Black Eyed Peas - Elephunk

If Outkast hadn't come along and blown up the entire landscape with Speakerboxx/The Love Below - the pieces from which are yet to land, by the way - then the funkalicious potpourri of positivity that is the Black Eyed Peas' Elephunk would have easily been the hip hop-oriented album of 2003. I say "hip hop-oriented" because the Peas' disc bounces ebulliently across almost as wide a musical terrain as does Outkast's.

The multiracial Peas - will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and new singer Fergie - began as a breakdancing troupe in L.A. in the early-'90s, evolving into a hip hop act, and now they are booty-slapping full-on live band/hip hop unit as evidenced by their extravaganza performance at the Grammys, complete with Justin Timberlake contributing his voice to Fergie's on the choruses of breakthrough hit "Where Is the Love."

Produced superbly by will.i.am and apl, mixing live instruments with samples, beats, and wicky-wickies, the Peas rock bottom-heavy, jazzy hip hop on "Hands Up" and "Labor Day," jammin' old school funk on "Let's Get Retarded" and "The Boogie That Be," irresistible Sean Paul-stylie dancehall (with guest Tippa Irie) on "Hey Mama."

"Shut Up" is equally funny and touching relationship-jousting R&B (complete with surf guitar!) with Fergie wailing, "Latin Girls" celebrates just that, "Sexy" waxes libidinous over a bossa nova beat, and "Anxiety" is cruching rap-rock with guests Papa Roach.

Highly musical, infectious, thumping - Elephunk is freaky great stuff.

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Article Author: Eric Olsen

Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and former publisher of Blogcritics.org, and former publisher of Technorati.com, which both rule. He is now editor, co-founder, and CEO of The Morton Report.

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  • 1 - BJ

    Feb 26, 2004 at 7:10 pm

    Thanks Eric. I really love this record. I actually pull Elephunk out for a listen more than I do the OutKast discs. Speakerboxx/The Love Below's high points are probably slightly higher than Elephunk's (and the discs are almost certainly "more important" and destined to be "more influential," and all that), but pound for pound, this record is about as good as it gets. Sort of a Revolver versus White Album kind of thing.

  • 2 - sandra

    Mar 17, 2004 at 8:48 am

    hey black eyed peas ik heb een vraagje aan fergie heb je meschien msn voor computer
    ik wel voeg me dan toe
    sandra_gaaf@hotmail.com
    thanx
    xxxxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxxx
    ben heel fan van julie vooral fergie is zo knap
    en mooi haar en mooie kleren
    aub stuur een berichtje terug
    xxxxx
    mij sandra ik kom uit holland

  • 3 - Eric Olsen

    Mar 17, 2004 at 8:55 am

    Thanks BJ, I have found myself listening to this one more than OutKast as well, but I'm not sure what that means. OutKast requires more of an attention commitment, so I may just be lazy.

    Sandra, hello in Holland, I have not observed anything that would lead me to believe that the Black Eyed Peas speak Dutch, but what do I know?

  • 4 - Teal

    Apr 02, 2004 at 7:08 pm

    BlackEyedPeas I love you sooo much I am your Biggest Fan Trust me!!! all i talk about in school is Blackeyedpeas and nothing else I have pics of you guys and fergie in my folder and i look at them the whole day!! I am very very obsessed and I really hope u can come and preform in Portland,Maine It is my wish to meet you!!!!
    Your biggest FAN EvEr ~teal~

  • 5 - Teal

    May 29, 2004 at 7:45 pm

    I love you Fergie,Apl,Taboo, and Will You guys are my Heart. My biggest DREAM is to meet you guys. I am very obsessed with you guys. I love you all soo much. I hope to meet you someday. I love you guys. Fergie I love you, Will I love you, Taboo I love you and Apl I love you !!! I really hope to meet you someday. Great job BEP. ~Teal your BIGGEST Fan~

  • 6 - Bob A. Booey

    May 29, 2004 at 8:16 pm

    I don't really want to discuss their music, although that one song of theirs isn't bad.

    I just want to say that Fergie is hot.
    I'd give it to her fortissimo. You know what I'm sayin, nerds?

