As groups go, few have climbed the to the heights achieved by the Black Eyed Peas.
And while their success is unquestionable, member Will.i.Am says their Blackness was questioned. So much so that he bemoans that they aren’t “considered” a Black group.
Full story below…
Speaking to Wyclef Jean on the Run That Back show, Will said of the group:
“In 2004, Black Eyed Peas, we were just trying to get on. I’m a Black dude, but when you think of Black Eyed Peas, we go so big that…and it hurts, it still hurts a little bit that we’re not considered a Black group because we got that big.”
He went on to flesh out his broader stance:
“When you think of Jazz, you no longer think of Black anymore. When you think of Rock n’ Roll, you don’t think of Black anymore…I don’t know why we have that. When you think of even country, you don’t think of Black. A lot of the things that we create and we invent, we dispose of or it gets stolen from us to the point where it’s not associated to its origins.”
The current configuration the Peas (which is actually its original line-up) is comprised of Will (who is Afro-American), Taboo (who is of Mexican heritage), and apl.de.ap (who is Filipino-American). Former member Fergie is American.
Still, it seems Will’s point veers beyond that.
So, it begs the question. What are…
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Wil – STFU. Britney’s fans cancelled you after that production nightmare YOU caused on Britney Jean. I’m shocked anyone still works with too after that tbh. That’s probably why Fergie Ferg bounced
With you*
Not everyone in the group is black…
Also no one cares for this group anymore so move on.
Well only 1 person in the group is black, so if 1 out of 4 is black how exactly is the group black again? Has nothing to do with them being big.
He didn’t want to be black he knows that. Black music is fun so he want to be black
With his logic the spice girls would be a black group ⚰️
Yes, YOU are black. But you werent considered a black group, cause the members of the Band are mixed…
Two of the four are Black Apl is Black and Filipino. If you saw him on the street you’d think he was just a Black guy. The fact that he identifies as mixed Black/ Asian is for another discussion, but yall said he’s “Filipino American” he can still be Black.
Regardless of their race, I can’t think of a Black Eyes Peas song that sounds urban/black. When they were hot, they went for the Pop sound, which was mostly white at the time. To be honest, The PussyCat Dolls’ sound was more “black” than theirs.
Facts @iLoveMusic PCD was definitely a more black sounding group!
Chile while I respect BEP, they are not a black group just because they are named after a southern food. Only 1 member is really black. Like someone said if this were the case the Spice Girls would be a black group but they aren’t for the same reason BEP aren’t. I respect Will.I.Am but this is a REAL reach! And I’m sure he’s the only one out of his group that feels this way which further proves everyone else’s point thats opposed to his lol
That Grape Juice…hear me when I say that if you’re born in the United States you are American. To say that Fergie is the only one that is American is absolutely absurb. WTH?
I thought a part of their thing was always being a multicultural group. I use multicultural not in a PC way but in a literal sense that I thought part of their thing/pride was being so diverse which was reflective in the various sounds they borrowed from…
also like someone else said, why does the article refer to Fergie as the only “American” (with nothing in front of it)? Not like TGJ to write racist sounding s*** but there’s something about the only white member being labeled the only “American” that’s off…if we’re getting specific y’all could’ve said “European” American so it was the same approach across the board…
“Because they are not all black” what else can I add? Everything is said with just one short sentence 🤷♀️
Anyway, I love them.
Well the members have different origins… so what is he complaining about ? Music shouldn’t have a race. It’s a good thing that each member has a different background, it’s multicultural.
Why so worried about a label ? He’s really weird at times.
Absolutely, I like what you said 👌
Why does everything always have to be about race?
Are you people just realising that tgj is a racist site and promotes racism. They allow Fancy CLOWN and its other fake troll accounts to leave a trail of racist comments so it’s obvious that their “journalist” will do the same thing.
Since we are here, let’s make this website a better place for everyone by spreading good vibes and fighting against any discrimination 🤝 we can do it all together 👍
Bish I don’t plan on doing anything with you
why not a fillippino group or mexican group or white group? why black? you are the only black person in the group…do your group members speak up onanything black when we get killed out here? he gets on my last nerve….he thinks hes special
Hmmmm….He is the only “black” member🤦🏽♀️. The double standard and inconsideration in this is, if any of the other members wanted the same thing, given that they all appear to be of different/various ethnicities, guess who would have a problem with it and who would be cancelled? How TF is THAT group going to be considered a black group.. . Sigh. SMH.
Why he tripping about being considered a black group when he has two(not one but TWO)songs declaring his love for Latino women but I haven’t heard one song about his love for black women. They have a whole spanish album, which I thought was actually pretty decent🤔 They don’t make black music which is fine but don’t act like you are so afrocentric in your music, because you’re not.
With all of his success, he has to find something like this to complain about instead of being thankful to be where he is in life? Talk about negative… Leave that energy in 2020.