the single "Request + Line", featuring Macy Gray, which was their first to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 and numerous international charts, but peaked only at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100. [2] Following the commercial failures, it was unsure whether the group would continue recording together. will.i.am met Ron Fair, then-president of A&M Records, when he recruited the group for the Legally Blonde (2001) soundtrack, for which they recorded the song "Magic" featuring Terry Dexter. Fair offered the group to move to A&M, which they accepted. [3] In order to make them more commercially successful, Fair suggested a musical direction change: "I asked them, 'How would you feel about taking a leap and going more into the pop world?' They replied, 'We don't want to lose our credibility or our fanbase.' I said, 'Well, if you don't take a shot at it, it's gonna get worse, because the backpack crowd are the people who will download the records for free.'" [3] The group was initially reluctant; however, after discussions and several songwriting sessions, the idea was pursued. [3] Taboo would later claim if he was going to sell out, he'd "rather be selling out arenas than selling out of my trunk on the corner of my block." [4]
The recording for Elephunk commenced on August 23, 2001, with "Smells Like Funk", which wouldn't be finished until July 2, 2002. [5] Sessions took place at various recording studios across California. Most of the tracks were recorded at The Stewchia in Los Feliz, Los Angeles. Other locations included the Glenwood Studio in Burbank, California and Record Plant in Los Angeles. Music for "Smells Like Funk" was recorded at a house in Bodega Bay, California. "Anxiety" was the sole song recorded at Velvet Tone in Sacramento, California, and was recorded from March 24 until July 23, 2002. [5] The final song recorded for the album was "The Boogie That Be", which was finished on May 11, 2003, only a day prior to "Where Is the Love?" being serviced to radio as the lead single. [5] will.i.am wrote "Don't Knock It", a song "about how everybody got their opinion. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean somebody else ain't going to love it", which ultimately failed to make the final cut, much like the mid-tempo "Thanks" and the Rockwilder-produced "Fire". [6]
September 11 attacks greatly affected the group, both by causing them anxiety and by influencing their songwriting. will.i.am stated in 2018: "On our last day [of recording sessions in San Francisco], as I was packing my equipment, I saw the first plane fly through the World Trade Center. I thought it was a film. The fear of driving back home, y'know going over San Francisco bridge. That 10 minute drive across the bridge felt like an hour." [7] In December, will.i.am created a loop and a guitar part he liked; apl.de.ap and Taboo also heard the track and were able to write similar lyrics over it. Justin Timberlake was introduced to the group by Taboo, and got a chance to hear the track. Impressed with the music, Timberlake helped write and sing the chorus. The production of "Where Is the Love?" was temporarily halted in early 2002 as the band burned out over what will.i.am claimed was September 11 attacks-induced anxiety. [7] Its recording later resumed and finished on March 3, 2003. [5]
The Black Eyed Peas begun recording Elephunk as a trio; original member Kim Hill departed the group in 2000. As a female vocalist was needed for some of the tracks, various singers were brought in to record. Terry Dexter provided backing vocals for "Smells Like Funk", Noelle Scaggs for "Let's Get Retarded" and "Smells Like Funk", and Debi Nova for "Latin Girls". [5] In early 2002, during the recording of "Shut Up", will.i.am once again sought a female vocalist needed for the song. His original choice was Nicole Scherzinger, who was a member of Eden's Crush at the time. He asked Scherzinger's then-fiancé Nick Hexum from 311, who rejected the offer for her. [8] will.i.am then asked Fergie, whom he met in 2001 on a radio show where both the Black Eyed Peas and Wild Orchid, of which Fergie was a member at the time, performed. She accepted the offer and was soon made a permanent member of the Black Eyed Peas, recording remainder of the album with the group. [9]
