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Black Eyed Peas
Bridging the Gap
Listen to Bridging the Gap at The Black Eyed Peas Official Site
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Listen to Bridging the Gap at The Black Eyed Peas Official Site
For many years, hip-hop has been stigmatized as nothing but sexually explicit lyrics and violent 
content. And if an artists was not down with this, you are a sell out to the industry. Will Smith, Puff Daddy and others have felt this attack. Now, while this label may be unfair, it's there and it's rare to find an artist that can succeed in the middle ground. Black Eyed Peas managed to find this middle ground. There is hardly any cursing if at all, and no lyrics that degrade women. Yet, the Black Eyed Peas latest CD, appropriately titled, Bridging the Gap, from Geffen Records, still succeeds in telling a story, presenting content with a message, while at the same time, not sounding like Backstreet Boys pop.
If I can compare this group to other hip-hop act, it would be The Fugees. Black Eyed Peas has that same type of sound and coincidentally, Wyclef plays some great guitar on the eleventh track. It is not as strong as the other material, but it is fast and shows the talent of this group with some smooth lyrics and tight words. It's the earlier songs on the LP that really pump this group up and lets you know what they are about.
Right from the first song, BEP Empire, listeners just get it. Funky beats and mellow rap. It doesn't have to be hardcore to hit you and this song sure does. But it just continues from there. This is the hip, hip, hip/ the hop, hop, hop/ we keep it, keep it, moving/ non, non stop.
They sure do. Almost every track is pumped with hot lyrics, phat beats and killer hooks. Women also keep the music moving and are heard on the tracks, Weekends (Esthero), Hot (Kim Hill), and Macy Gray in Request Line are just a few examples. No matter if they are just singing the hook, providing some background harmony, or are the feature player, songs just sound so much better with a woman's touch.
But these men can stand on their own with killer raps that infect your mind like a subliminal message. They have your head nodding whether you want it to or not. Yeah, you platinum/ but you wack as hell/ I dubbed over your single/ like a Maxell...Stop now/ get original/ just practice/ and master your flow.
The Black Eyed Peas can do it all from mellow to a fast paced, hard-edged sound. They talk about bringing rap back to its roots, partying, biting other rapper's style, and letting out your anger by screaming-instead of killing. This is the first hip-hop CD I thoroughly enjoyed that kept it real and didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth afterwards. I don't have to defend this CD to anyone (parents need not worry). Rap of old, gangsta rap, Lil Kim, Puff Daddy. They seem like worlds apart. Black Eyed Peas bridges the gap.