Black-Eyed Peas
Since winning the EMMA Award (International Music Act)
The Black-Eyed Peas is an American musical group from Los Angeles, with members William James Adams Jr., aka Will-i-am; Allan Pineda Lindo, aka apl.de.ap; Jamie Luis Gomez aka Taboo and Stacy Ann Ferguson, aka Fergie, who left the group in 2018. Their later albums, 2005’s Monkey Business, 2009’s The E.N.D., 2010’s The Beginning, 2018’s Masters of the Sun Vol. 1, 2020’s Translation and 2022’s Elevation, all achieved commercial success.
On 10 December 2005, Amnesty International released the group’s cover of the John Lennon classic “Power to the People,” mostly recorded on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, as part of the Make Some Noise campaign to celebrate human rights.
The group dedicated the music video of their 2011 single “Just Can’t Get Enough” to Japan. The country had been hit by an earthquake that year, and they filmed the video a week before the earthquake struck.
In February 2011, they headlined the 2011 Super Bowl XLV halftime show. In July that same year, the Black-Eyed Peas founded a school for New York teenagers named the Peapod Adobe Youth Voices. Here, students from 13 to 19 can learn video production and music using professional equipment. The school was opened in Manhattan with the help of the Peapod Foundation, in collaboration with the Adobe Foundation.
That same month, the Black-Eyed Peas announced they would be going on indefinite hiatus to pursue other activities. They briefly reunited in 2015.
On 3 September 2011, the group performed a concert in Minot, North Dakota, to benefit the victims of the 2011 Souris River flood, which damaged over 4,000 homes and displaced over 12,000 people in Minot and along the Souris River.
During the Black-Eyed Peas’ hiatus, Will.i.am carved out a dynamic solo career that showcased his versatility as a producer, performer, and tech-savvy innovator. He released several solo albums, most notably 2007’s Songs About Girls and 2013’s #willpower, the latter featuring chart-topping singles including “Scream & Shout” with Britney Spears and collaborations with artists such as Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Eva Simons. His sound during this period leaned heavily into futuristic electro-pop and dance, pushing boundaries with genre-blending production and a global aesthetic.
Beyond music, Will.i.am became a cultural force, aligning himself with technology and philanthropy. He launched initiatives promoting STEM education in underserved communities and partnered with tech giants like Intel.
He became known for integrating AI and futuristic concepts into his creative brand. His solo era solidified him as a pop hitmaker and a forward-thinking artist who blurred the lines between music, innovation, and social impact, maintaining his relevance while the Peas were on pause.
Apl.de.ap released various mixtapes and singles with artists such as Benny Benassi and 2NE1. He is also known for his philanthropic work, as he founded the Ap.de.ap Foundation on 8th Nobember 2008, which is dedicated to empowering communities through education, technology and the arts. Apl.de.ap appeared on both seasons of The Voice Philippines as a coach/mentor.
Taboo has co-written and performed music which has been featured in many films such as Coach Carter and Legally Blonde. In May 2014, he released his solo single ‘Zumbao’ which is all about having fun and being infected by positive energy. That same year, Taboo was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent treatment as a result. His 2016 single ‘The Fight’ helped to inspire others and support cancer research. He has used his solo career to raise awareness whilst fighting against cancer.
On 31st August 2016, the Black Eyed Peas released a remake of their song, “Where Is the Love?”, titled “#WHERESTHELOVE” and will.i.am stated in an interview that all proceeds raised from the song will go to his “i.am.angel foundation”, which funds educational programs and college scholarships in the United States.
In 2018, Fergie left the group, and the band continued to work and make music as a three-piece consisting of will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo.
The Black-Eyed Peas have sold an estimated 80 million records, making them one of the best-selling musical acts of all time. They were ranked 12th on Billboard’s 2000s Decade-End Artist of the Decade Chart and 7th on the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade. After their original May 2004 EMMA’s success, they have achieved 60 awards, including multiple Grammys, and over 100 nominations in total.
Background (Before 2004)
In 1988, William James Adams Jr. (formerly known as Will1X and now known as Will.i.am) and Allan Pineda Lindo Jr. (who later became apl.de.ap) met at the all-ages dance venue Club What? in Los Angeles and formed a hip-hop dance and music crew named Tribal Nation.
Their friends, Dante Santiago and Mooky Mook, joined the group, followed shortly by DJ Motiv8. Rapper Eazy-E caught their show at an all-ages club named Balistyx in 1991, and signed the group to Ruthless Records, changing the group name to Atban Klann.
The group released the promo song “Let Me Get Down” in 1994, billed as being produced by the Black-Eyed Peas: the production team of DJ Motiv8 and Will 1X (will.i.am). Mooky Mook left the group in 1995, and Eazy-E died of HIV/AIDS on March 26th that same year. The group’s contract with Ruthless was stalled, so Santiago also left the group.
Will.i.am and apl.de.ap formed a new group named Black Eyed Pods (‘Pods’ was later changed to ‘Peas’) with Jaime Gomez (who later became Taboo), and Kim Hill. After being signed to Interscope Records and releasing their debut album, Behind the Front, in 1998, the group, and their accompanying live band, earned critical acclaim. Their second album, Bridging the Gap, was released in 2000.
Kim Hill left the band while producing the album but is still featured on the album tracks “Hot” and “Tell Your Mama Come” and in the music video for “Weekends.” In 2002, Stacy Ferguson, who later became known as Fergie, was chosen as the lead singer after being introduced to the band by Santiago.
The group’s next album, Elephunk, released in 2003, featured the iconic hit single “Where is the Love?”, which became the group’s first major hit and peaked at No. 8 on the U.S. Hot 100. It became more successful worldwide, topping the charts in several other countries. The single touches on 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 topics together. This perfectly resonated with EMMA’s philosophy to promote peace and love.