Elephunk is a hip hop and pop album which incorporates an array of genres, such as R&B, Latin, funk, dancehall, rock and dance. [10] [11] [12] It explores lyrical themes such as partying, sex, infatuation and, to a lesser extent, social issues. The album opens with the horn-infused "Southern-fried rapid rap" song "Hands Up". [13] [14] The trumpet-driven "Labor Day (It's a Holiday)" lyrically celebrates an alcohol and sex-filled three-day weekend. [14] [15] "Let's Get Retarded" encourages its listeners to party with lines such as "Lose your mind, this is the time / Y'all can't stand still, twist and bang your spine / Bob your head like epilepsy / Up inside the club or in your Bentley". [16] Its censored version "Let's Get It Started" replaces the terms "retarded" and "epilepsy", and replaces the original track on the 2022 reissue. [17] The dancehall track "Hey Mama" features a male protagonist expressing his attraction to a woman. [18] [19] "Shut Up" details an argument between two lovers leading up to the end of their relationship. [6] The sixth track "Smells Like Funk" describes an odor-filled environment and insinuates cannabis consumption. [14] "Latin Girls" is a guitar riff-laced song incorporating Latin piano and percussion, and lyrically celebrates Hispanic women. [20] [14] Jazz-influenced "Sexy" sees the male protagonist express his love and admiration towards his female love interest prior to having sex with her. [11] [21]
"Fly Away" is a rock-influenced hip hop track which encourages a former lover to leave, while "The Boogie That Be" is a "vintage early 1980's electro-funk" song. [11] [22] Electric guitar-driven ballad "The Apl Song" features apl.de.ap rapping–partly in Filipino –about a ghetto in the Philippines where he once lived. [18] [23] "Anxiety", featuring Papa Roach, is a rap metal track in which the protagonist seeks "self-control amidst stressful paranoia". [14] [15] Elephunk closes with its lead single "Where Is the Love?", featuring Justin Timberlake. Although initially intended as a vessel to post-September 11 attacks anxiety, the song discusses many issues, including terrorism, US government hypocrisy, racism, gang crime, pollution, war and intolerance, with the call for love in the chorus as the element tying these together. The lines "Overseas, yeah, we try'na stop terrorism / But we still got terrorists here living / In the USA, the big CIA / The Bloods and the Crips and the KKK" suggests those organizations being terrorists as well. [24] It also alludes to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its casus belli with the lyric "A war's going on but the reason's undercover" in the bridge. will.i.am laid the track's main rhythm over the chord progression, which he claimed to be inspired by human heartbeat: "I was like, 'this song needs a heartbeat.' I just liked the pull and the call of response of the human heart – a beat, a rhythm that we hear everyday subconsciously, without paying attention to it." [7]
will.i.am revealed the title of the Black Eyed Peas' third studio album to be Elephunk on June 11, 2002, explaining: "An elephant ain't the fastest, swiftest animal, but it walks smoothly. It's fat. It's heavy. Thump, thump. You can just picture an elephant's movement. That's the sound of the album. We have a lot of trombones, fat basslines, fat grooves, and nice, thick horn layers and arrangements. Just fat funk." [6]
The album cover for Elephunk was designed by [BLK/MRKT Design Studio, Los Angeles] and uses images of the group members photographed by Markus Klinko. [5] It features each member in a corner and an artwork of an elephant's head in the center against a light blue background. [25] The cover marked the first time the group was credited as The Black Eyed Peas, the name they would retire in 2018, when they removed the prefix. [25] It was also inspired by the cover of Goodie Mob's Still Standing.
