Nominally a rap group, in truth
Black Eyed Peas call on so many forms of songwriting and production that slotting them into hip-hop is like slotting
Prince into R&B -- technically true, but very limiting. Elephunk, the group's third straight winning LP, doesn't have top-notch rapping, but as driven by frontman
Will.I.Am, it does possess some of the most boundary-pushing productions in contemporary, (mostly) uncommercial hip-hop -- right up at the level occupied by
Common and
OutKast. The smart, brassy opening club thump "Hands Up" hits another level with a sly bridge flaunting some heavy metallic slide guitar, while the highly pressurized love jam "Shut Up" features great interplay between
Taboo and new member
Fergie. Space doesn't allow for description of each track, but suffice to say any
Will.I.Am track is going to feature loads of ideas and fresh sounds, not to mention plenty of stylistic change-ups -- from the digital-step ragga of "Hey Mama" (featuring
Tippa Irie) to the Latinized, loved-up "Latin Girls." Like a latter-day
Digital Underground,
Black Eyed Peas know how to get a party track moving, and add a crazy stupid rhyme or two ("bop your head like epilepsy" from the suitably titled "Let's Get Retarded"). [The British version included two bonus tracks.] ~ John Bush