As the title suggests, this release is one part sexual innuendo and one part black humor. Formed in 1998, the Black Eyed Peas is an American multi-ethnic quartet that currently features three male rappers (a Jamaican-American, a Filipino, and a Mexican) and the very fit Californian female, Fergie. This is their fourth album, and their best effort to date. Most of the cuts feature musical dialogues between the boys and the girl, i.e. seductive word games with explicit lyrics. Take the anthem “Don’t Phunk with My Heart”; here, the lads express their interest in Fergie, who is not at all assured that intentions are honorable. The ambiguous nature of the lyrics has caused some US radio stations to play an edited version: “Don’t Mess with My Heart”. Another witty number, “My Humps” complains about women who use their looks to part men from their money. The ‘humps’ and ‘lumps’ referred to in the song stand for Fergie’s bottom and bosom. The CD has many more of these hilarious (to some) alternative hiphop/rap pieces, as well as guest appearances from James Brown, Sting, Talib Kweli, Macy Gray and others. With four Grammy nominations, BEP appears unstoppable; they’ve even been contracted to write and perform a song for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Now that should be a kick.
A&M

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
March 2006 issue



(c)that's Guangzhou
Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
March 2006 issue