Originally set for an October 2002 release, [6] Elephunk was released on June 24, 2003, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group. [26] On June 4, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera's The Justified & Stripped Tour as a supporting act, touring North America until September 2. [27] Interspersed with the tour, the group headlined a club tour from May 30 until August 31. [27] They performed "Where Is the Love?" at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show on August 28. [28] In the United Kingdom and Ireland, they promoted the album by being a supporting act for The Stripped Tour, Aguilera's solo extension of The Justified & Stripped Tour, from October to November, as well as performing "Where Is the Love?" at the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards and, with "Shut Up", on Top of the Pops on November 28. [29] [30] In the United States, they performed "Where Is the Love?" and "Hey Mama" on Saturday Night Live on January 10, 2004. [31] The group performed "Where Is the Love?" again at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards on February 8, where they received two nominations for the song. [32] Internationally, the group promoted the album by performing at the Big Day Out in Australia and New Zealand from January to February, at the MTV Asia Awards 2004 in Singapore on February 14, at the Sanremo Music Festival 2004 in Italy on March 2, and on the Bravo Super Show in Germany on March 13. [33] [34] [35] [36]
In March, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on their third headlining tour, titled Elephunk Tour, and toured North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania until December. [37] On May 24, Elephunk was reissued to include "Let's Get It Started", the re-recorded version of "Let's Get Retarded" used to promote the 2004 NBA playoffs. [38] A video album titled Behind the Bridge to Elephunk was released outside North America on May 26 and included music videos, behind-the-scenes footage and live performances. [39] In August, Electronic Arts (EA) announced that the Black Eyed Peas would re-record some of their songs in Simlish and record new tracks for the soundtrack of the 2004 video game The Urbz: Sims in the City , and would also appear in the game as playable characters. [40] The group continued promoting Elephunk by performing "Let's Get It Started" at Fashion Rocks on September 8, [41] at the MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica 2004 on October 21, [42] at the VH1 Big in '04 Awards on December 1, [43] and at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards on February 13, 2005, where the song won the group their first Grammy Award, for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. [44] 13 years after its release, the album was made available on vinyl for the first time on September 30, 2016. [45] On April 1, 2022, it was re-released for digital download and streaming worldwide to exclude "Let's Get Retarded", which was replaced by "Let's Get It Started", and to include the hidden track "Third Eye" and the previously UK-only bonus tracks "Rock My Shit" and "What's Goin' Down". [46]
"Where Is the Love?" was released as the lead single from Elephunk on May 12, 2003. [47] It became the group's breakthrough hit and their first top-ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number eight. [2] The song peaked atop the charts in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Hot 100 Singles and the US Mainstream Top 40. [48] [49] [50] It was the best-selling single of 2003 in the UK. [51] The digital single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 25, 2004, for sales of 500,000 units in the United States. [52] Despite the initial mixed reception from music critics, the song was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards (2004). [53] The song's accompanying music video was filmed in East Los Angeles and features will.i.am and Taboo act as a soul music road duo who use music to tell people what is wrong with the world, Fergie as a peacemaker who places stickers with question marks on them all over the place to ask people where the love is, and apl.de.ap as a criminal who is arrested for using criminal offences to tell people the truth. [54]
"Shut Up" was released as the second single from Elephunk on September 8, 2003. [55] It wasn't as successful as its predecessor in the US as it failed to enter the US Billboard Hot 100. However, it duplicated the international commercial success of "Where Is the Love?", peaking atop the charts in Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland, and the European Hot 100 Singles. [56] [57] [58] The digital single was certified gold by the RIAA on May 19, 2005, for sales of 500,000 units in the US. [59] The song's accompanying music video was directed by The Malloys and features an opera themed around a battle of the sexes, in which will.i.am and Taboo play Fergie's suitors, and apl.de.ap is the conductor. It features cameos by Kimberly Wyatt and Carmit Bachar from the Pussycat Dolls, Travis Barker from Blink-182, Shifty Shellshock from Crazy Town, and French singer Afida Turner. [54]
"Hey Mama" was released as the third single from Elephunk on January 12, 2004. [60] It was an improvement from its predecessor on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 23, as well as peaking at number eight on the Mainstream Top 40. [2] [50] Internationally, it reached the top ten in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the UK, and on the European Hot 100 Singles. [61] [62] [63] The digital single was certified gold by the RIAA on October 25, 2004, for sales of 500,000 units in the US. [64] Critically acclaimed, the song was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005). [53] Its accompanying music video features the group performing in a psychedelic limbo, a black-and-white striped room, and a nightclub. [54] At the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, it won Best Choreography in a Video, while receiving nominations for Best Dance Video and Best Hip-Hop Video. [65] [66]
