andPOP » black eyed peas

Taylor Swift Cleans Up at AMAs

Vanessa Baker — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:26:25 +0000

Country singer Taylor Swift topped the American Music Awards leader-board with five wins, including Artist of the Year, reports E! News. However, the 19-year-old was not present at Sunday’s ceremony in Los Angeles because she was rehearsing for a show at London’s Wembley Arena .

Michael Jackson received four posthumous awards, rounding out his career total to 25. His brother, Jermaine Jackson, was present to accept on his behalf.

“We love you, Michael,” said Jermaine, who sported a sequined glove for the event. “It’s not just about the winnings, the awards, it’s mainly the message. The message that Michael had will live on forever and he saw good in everyone and he wanted them to do good. To start with love and let’s love each other.”

When Swift accepted her win for Artist of the Year, she gave tribute to the King of Pop. “I just want to say that music has never been ultimately about competition and to even be mentioned in a category with Michael Jackson who we’ll miss and love forever is an unimaginable honour. And I just want to say I’m sending my love to the Jackson family and Janet.”

American Idol’s Adam Lambert, Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson were among the many artists to perform at the show.

Michael Jackson and Swift received the honours for male and female artist, respectively, while the Black Eyed Peas picked up the award for band, duo or group. Michael’s album Number Ones was named Album of the Year.

Perez Drops Assault Charge Against Peas’ Manager

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:50:19 +0000

Perez Hilton at the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards

Perez Hilton has dropped the assault charge that he filed against Black Eyed Peas’ manager Polo Molina, according to NME.com.

Molina was accused of punching Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, outside a Toronto nightclub at a MuchMusic Video Awards after party in June, after the celebrity blogger allegedly made a homophobic comment about Black Eyed Peas member Will.I.Am.

But the assault charge against Molina was dropped after he issued a written apology to Hilton.

Molina has also agreed not to contact Hilton except through his lawyer, not to carry a weapon for 12 months, not to come within 100 metres of the nightclub where the incident allegedly took place, and to donate $500 to Toronto’s Red Door Family Shelter.

Molina’s lawyer read the apology outside court, saying, “I apologize for what I did on June 22 of 2009. Even though you [Hilton] engaged in highly offensive comments, including a homophobic slur to my clients, I acknowledge that these kinds of issues should not be resolved through a physical response.”

Hilton’s lawyers have said that they are unhappy with the choice of words in the apology, but it was ultimately accepted.

“Although accepting the fact that he shouldn’t resort to violence, he attempted to say that there was a precipitating cause,” said Hilton’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan. “A sincere apology is a sincere apology.”

Following the alleged incident, Hilton filed a lawsuit suggesting battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress and sought unspecified damages totalling $25,000.

Under The Rock: Black Eyed Peas Take Partying To New Heights

Emma Renda — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:46:25 +0000

If I could party with any celebrity, it would be The Black Eyed Peas. And I think that’s exactly what they are going for. After all, they have managed to make a living off it.

Their latest album, The E.N.D. is a self-proclaimed party soundtrack and has skyrocketed them to the top of the Billboard charts in a record-breaking leap. Between singles “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling”, BEP clocked in 20 weeks up there, beating legends like Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

The record isn’t a new theme for the group who have made a name for themselves with songs like “Let’s Get Retarded” and “Pump It”. Not much has changed in the four years since their last release. Except the resurfacing of mainstream electro-house music, which the peas were exposed to on various world tours and quickly adapted to fit their hip-pop repertoire thanks to guest DJs like Mstrkrft and Crookers.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Will.I.Am said he was inspired by some nights of clubbing in Australia during the filming of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

“Every song on the record is for the clubs,” Will told Rolling Stone. “I want to own Vegas, Ibiza, St. Tropez, Dubai, London, France and Brazil. And for the college kids who just want to party in their dorm room, you should put this record on beginning to end. It’s already DJ’d for you.”

Mission accomplished.

Their latest single, “I Gotta Feeling” is not only climbing the ranks of songs of the summer 2009, the music video makes me want to party immediately. And it’s 10 a.m. on a Thursday.

Unlike a hoard of other drinking songs that appeared this year, such as “I Love College” by Asher Roth and “Just Dance” by Lady GaGa, this video makes partying look like innocent fun.

Just an honest to goodness house party - if a little glammed up considering it’s Hollywood Blvd. with special guests Kid Cudi and French DJ David Guetta (who produced the track) lurking in the background. Even when two girls are making out in the middle of the living room, something still feels right. It isn’t a crass video about going to college for the rest of your life, nor is it a story about the stupid shit you do when you get so sloppy you lose all your things and turn your shirt inside out.

It’s not a challenge or a boast, it’s just The Black Eyed Peas telling you have a good time, and giving you a soundtrack so hot it will be impossible not to.

