Description
Nominally a rap group, in truth Black Eyed Peas call on so many forms of songwriting and production that slotting them into hip-hop is like slotting Prince into R&B -- technically true, but very limiting. Elephunk, the group's third straight winning LP, doesn't have top-notch rapping, but as driven by frontman Will.I.Am, it does possess some of the most boundary-pushing productions in contemporary, (mostly) uncommercial hip-hop -- right up at the level occupied by Common and OutKast. The smart, brassy opening club thump "Hands Up" hits another level with a sly bridge flaunting some heavy metallic slide guitar, while the highly pressurized love jam "Shut Up" features great interplay between Taboo and new member Fergie. Space doesn't allow for description of each track, but suffice to say any Will.I.Am track is going to feature loads of ideas and fresh sounds, not to mention plenty of stylistic change-ups -- from the digital-step ragga of "Hey Mama" (featuring Tippa Irie) to the Latinized, loved-up "Latin Girls." Like a latter-day Digital Underground, Black Eyed Peas know how to get a party track moving, and add a crazy stupid rhyme or two ("bop your head like epilepsy" from the suitably titled "Let's Get Retarded"). [The British version included two bonus tracks.] John Bush.
Product Details
- Artist
- Black Eyed Peas
- Number of Discs
- 1
- Recording Environment
- Studio
- Label / Studio
- UNIVERSAL INT'L
- Media Content Format
- Album
- Original year of release
- 2003
- Media Format
- Audio CD
- Year of release
- 2003
- Cast & Crew
- Black Eyed Peas (Music Performer)
- Apl.De.Ap (Producer)
- Poe (Producer)
- Ron Fair (Producer)
- Will I Am (Producer)
- Christine (Sound Engineer)
- Dylan Dreslow (Sound Engineer)
- Will I Am (Sound Engineer)
Press Reviews
4 out of 5 - "...Better partiers than preachers, these Peas have found their pod... Alternative Press (9/03, p.118)
Tracklisting
Disc 1:
-
Hands Up
-
Labor Day (It's a Holiday)
-
Let's Get Retarded
-
Hey Mama
-
Shut Up
-
Smells Like Funk
-
Latin Girls
-
Sexy
-
Fly Away
-
Boogie That Be
-
Apl Song
-
Anxiety
-
Where Is the Love?
-
Third Eye
-
Rock My Shit
-
What's Goin Down