In April 2004, "Let's Get Retarded" was announced to have been re-recorded and retitled "Let's Get It Started" for its use in promotion of the 2004 NBA playoffs. [67] Initially unplanned as a single, the new version was so well-received it was released as the fourth and final single from Elephunk on June 1, 2004. [68] The song peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100, [2] and reached the top ten in Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, France and New Zealand. [69] The digital single was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on June 29, 2012, for sales of three million units in the US. [68] Critically acclaimed, the song won the group their first Grammy Award, for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, and was also nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap Song. [53] The song's accompanying music video features the group energetically performing in a nighttime Los Angeles setting. [70]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 66/100 [71] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [72] |
Alternative Press | 4/5 [73] |
The A.V. Club | (mixed) [74] |
Blender | [75] |
Drowned in Sound | 9/10 [76] |
Entertainment Weekly | C [12] |
HipHopDX | 4.0/5 [20] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
Spin | B+ [77] |
The Village Voice | A− [78] |
Elephunk received mixed to positive reviews from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 66, based on 15 reviews, indicating generally positive reviews. [71] John Bush from AllMusic wrote that Elephunk "possesses some of the most boundary-pushing productions in contemporary, (mostly) uncommercial hip-hop". [72] [79] Chris Nettleton from Drowned in Sound complimented the album, writing: "This record is full of first rate rapping, first rate tunes, first rate instrumentation. Look on the surface, and you've got an album full of memorable songs, hooks that lodge in your mind... but look in depth, and it's quality from the top down." [76] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice , Robert Christgau called the album "the brightest actual pop album of 2003" and commented that the group "remain unbelievable, but in pop that's just one more aesthetic nuance". [78] K.B. Tindal from HipHopDX described the album as "a collaboration of riffs, funk, rhymes, vocals and beats and looses steam at some points with all the originality that just seems to be all over the place, but it's still a solid outing none the less". [20] Terry Sawyer from PopMatters called the album "one of the essential hip-hop records of the year", adding that it "drops non-stop hook and hump, an album with almost no missteps and more than its share of undeniable, thumping joy." [14] Bill Lehane from musicOMH also praised the album, writing: "With Elephunk, this alternative rap crew have proved again that they are just that, offering a different style of hip-hop to contrast with the gangsta style. Whoever digs that vibe, get your hands up." [18]
Evan Serpick Entertainment Weekly gave Elephunk a less favorable review, stating: "They try dancehall ('Hey Mama'), salsa ('Latin Girls'), even nu-metal ('Anxiety' with Papa Roach), but the biggest offense for a once smart-sounding rap collective is 'Where Is the Love?', the horrifyingly trite single. It's enough to make longtime fans wonder, 'Where are the Peas?'". [12] Ernest Hardy criticized the album's final two tracks, "in which cliched observations, preachy lyrics and MTV-ready posturing float atop meticulously detailed production". [13] Writing for Blender , Joseph Patel labeled the album "too simple for its own good", criticizing its repetitive refrains. [75] Nathan Rabin from The A.V. Club said the album "gets off to a discouraging start, with non-starting dance tracks like "Hands Up," "Labor Day (It's A Holiday)," and the dancehall-flavored "Hey Mama," which sound busy and cluttered without being infectious or catchy. It picks up around its halfway point, though, as the pace gets less frantic and the production becomes smoother, subtler, and more refreshingly sophisticated." [74] Writing for the Canadian publication Exclaim! , Del F. Cowie criticized the album by saying: "With the breadth of music the group attempts to cover, the dumbed-down lyrics now merely function as a means to get from one catchy chorus to another." [80] Bob Waliszewski from the fundamentalist Protestant publication Plugged In objected to the album's sexual themes and profanity. [15]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [81] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide (updated) | [82] |
Elephunk and its singles are credited for pushing the Black Eyed Peas into stardom and cementing them as pop culture icons. [83] [84] [85] The group's breakthrough record, it became their first charting album in numerous countries, as well as their first album to be certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [86] Specifically, lead single "Where Is the Love?" is credited for establishing the group as a viable act worldwide. According to Katie Sharp from Mic, "it brought an oddball rap group from L.A. right into the public eye. Suddenly, there was a powerful force countering all the macho posturing in rap and the shallowness of pop — there was a catchy song delivering incisive cultural criticism about world peace in the wake of 9/11. And it became a massive global hit." [84]
The album was the group's first to feature Fergie, who was also credited for being "the primary vehicle for the Black Eyed Peas' rise to pop stardom, though. She not only brought sex appeal to the all-male dynamic, but she also brought a heavy emphasis on catchy hooks." [84] Elephunk was also credited for individually propelling Fergie and will.i.am to global prominence. [84] However, the group's newfound commercial success and the introduction of Fergie also resulted with what some critics perceived as a downgrade in quality of the group's music, and the group received accusations of selling out. [83] [84] Writing for Slant Magazine , Sal Cinquemani stated: "The Black Eyed Peas's 2003 breakthrough album, Elephunk, was a slow-building success story. Filling the album with irritatingly catchy songs was a bold, ballsy move you couldn't help but admire, and it transitioned the Peas, with the aide of new member Stacy Ferguson, from the Fugees-lite to omnipresent pop supergroup." [87]
During the Elephunk Tour (2004), which supported Elephunk worldwide, the Black Eyed Peas commenced production of their fourth studio album Monkey Business . [88] It was released on May 25, 2005, and became the group's first US Billboard 200 top-ten album, debuting at number two, and produced their first two US Billboard Hot 100 top-three singles–"Don't Phunk with My Heart" and "My Humps".
