The truth is that the momentum has briefly faded, and it’s worth reminding people how, not so long ago, the Black Eyed Peas were driving pop culture. Then, we can review their recent numbers and see how they stack up today. And let me tell you right away, they stack up exceptionally well!
Taking root in hip hop with Will.i.am’s pretentious interest in futurism, combined with Fergie’s disarming charm and verses that can only come to Apl.de.Ap and Taboo’s minds, when the Black Eyed Peas appeared, they looked like a ragtag group of misfits. Bands usually adhered to clear archetypes, so one of the keys to their success was that it wasn’t entirely clear where one began and the other ended. The rappers didn’t seem threatening and toxic, while the stunning singer seemed like she could beat anyone at arm wrestling.
After the solid success of their first two albums, it seems the guys decided to be as successful as humanly possible. They found a new singer and dared to sing about the situation in America after the 9/11 attacks. The almost palpable anxiety was transformed into “Where Is the Love?” The upcoming pop star, Justin Timberlake, refined the song at the start of his solo career. He was so popular then that his record label eventually forbade him from appearing in the video and being credited, although his voice is clearly heard in the chorus. They feared oversaturation if you can believe it. It was a completely different time. Nearly a quarter of a century ago. Some Serbian TV stations broadcast MTV programming back then. The video was announced for weeks; I had no idea what it was all about except that it was big. The momentum was such that the video of them driving and running through the city with question marks remained imprinted in my gray matter for good.
On paper, it didn’t seem like the Black Eyed Peas would succeed. The lack of chemistry between Will and Fergie made their playful bickering in songs seem cartoonish. They often spent time on the edge of absurdity, retelling minor squabbles. They occupied that space following reconciliation when it is almost impossible to remember what the argument was all about. “Don’t Phunk With My Heart“ and “Shut Up” best demonstrate this, while “My Humps“ slips from that edge straight into the surreal, allowing mockery gymnastics to flourish.
I spent an entire afternoon in the car, driving around the city with the windows down. Through Kolarčeva Street to Terazije, we turned up the volume every time “Gotta get get” started. Absurd electronics and vocal filters, that constant beeping in the background that sounds like a torpedo going off, Fergie who sounds like she’s calling her cow over, the onomatopoeia “Boom Boom Pow” – none of that should work. BUT IT DID! And it still does. The biggest parties in our country are centered around the lyrics of this song; it is played on the radio, DJs keep it as an ace up their sleeve for every party in bars downtown; at birthdays, whoever gets hold of the computer plays it on YouTube – and no one gets mad. It’s absurd; someone might say it’s this or that, but it’s a hit. For all ages. You can’t stand still when you hear it, and I can’t wait to listen to it live.
“Boom Boom Pow” was suuuch a moment. And the craziest part? They had two at the same time. Simultaneously, they released “I Gotta Feeling,“ the theme song for every weekend. The message is so simple and universal that, again, no one could get mad at it. A friend nudges you with an elbow and winks, saying, “I got a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night.” We all need that sometimes, and that’s what the song is about. And the “woo-hoo” part is for us to celebrate together when it does turn out to be a good night. For exactly half of 2009, they topped the charts with these two songs alternating, a dominance that remains unmatched to this day.
Since she joined the band only on the third album, Fergie’s contribution is clear. Her image defined an entire era of pop culture, just as her low-rise pants defied the laws of physics and stayed on. Her ethnicity was a mystery, but that didn’t stop all teenage girls from wanting to look like her. The most common method was to layer tops nonsensically, but she also kept the eyebrow-piercing industry alive. Her arrival was a blessing as much as her departure was a curse. Nostalgists bombard both her and her group with questions and comments about a potential reunion. She shows no desire to perform again while the band continues on their trajectory.
In 2018, J. Rey Soul joined the Black Eyed Peas after being mentored by Apl.de.Ap on The Voice of the Philippines. She was first introduced through a collaboration on the song “Mamacita“ with the Puerto Rican megastar Ozuna and became a regular member on the following two albums. “Translation” from 2020 and “Elevation” from 2022 exemplify how effective a leader Will.i.am is for this ensemble. He took the group to an entirely new market and brought it to the global stage. “Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)“ was a massive success and showed that the Black Eyed Peas’ career is still far from over.
The joint effort with Shakira from the latest album would turn out to be one of the Black Eyed Peas’ biggest hits. “Girl Like Me“ exploded on YouTube, where old fans eagerly awaited this collaboration, but it simultaneously became a viral hit on TikTok, inspiring choreography competitions among much younger audiences.
As a group that has always played with retrofuturism, it’s no surprise they not only lead the nostalgia caravan but also follow and predict trends. With 80 million records sold and an immeasurable influence on pop culture, they never stopped being part of it. There is an undeniable sense of togetherness when a Black Eyed Peas song plays. It certainly marked my youth, but their legacy of monoculture is now longed for even by those who didn’t live through it.
Imagine yourself on the Main Stage. Each of us comes from somewhere, and we are all someone, but when “Leeeeeet’s get it started, IN HEeeeRE…” starts – we become one. By the time we get halfway through the concert and “Pump It“ begins, you don’t know if you’re at a festival or another school trip. That night will be the culmination of all the Fridays, car rides, birthdays, and spontaneous parties where the Black Eyed Peas provided the soundtrack. Our old lives will flash before our eyes, celebrating everything to come. I just hope EXIT is well-prepared and the audio is set up just right. There’s a chance the audience will be louder than the band!
Author: Vojkan Bećir