    That is all.

  • 7 - Shannon

    May 30, 2004 at 5:14 pm

    Yo! I am a HUGE fan of ya guys (Black-eyed-peas). Will u PLEASE come to Scraborough Maine and perform and then come ta my house. My friend is SO crazy about u (she's even getting plastic surgery 2 look like u!) and her name is Gentile, but please call her Teal. My favorite song by ya guys is Hey Mama, Teal loves them all. When ya guys come ta my home, Gentile will come over and act like a complete retard cause she is SO crazy 'bout ya guys, mostly 'bout Fregy. Call me, I am in the phonebook in like a month. Please call, my number is under K Badgett.
    P.S. That e-mail adderess is Teal's.

  • 8 - Bob A. Booey

    May 31, 2004 at 3:11 am

    Retarded or 12 years old? Vote now.

  • 9 - Teal

    Jun 09, 2004 at 8:12 pm

    I luv ya BEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 10 - Eric Olsen

    Jun 09, 2004 at 8:48 pm

    I, too, revere the Peas with mounting enthusiasm.

  • 11 - Bob A. Booey

    Jun 10, 2004 at 12:40 am

    I'd like to mount Fergie with enthusiasm.

    That is all.

  • 12 - bhw

    Jun 10, 2004 at 12:42 am

    Fergie must be a sheep.

    Baaaa...baaa...

  • 13 - Nina

    Jun 16, 2004 at 3:32 pm

    I love you guys so much.I,m obsessed with you guys.I love you Will,Apl.de,Taboo and Fergie.If I don't meet you guys i'll go crazy.BEP you guys rock.xoxo!!!!!!!

  • 14 - ninaa77

    Jun 16, 2004 at 3:34 pm

    You are so hot APL.DE.Ilove you and all of you guys.Come to croatia.We all love so much!!!! xxxx

  • 15 - BEP77

    Jun 16, 2004 at 3:41 pm

    All i talk about in school is about the blavk eyed peas.I'm your biggest fan. I've been your fan ever since the first album. I love you guys so,so,so,much. Please come to Croatia. We would be all so happy.
    I hope you will always stay like that.
    P.S.Will,taboo and Apl.de are hot and fergie has a great voice your my idol

  • 16 - BEP77

    Jun 16, 2004 at 3:42 pm

    Fergie your my idol. I wanna be just likr you!!!

  • 17 - denise

    Jun 28, 2004 at 5:55 am

    I love you taboo . you are so sexyyyy

  • 18 - denise

    Jun 28, 2004 at 5:58 am

    taboo can u come to malta and make a date?




    I like you so much

    and this kisses is for you

  • 19 - helen

    Jul 14, 2004 at 12:08 pm

    taboo ..... i just want to say happy birthday baby and i love you sooooo much .... i am a massive black eyed peas fan,i have had a really shit year and there music has helped me through it all,thank you guyz ...... keep hip-hop alive
    p.s ..... i still really love you tab .. xxxxxxxxx

  • 20 - Eric Olsen

    Jul 14, 2004 at 12:54 pm

    did anyone see them on TeeNick?

  • 21 - DmcZ

    Jul 17, 2004 at 8:26 pm

    waaaaaa....yo wazzup apl...kamusta k......

  • 22 - Denise

    Jul 19, 2004 at 4:10 am

    hello bep I am so happy becouse on mtv I see a new viedo let`s` get retarded its very nice.bye and i love taboo

  • 23 - charifa

    Jul 27, 2004 at 5:44 pm

    Fergie your the best in the world.
    Pleas kom again too Hollands Rotterdam Inport il be there en waiting for you

  • 24 - soph

    Aug 26, 2004 at 6:50 am

    hi teal.crystal dint find u here i c.i am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo on your side.cn u email me on sochitchat@yahoo.co.uk.plz u sound gr8.
    plz email me.

  • 25 - jhonatan cantaro

    Sep 18, 2004 at 11:30 am

    este grupo es lo maximo me encanta , es lo mejor de todo y pienso que ningun grupo musical se le puede comparar

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