10 years after the release of Elephunk, will.i.am revealed that representatives from the Black Eyed Peas' then-label A&M Records did not like the songs produced for the album, namely "Where Is the Love?", "Shut Up" and "Let's Get Retarded", as they didn't consider them "hits". [89] He added: "Me and apl.de.ap were like, 'Look, dude. If this is going to be our last record, a lot of groups like us are getting dropped. Let's just make the kind of record we want to make; our record.' And so 'Elephunk' was our record." [89] Despite A&M's initial reaction, aforementioned three songs were all released as singles and became award-winning international hits.
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Billboard Music Award | Mainstream Top 40 Track of the Year | "Where Is the Love?" | Won | |
2004 | Grammy Award | Record of the Year | Nominated | ||
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Nominated | ||||
2004 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Song | Nominated | ||
2004 | MTV Video Music Awards Japan | Best Group Video | Nominated | ||
Breakthrough Video | Nominated | ||||
2004 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Music – Hip-Hop/Rap Track | Won | ||
2004 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Dance Video | "Hey Mama" | Nominated | |
Best Hip-Hop Video | Nominated | ||||
Best Choreography in a Video | Won | ||||
2004 | MTV Europe Music Award | Best Album | Elephunk | Nominated | |
2004 | Billboard Music Award | Digital Track of the Year | "Let's Get It Started" | Nominated | |
2005 | Grammy Award | Record of the Year | Nominated | ||
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | Won | ||||
Best Rap Song | Nominated | ||||
"Hey Mama" | Nominated | ||||
2005 | MTV Australia Video Music Award | Best R&B Video | Won | ||
Sexiest Video | Won | ||||
2005 | MTV Video Music Award Japan | Best Hip-Hop Video | "Let's Get It Started" | Nominated | |
2005 | MuchMusic Video Award | Best International Group Video | Nominated | ||
People's Choice: Favorite International Group | Nominated |
Elephunk was a sleeper hit, both domestically and internationally. In the US, it debuted at number 33 on the Billboard 200 chart dated July 12, 2003, with first-week sales of 31,000 copies, [99] [100] originally peaking at number 26 in its seventh week. [101] After a year of fluctuating within the chart, the album's sales were boosted by its reissue, and it consequently reached a new peak at number 14 on June 26, 2004. [102] As of 2022, it has spent a total of 106 weeks on the Billboard 200. [103] The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 3, 2004, for shipments of two million units in the US. By 2011, it had sold over three million copies in the country. [104] In Canada, the album debuted at number eight on January 14, 2004, [105] peaking at number two in its eleventh week. [106] It was certified septuple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on December 15, 2005. [107]
In the United Kingdom, Elephunk debuted at number 94 on the UK Albums Chart dated August 23, 2003, entering the top ten in its sixth week. [108] On January 17, 2004, the album reached its peak of number three, at which it spent four consecutive weeks. [108] Meanwhile, it peaked atop the UK R&B Albums Chart dated December 6, 2003. [109] On July 22, 2013, it was certified quintuple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI); it has sold 1.6 million copies in the UK. [110] The album reached number one in Switzerland, after debuting at number 60 and climbing the chart for five months. [111] In France, it debuted at number 115 in July 2003 and originally peaked at number three six months later. [112] Following the August 2004 reissue, it reached a new peak at number two and was certified platinum soon after. [113] Elsewhere in Europe, the album peaked within the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Sweden, as well as peaking at number two on the European Top 100 Albums. [112] [114] It has been certified triple platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for sales of three million copies in Europe. [115]
Elephunk was a commercial success in Oceania as well. In Australia, it debuted at number 50 and went on to peak atop the chart after a year of charting, on August 29, 2004, spending a total of 70 weeks on the chart. [116] The album has been certified quadruple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). [117] In New Zealand, it debuted at number 11, and after months of fluctuating within the top 30, peaked at number two on April 19, 2004. [118] The album has been certified quadruple platinum by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ). [119] As of September 2013, it has sold over nine million copies worldwide. [89]
