Monkey Business (CD - 2005)

Personnel: apl.de.ap (vocals, strings, Clavinet, drum programming); will.i.am (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, drum programming); Fergie , James H. Brown, Justin Timberlake, Sting (vocals); Jimmy Limon (guitar, Clavinet, organ, percussion, drum programming); Damon Wood, Jack Johnson, Kevin Rudolf, Ray Brady (guitar); Songa Lee, Katia Popov, Alan Grunfeld, Rene Mandel, Joel Derouin, Sid Page, Jacqueline Brand, Roberto Cani, Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Natalie Leggett, Phillipe Levy, Sarah Thornblade, Josephina Vergara, Charlie Bisharat, Mario Diaz de Leon, Endre Granat (violin); Charlie Baccarat (electric violin); Matt Funes, Vicki Miskolczy, Brian Dembow, Simon Oswell (viola); Suzie Katayama, Stephen Erdody, David Low , Cecilia Tsan (cello); Tim Izo Orindgreff (flute, saxophone); Ron Fair (harmonica); Jeff Watkins, Branford Marsalis (saxophone); Printz Board (trumpet, Fender Rhodes piano, Mellotron, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, drums); Robert "Dandy" Thompson (Clavinet, organ, drums, drum programming); Keith Harris (keyboards, drums, percussion); Mino Cinelu (percussion); Chaos (drum programming); Dante Santiago, Sheila Wheat, Cynthia Morey, Tippa Irie (background vocals).

Additional personnel: Dante Santiago, James Brown, John Legend, Cee-Lo (vocals); Q-Tip, Talib Kweli (rap vocals); Justin Timberlake, Sting.

Audio Mixers: Jack Joseph Puig; Mark "Spike" Stent; Serban Ghenea; Tony Maserati.

Recording information: Amerycan Studios, N. Hollywood, CA; Berlin, Germany; Bullet Train, Japan; Daddy's House, Unites States; Glenwood Studios, Burbank, CA; Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, London, England; Morning View Studios, Malibu, CA; Osi And Calvin Studios, Washington D.C; Smart Studios, Madison, WI; Sony Studios, New York, NY; The Brothel, Philadelphia, PA; The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL; The Peas Tour Bus, Unites States; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; The Stewchia, Los Feliz, CA; The Will.I.Am Protolls Rig.

Editor: Marcella Araica.

Photographer: Albert Watson.

Arranger: Ron Fair.

Hip-hop artists with commercial aspirations need never appear pandering to their audience, since a tough, defiant stance -- aka keeping it real -- is exactly what will draw in most crossover listeners anyway. Nevertheless, the Black Eyed Peas quickly embraced the pop world after the surprising success of third album Elephunk, and only continued their repositioning as a mainstream act with 2005's Monkey Business. That focus is immediately clear on the opener, "Pump It Up," where they gladly welcome listeners on a track whose sample -- Dick Dale's "Misirlou," already ubiquitous before it appeared in Pulp Fiction -- has to replace "Walk This Way" or "I'll Be Missing You" (more on Sting later) as the most conspicuous case of an unmissable rock riff being used on a rap track. With the Wal-Mart audience safely in tow, the group moves on to motivate its hip-hop base by reaching for every trick in the grab bag of contemporary urban music. These attempts are either serviceable or wildly unsuccessful. "Disco Club" is one of the few serviceable tracks, an apt re-creation of Cassidy's "Hotel." Wildly unsuccessful is the group's utilization of its newest member, Fergie, to function as an imitator of the hyper-sexual Kelis/Ciara archetype on "My Humps," which makes for one of the most embarrassing rap performances of the new millennium (sample lyric: "My hump (9x)/My lovely little lumps"). Unlike Elephunk, the Justin Timberlake feature here ("My Style") is placed early in the program, and it's bolstered by a Timbaland production, which eases the strain of an otherwise featherweight jam. Most of the songs on Monkey Business are the same type of party rap singalong that Black Eyed Peas made their name with on Elephunk. But other than "Disco Club," the only one that works as anything but background party music is "Feel It," a rare production by the group's apl.de.ap (will.i.am handles most of the rest). At the very tail end of the disc, there's one brief glance at Black Eyed Peas' history as a socially conscious group -- "Union," featuring Sting and Branford Marsalis, which floats the usual bromides about peace and equality (and swipes the sound and speak of Bob Marley in the process). Monkey Business could easily sell just as well, or better, than Elephunk, but what the group made sound effortless in the past sounds strained and canned here. ~ John Bush

Hip-hop artists with commercial aspirations need never appear pandering to their audience, since a tough, defiant stance -- aka keeping it real -- is exactly what will draw in most crossover listeners anyway. Nevertheless, the Black Eyed Peas quickly embraced the pop world after the surprising success of third album Elephunk, and only continued their repositioning as a mainstream act with 2005's Monkey Business. That focus is immediately clear on the opener, "Pump It Up," where they gladly welcome listeners on a track whose sample -- Dick Dale's "Misirlou," already ubiquitous before it appeared in Pulp Fiction -- has to replace "Walk This Way" or "I'll Be Missing You" (more on Sting later) as the most conspicuous case of an unmissable rock riff being used on a rap track. The group moves on to motivate its hip-hop base by reaching for every trick in the grab bag of contemporary urban music. These attempts are either serviceable or wildly unsuccessful. "Disco Club" is one of the serviceable tracks, an apt re-creation of Cassidy's "Hotel." Wildly unsuccessful is the group's utilization of its newest member, Fergie, to function as an imitator of the hyper-sexual Kelis/Ciara archetype on "My Humps," which makes for one of the most embarrassing rap performances of the new millennium (sample lyric: "My hump (9x)/My lovely little lumps"). Unlike Elephunk, the Justin Timberlake feature here ("My Style") is placed early in the program, and it's bolstered by a Timbaland production, which eases the strain of an otherwise featherweight jam. Most of the songs on Monkey Business are the same type of party rap singalong that Black Eyed Peas made their name with on Elephunk. But other than "Disco Club," the only one that works as anything but background party music is "Feel It," a rare production by the group's apl.de.ap (will.i.am handles most of the rest). At the very tail end of the disc, there's one brief glance at Black Eyed Peas' history as a socially conscious group -- "Union," featuring Sting and Branford Marsalis, which floats the usual bromides about peace and equality (and swipes the sound and speak of Bob Marley in the process). Monkey Business could easily sell just as well, or better, than Elephunk, but what the group made sound effortless in the past sounds a little strained here. ~ John Bush

The Black Eyed Peas' fourth outing, MONKEY BUSINESS, picks up right where their platinum-selling breakout album, ELEPHUNK, left off, with the feel of a non-stop party run by an ultra-savvy DJ. "Pump It" opens the disc on a straight sample of Dick Dale's surf classic "Misirlou," as the three MCs of BEP float in and out--sometimes rapid-fire, sometimes measured--with Fergie stepping in on cue to alternately sing softly or with deep, soulful emotion.

The Peas' origins are tied to the DJ-driven world of breakdancing, and that flavor saturates MONKEY BUSINESS, as beats drop in and out, tracks blend into other tracks, and a lighthearted spirit of sophisticated ecstasy prevails. The aforementioned "Pump It" slides flawlessly into the lively single "Don't Phunk with My Heart," and the stage for the album is set. Icons James Brown and Sting drop by, on the uncompromisingly funky "They Don't Want Music" and the reggae-soaked "Union," respectively, but they're just guests on board for the ride (along with Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and others), part of the musical mural. The Black Eyed Peas turned from underground favorites to hit-making performers on ELEPHUNK; this follow-up continues that upward progression. minimize