Perez Hilton Plans To Sue Those Involved In Incident

Ilan Mester — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:54:13 +0000

Perez Hilton at the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards

After an alleged altercation involving celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Will.I.Am and his manager, Hilton has released Twitter responses, written statements and a video regarding what happened. And according to a report from “Access Hollywood,” Hilton plans on suing those involved in the incident.

“All persons responsible for this cowardly act of physical violence will be sued and held legally responsible for their actions,” said Hilton’s attorney, Bryan J. Freedman, in a statement. “His First Amendment rights will not be infringed upon through fear, intimidation or violence.”

The blogger was said to suffer a cut below his eye during an altercation between him and Black Eyed Peas manager Liborio “Polo” Molina.

Hilton’s lawyer stated they “are conducting a legal investigation as to whether Will.I.Am encouraged and/or instructed Molina to engage in this physical assault.”

Toronto Police have charged the BEP manager with assault and the 36-year-old must return the city’s Old City Hall Courthouse on August 5 to answer to the charge.

Below is footage with Perez from Sunday night prior to the incident where he discusses the experience behind the scenes at the MuchMusic Video Awards and the way celebrities act around him.

The E.N.D. Will Climb To The Top

Ilan Mester — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:54:06 +0000

You may not have heard “The E.N.D.” of Black Eyed Peas just yet, but their latest album is expected to take the top spot next week on the “Billboard 200” chart with first week sales of over 304,000, as per Nielson SoundScan figures.

That’s more than enough to take “Big Whiskey & the Groogrux King” (from Dave Matthews Band) off the top spot. Meanwhile, Eminem’s “Relapse” continues to do well, earning the rapper the third spot with the CD selling 87,000 units.

The all-star debut album from Chickenfoot, (featuring ex-Van Halen members Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar, guitarist Joe Satriani and Chad Smith from Red Hot Chilli Peppers) landed at No. 4, moving 79,000 units.

The only new albums that made “Billboard 200’s” Top 10 include “The Last” from Aventura (landing at No. 5 with sales of 47,000), rapper Mos Def’s “Ecstatic” at No. 9 and Pleasure P, who rounded up the Top 10 with “Introduction of Marcus Cooper ”.

New Black Eyed Peas Video For Boom Boom Pow

andPOP Staff — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:36:40 +0000

New video for Black Eyed Peas:

Black Eyed Peas Behind The Scenes

andPOP Staff — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:56:50 +0000

Check out the digital look for BEP’s new video

Black Eyed Peas Announce New Album

Ilan Mester — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:39:06 +0000

B.E.P members Fergie, apl.de.ap, Taboo and will.i.am have announced the release date for their anticipated studio album, scheduled to hit stores on June 9.

This will mark the group’s first studio recording since 2005’s “Monkey Business” which earned them four Grammy awards.

B.E.P is also expected to go on tour for their upcoming album titled The E.N.D. The acronym stands for The Energy Never Dies. Dates and cities for the tour have yet to be confirmed.

“When [the album] comes out, there’ll be 12 songs on it, but the next day there could be 100 songs, 50 sketches, 1,000 blogs all around The E.N.D., so the energy really, truly never dies.,” will.i.am said to Billboard last year.

Will.i.am told Billboard to expect “a lot of dance stuff, real melodic, electronic, soulful. We call it, like, electric static funk, something like that”.

New Black Eyed Peas Album Is Coming

Eva Lam — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:33:35 +0000

The Black Eyed Peas will release “The E.N.D.,” their first studio album in four years, on June 9.

The hip-hop group plans to support the record, whose title stands for “The Energy Never Dies,” with an international tour.

Fans can keep an ear out for first single “Boom Boom Pow,” which will soon be issued to radio stations and clubs.

In an interview with Billboard, BEP’s will.i.am described the new material as “a lot of dance stuff, real melodic, electronic, soulful. We call it, like, electric static funk, something like that.”

The group’s last album was 2005’s “Monkey Business,” which sold 4.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

BEP member Fergie has also been working on her solo career, having released her solo debut album, “The Dutchess,” in 2006.

Black Eyed Peas Won’t Boycott China

Eva Lam — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:04:43 +0000

Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am says the group will play in China this summer, despite calls by celebrities such as Richard Gere for artists to boycott the country over its human rights record.

Will.i.am told the BBC that China’s recent crackdown in Tibet was “messed up,” but he thought it would be wrong to “punish a whole country.”

“They have all this Chinese boycott stuff — they want to boycott the games but do the people get punished when they have nothing to do with what’s going on?” he said.

“If you boycott China, when do they boycott America for what we’re doing in Iraq?”

He added, “If America really wants to make a difference, it should stop importing China’s products and pay back its debt.”

Celebrations for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing have been marred by protests as the Olympic torch makes its way around the globe.

Meanwhile, director Steven Spielberg has stepped down as an artistic advisor for the upcoming Games, and actress Mia Farrow has publicly criticized China for allegedly supporting the genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region.