All tracks are produced by will.i.am. [g]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hands Up" |
| 3:35 |
2. | "Labor Day (It's a Holiday)" |
| 3:58 |
3. | "Let's Get Retarded" |
| 3:35 |
4. | "Hey Mama" |
| 3:34 |
5. | "Shut Up" |
| 4:56 |
6. | "Smells Like Funk" |
| 5:04 |
7. | "Latin Girls" |
| 6:17 |
8. | "Sexy" | 4:43 | |
9. | "Fly Away" |
| 3:35 |
10. | "The Boogie That Be" |
| 5:12 |
11. | "The Apl Song" |
| 2:54 |
12. | "Anxiety" (featuring Papa Roach) |
| 3:38 |
13. | "Where Is the Love?" (featuring Justin Timberlake) (includes hidden track "Third Eye") |
| 8:29 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Sumthin for That Ass" | Adams | 3:51 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Where Is the Love?" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
| 4:32 |
14. | "Third Eye" | Adams | 3:41 |
15. | "Rock My Shit" |
| 3:50 |
16. | "What's Goin' Down" | Adams | 2:41 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Where Is the Love?" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
| 4:32 |
14. | "Let's Get It Started" (includes hidden track "Third Eye") |
| 7:33 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Where Is the Love?" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
| 4:32 |
14. | "Let's Get It Started" |
| 3:37 |
15. | "Third Eye" | Adams | 3:41 |
16. | "Hands Up" (live from the House of Blues) |
| 5:07 |
17. | "Fly Away" (live from the House of Blues) |
| 3:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
3. | "Let's Get It Started" |
| 3:37 |
13. | "Where Is the Love?" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
| 4:32 |
14. | "Third Eye" | Adams | 3:41 |
15. | "Rock My Shit" |
| 3:50 |
16. | "What's Goin' Down" | Adams | 2:41 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
17. | "Sumthin for That Ass" | Adams | 3:51 |
18. | "For the People" |
| 4:02 |
19. | "Hey Mama" (Jimmy Remix) |
| 3:02 |
20. | "Shut Up" (remix) |
| 4:22 |
21. | "Shut Up" (instrumental) |
| 5:09 |
22. | "Where Is the Love?" (instrumental) |
| 4:33 |
23. | "Hands Up" (live from the House of Blues) |
| 5:07 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Where Is the Love?" (music video) | |
2. | "Shut Up" (music video) | |
3. | "Where Is the Love?" (instrumental) | |
4. | "Shut Up" (instrumental) | |
5. | "Sumthin for That Ass" | |
6. | "Tell Your Mama Come" (live) |
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Elephunk. [5]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF) [177] | Platinum | 40,000^ |
Australia (ARIA) [117] | 4× Platinum | 280,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [178] | Gold | 15,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [179] | Gold | 50,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [107] | 7× Platinum | 700,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [180] | 4× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [181] | Gold | 23,541 [181] |
France (SNEP) [113] | Platinum | 300,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [182] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
Ireland (IRMA) [183] | 2× Platinum | 30,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ) [184] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [185] | Platinum | 150,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [186] | 2× Platinum | 160,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [119] | 4× Platinum | 60,000^ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [187] | Gold | 20,000* |
Portugal (AFP) [188] | Gold | 20,000^ |
Russia (NFPF) [189] | 3× Platinum | 60,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [190] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Sweden (GLF) [191] | Gold | 30,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [192] | Platinum | 40,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [110] | 5× Platinum | 1,598,599 [193] |
United States (RIAA) [26] | 2× Platinum | 3,190,000 [194] |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI) [115] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Edition(s) | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canada | June 24, 2003 | Standard | CD | Universal Music | |
United States | |||||
Australia | July 7, 2003 | Universal Music | |||
France | July 11, 2003 | Polydor | |||
United Kingdom | August 11, 2003 | ||||
