Positive messages and break-dancing are integral parts of hip-hop culture, but by 1990 those elements had been temporarily eclipsed by the tough gangster image and bleak but compelling lyrics of West Coast groups like N.W.A. However, despite sharing a zip code, Black Eyed Peas’ vision goes beyond that. The socially conscious group’s earliest connections go back to high school.
Positive messages and break-dancing are integral parts of hip-hop culture, but by 1990 those elements had been temporarily eclipsed by the tough gangster image and bleak but compelling lyrics of West Coast groups like N.W.A. However, despite sharing a zip code, Black Eyed Peas’ vision goes beyond that. The socially conscious group’s earliest connections go back to high school.
The founder members of the Black eyed Peas Will.i.am and apl.de.ap first began performing and rapping together around Los Angeles in 1989. Eventually they formed the group Atban Klann with Dante Santiago, one of their friends.
They caught the attention of the nephew of Jerry Heller, manager of Ruthless record label president Eazy-E. Atban Klann was signed to Ruthless in 1992, but when Eazy-E died in 1995, they still had not released a record.
With the death of Eazy-E, Atban Klann were dropped from Ruthless, but it was just the beginning for will.i.am and apl.de.ap. They replaced Dante Santiago with Taboo and added Kim Hill as a background vocalist.
This line up signed with Interscope Records and released two critically acclaimed albums. Behind the Front appeared in 1998 and reached the lower range of the US album chart. 2000’s Bridging the Gap climbed even higher with guests that included Macy Gray.
Despite the critical success of their previous albums, the pop music world wasn’t quite prepared for 2003’s Elephunk. Kim Hill was no longer with the group and had been replaced by Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie.
This line up created a wildly eclectic mix of music rooted in hip hop but drawing influences from a vast musical palette. The album featured their first top 10 pop hit, the anti-war "Where is the Love?”
Lyrics to "I gotta feeling”
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night (x3)
Tonight’s the night night
Let’s live it up
I got my money
Let’s spend it up
Go out and smash it
Like Oh My God
Jump off that sofa
Let’s get get OFF
I know that we’ll have a ball
If we get down
And go out
And just loose it all
I feel stressed out
I wanna let it go
Lets go way out spaced out
And loosing all control
Fill up my cup
Mozoltov
Look at her dancing
Just take it off
Lets paint the town
We’ll shut it down
Let’s burn the roof
And then we’ll do it again
Lets Do it (x3)
And live it up
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night (x2)
Tonight’s the night
Let’s live it up
I got my money
Lets spend it up
Go out and smash it
Like Oh My God
Jump off that sofa
Lets get get OFF
Fill up my cup (Drink)
Mozolotov (Lahyme)
Look at her dancing (Move it Move it)
Just take it off
Lets paint the town
We’ll shut it down
Lets burn the roof
And then we’ll do it again
Lets do it (x3)
Let’s live it up
Here we come
Here we go
We gotta rock
Easy come
Easy go
Now we on top
Feel the shot
Body rock
Rock it don’t stop
Round and round
Up and down
Around the clock
Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday, Saturday,
Saturday and Sunday
Get get get get get
With us you know what we say
Party everyday p-p-p-party
Party everyday
I gotta feeling that tonight gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night(x2)