Then & Now

Black Eyed Peas

By | Then & Now – Mon, Jun 8, 2009 12:12 PM EDT

2009 The E.N.D.

The Black Eyed Peas' fifth studio album starts things off with a bang, as the album's lead single, "Boom Boom Pow," zoomed to the top of the charts and remained for several weeks. Will.i.am explained in interviews that the album's title stands for "The End Never Dies."

2006 Renegotiations: The Remixes

This EP features remixes of songs off of Monkey Business . Several months after its release, Fergie puts out her debut solo record, The Dutchess. Meanwhile, will.i.am releases his first major-label album, Songs About Girls a year later.

2005 Monkey Business

This was yet another smash release for the group--it earned four Grammy nominations (plus one win for "Don't Phunk With My Heart") in 2006, as well as a 2007 Grammy for "My Humps." The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. 

2003Elephunk

BEP's first album to feature Fergie would become its breakout release. Commercially and critically a smash, several singles from the album would become prominent in ads and movies (in particular, "Let's Get It Started" which was used in the ad campaign for the 2004 NBA Playoffs. The album went on to sell more than four million copies.

2000 Bridging The Gap

The group's second album contained the single "Request Line," featuring Macy Gray. Kim Hill leaves the band, and is replaced by Stacy Ferguson (aka Fergie), formerly of the girl group Wild Orchid. In 2001, will.i.am becomes the first member of the group to release a solo album.

1998Behind The Front

BEP's debut, featuring backup singer Kim Hill, is released on major label Interscope Records to critical acclaim. The single "Joints & Jam" appears on the soundtrack to Bulworth.

1992 The Evolution of Black Eyed Peas

High school friends William Adams (aka will.i.am) and Allan Pineda Lindo (apl.d.ap.) join the breakdancing crew Tribal Nation, eventually branching out into music on their own and forming the duo Atban Klann. Eazy-E's Ruthless Records signs the unit, puts out a record, then shelves it. Eazy-E's death in 1995 ended all deals with Ruthless. Will and apl recruit another dancer, Jaime Luis Gomez (aka Taboo), and begin performing as Black Eyed Peas around Los Angeles.

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