Japan | August 20, 2003 | Universal Music | |||
Poland | September 11, 2003 | ||||
Germany | September 22, 2003 | ||||
Argentina | November 18, 2003 | ||||
Hong Kong | February 26, 2004 | Special | CD+VCD | ||
United States | May 24, 2004 | Reissue | CD |
| |
France | August 9, 2004 | Polydor | |||
Various | September 30, 2016 | Standard | Vinyl | Interscope | |
April 1, 2022 | Revised | ||||
December 8, 2023 | Expanded |
The Black Eyed Peas are an American musical group from Los Angeles, composed of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo. The group's lineup during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who left the group in 2018. They have sold an estimated 80 million records, making them one of the best-selling musical acts of all time, and were ranked 12th on Billboard's 2000s Decade-End Artist of the Decade Chart and 7th on the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade.
Stacy Ann "Fergie" Ferguson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman who was a member of the hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas between 2002 and 2018, releasing four albums. She has sold over 35 million albums and 60 million singles worldwide. In addition to winning eight Grammy Awards and other accolades, Billboard ranked her among the top artists of the 2000s and named her Woman of the Year in 2010.
"Let's Get It Started" is a song 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 promotion for the 2004 NBA playoffs on ABC in April 2004, and the clean version was released as the fourth and final single from Elephunk on June 1, 2004, by A&M Records and Interscope Records, also appearing on a reissue of the album.
"Don't Phunk with My Heart" censored as "Don't Mess with My Heart" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fourth studio album Monkey Business (2005). It was written by band members will.i.am and Fergie with Printz Board, George Pajon, Jr. and Full Force; will.i.am also produced and engineered the song. The song is a hip hop song in which the lyrics, according to will.i.am, tell of a situation between a couple when one tries to end the relationship and the other is in disbelief. It features compositional samples of songs derived from two Bollywood films of the 1970s, Apradh (1972) and Don (1978), as well as interpolations of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam's 1985 single "I Wonder If I Take You Home" and Gucci Crew II's 1988 single "Sally ", hence earning Kalyanji–Anandji, Indeewar and Full Force songwriting credits. The song was released as the lead single from Monkey Business on April 5, 2005, by A&M Records and Interscope Records.
Monkey Business is the fourth studio album by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 7, 2005, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group.
William James Adams Jr. , known professionally as will.i.am, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he formed with fellow rappers apl.de.ap and Taboo in 1995. The group, having released nine total studio albums, saw their furthest mainstream success during their 2000s pop rap era with Elephunk (2003), Monkey Business (2005), The E.N.D. (2009), and The Beginning (2010). He served as lead vocalist since its formation, although for the albums, he did so alongside singer-songwriter Fergie—who joined the group in 2002 and departed after the latter.
"Hey Mama" is a song by American musical group the Black Eyed Peas with additional vocals provided by British reggae singer Tippa Irie. It was released in 2004 as the third single from their 2003 album, Elephunk, and became a top-10 hit in 14 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
"Don't Lie" is a song performed by American recording group the Black Eyed Peas, taken from their fourth studio album, Monkey Business (2005). It was released as the second single from the album on July 26, 2005, after the successful "Don't Phunk with My Heart".
"Shut Up" is a song recorded by American hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas for their third studio album Elephunk (2003). Lyrically, it is about a disastrous courtship with the chorus consisting of the lines "Shut up, just shut up, shut up". The song was released as the second single from Elephunk on September 8, 2003, by A&M Records and Interscope Records. "Shut Up" was not commercially successful in the United States but became a hit internationally, topping the charts of Australia, New Zealand, and 12 European countries. It was Europe's second-biggest hit single of 2004.
