#30: BLACK EYED PEAS PART II: A Man At War With Himself

10/21/22 • 98 min

After years of grinding in obscurity, the Black Eyed Peas finally hit it big thanks to a handful of catchy pop hits as well as the addition of new member Fergie. But did they compromise too much of their soul to get to the top? Cal & Nick discuss the thorny nature of BEP's pivot toward commercialism in the 2000s.
DID YOU KNOW??
--"Let's Get it Started" once had a much more offensive title, and it was arguably changed for all the wrong reasons...
--"My Humps" is actually a feminist anthem (at least according to will.i.am)...
--Cal has no problem telling someone to "go away" at Portillo's...
These and other ear-popping facts in Part II of our Black Eyed Peas trilogy!

Previous Episode

#29: BLACK EYED PEAS part I: Three Peas in a Podcast

Before they were superstars, they were three dudes from the rough streets of L.A. Before their songs flooded the airwaves, they had to hustle to get anyone to notice them. Before they became a Verizon-sponsored Death Star of capitalism, they preached soul, positivity, and the value of skill over money.
In the first of a three-part series, we trace the surprising origins of a group that would become one of the most ubiquitous (and hated) bands of their generation, all the while pondering a tricky question: "What does it mean to sell out?"

Next Episode

#31: BLACK EYED PEAS PART III: 2000-late

In our final installment of the Black Eyed Peas trilogy, we watch the band descend to new depths of vapid, pandering dance music. We review their much-maligned Super Bowl performance as well as the lesser-known-but-equally-perplexing Black Eyed Peas video game. Is this truly the most insufferable era of BEP's career, or are Cal and Nick simply 2000-late?
DID YOU KNOW??
--Will.i.am got one of his songs played on Mars? No, seriously...
--For a very brief period in the late 2010s Black Eyed Peas actually decided to make good music again..
--Cal has some hot takes on the popular children's TV show Bluey...