Social Corruption

Introduction

"Where Is the Love?" is the first single from the Black Eyed Peas's third album, Elephunk, released in 2003. It was the first single to feature the band's new member, Fergie. The song also features Justin Timberlake. The single peaked at #8 in the USA, becoming The Black Eyed Peas' first Top 10 hit; the single also peaked at #1 in Australia and the UK. "Where Is the Love?" at the 2004 Grammy Awards, and two nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

Discussion

A lot of hip-hop stars, as much as I love them, aren't really cheapened by their involvement with commercial interests. Some of my favorite pop rap is little more than a tacky advertisement for heartless upward mobility. This is partly why the Black Eyed Peas' ad for a soft drink was so disappointing to me. In some ways, it's none of my damn business, they should be able to pay their bills anyway they can. But when the music is actually something meaningful, one can't help but look at the artist sideways when they shill for multi-national shit machines in their spare time. Tom Waits wrote somewhere once (and I badly paraphrase) that businesses want to use music because they know the power of association and memory that it harnesses, tying sentiments to moments in time by siphoning the spirituality of creativity. For people like Britney Spears, this should be a no-brainer, her music is already corporate Satanism, pure fabricated demographic gruel, and she should sell as many products as she can before we collectively vomit her up like too much Easter candy. But for the Black Eyed Peas, I hate to see their vibe tied anything other than their essence: relentlessly funky upliftment.( Edwards, 231)

Now that I've left the pulpit, let me tell you why this is one of the essential hip-hop records of the year. In a world where talent was the only currency recognized, Black Eyed Peas would be dominating every chart, airwave and house party on earth. Elephunk drops non-stop hook and hump, an album with almost no missteps and more than its share of undeniable, thumping joy.( Edwards, 190)

Black Eyed Peas might not be the most complex lyricists in hip-hop, but their flow has an electrifying tactility to it, like someone tapping out the track with their hands on your body. The undergirding backgrounds themselves are marvels of ...