"My Humps" is a song by American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas, released on September 20, 2005 by A&M Records and Interscope Records. It was originally written by will.i.am for the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, but was ultimately recorded for the Black Eyed Peas' fourth studio album, Monkey Business. A hip hop and dance song structured as a duet between will.i.am and Fergie, its lyrics center on Fergie using her breasts and buttocks to accomplish her goals.
The Dutchess is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and rapper Fergie. It was released through A&M Records and the will.i.am Music Group on September 13, 2006. Her first solo effort, it was recorded between the Black Eyed Peas' tour in 2005, and the songs were written in the eight years preceding its release. Fergie wanted to create an autobiographical album that would be more intimate between her and the listener. Musically, it experiments with different music genres, including pop, hip hop, R&B, reggae, punk rock and soul. Lyrically, it contains themes about critics, love, and her personal drug abuse and addiction.
"Fergalicious" is a song recorded by American singer, songwriter and rapper Fergie for her debut studio album, The Dutchess (2006). The title is a portmanteau of Fergie and delicious. It was written by her and The Black Eyed Peas groupmate will.i.am, who also produced the song as well as performed additional instrumentation and rap vocals. The song was slated as the second single from the album and released for airplay on October 23, 2006. "Fergalicious" is a dance, electro and hip hop song with R&B characteristics. It contains compositional samples of "Supersonic", a song written by Dania Maria Birks, Juana Michelle Burns, Juanita A. Lee, Kim Nazel, and Fatima Shaheed and performed by J. J. Fad, and "Give It All You Got", a song written by Derrick Rahming and popularized by Afro-Rican. The song's bridge contains an interpolation of "Night Train" by Jimmy Forrest and James Brown.
"Glamorous" is a song recorded by American singer Fergie featuring American rapper Ludacris, released on January 23, 2007 through A&M Records, will.i.am Music Group and Interscope Records. It was written by Fergie, Ludacris, will.i.am, Elvis Williams and Polow da Don for her debut studio album The Dutchess (2006). An airy R&B and pop song, its lyrics center on Fergie staying rooted despite her success and fame of glamour.
The American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas has released nine studio albums, two compilation albums, one extended play, forty singles, eight promotional singles, thirty-eight music videos, and two video albums. Interscope Records released the band's debut album, Behind the Front, in the United States in June 1998. Although the album received a four-star review from AllMusic, it charted low on the Billboard 200 in the United States and on the French Albums Chart, at numbers 129 and 149 respectively. The band's second album, Bridging the Gap, was released in 2000 and peaked at number 67 in the US and reached its highest position in New Zealand, at number 18.
Behind the Bridge to Elephunk is the first video album by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released outside North America on May 26, 2004, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group. The album includes music videos for singles from the group's first three studio albums–Behind the Front (1998), Bridging the Gap (2000) and Elephunk (2003)–alongside live performances and behind-the-scenes footage.
"Where Is the Love?" is a song by American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on May 12, 2003, as the lead single from their third album, Elephunk (2003). The song was written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, Justin Timberlake, Printz Board, Michael Fratantuno, and George Pajon. The track features vocals from Timberlake, although he is not officially credited on the single release. It was the group's first single to feature singer Fergie as an official member.
The E.N.D. is the fifth studio album by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 3, 2009, by Interscope Records.
"Boom Boom Pow" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fifth studio album The E.N.D. (2009). It was written by group members will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie, being produced by will.i.am. The song features a vocal sample from the 1990 song "Reach Out" by British house duo Sweet Mercy featuring singer Rowetta. It was released as the lead single from The E.N.D. on February 22, 2009, by Interscope Records.
"The Time (Dirty Bit)" is a song by American musical group the Black Eyed Peas from their sixth studio album, The Beginning. It was written by group members will.i.am and apl.de.ap along with DJ Ammo, who produced the song with will.i.am. Additionally, Franke Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz received co-writing credits since the chorus interpolates 1987's Dirty Dancing soundtrack "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
"Just Can't Get Enough" is a song by American group the Black Eyed Peas. The song was written by members will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie, along with Joshua Alvarez, Stephen Shadowen, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, and Julie Frost, for the group's sixth studio album, The Beginning (2010). It was announced on January 21, 2011, as the album's second single and was released on February 8.