Elephunk

The Black Eyed Peas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 26, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B00029LNHS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (399 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,896 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #25 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > West Coast
  • #52 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > Experimental Rap

Track Listings

1. Hands Up

2. Labor Day (It's A Holiday)

3. Let's Get Retarded

4. Hey Mama

5. Shut Up

6. Smells Like Funk

7. Latin Girls

8. Sexy

9. Fly Away

10. The Boogie That Be

11. The apl Song

12. Anxiety

13. Where Is The Love?

14. Let's Get It Started

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Black Eyed Peas have at times been accused of sounding too Tribe for their own good, but this time out Will.i.am and crew have consciously expanded their horizons. Problem is, perhaps they've tried too hard. As the title suggests, Elephunk borrows from every single element of funk known to man and (with the exception of the one straight-out rock & roll track, "Anxiety") tries to cram them all into a semi-hip-hop format. While such willingness to experiment is admirable, in this case the attempt comes off as slightly desperate and too diffuse. Elephunk settles itself into a groove when BEP's newest member Fergie’s lush girlie vocals are allowed to dominate, as they do on the discofied "The Boogie That Be." --Rebecca Levine

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

130 of 148 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Stellar Triumph July 4, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

When I first heard "Where is the Love" last summer, I couldn't stand it. I dismissed the Black Eyed Peas as one hit wonders and waited for their moment to pass. Then I heard "Shut Up" and was surprised I liked it. It wasn't until I heard "Hey Mama" that I fell in love with them. This CD is by far the best hip hop album right now because each song, even "Where is the Love", sounds good when you listen to the entire album. In my opinion, they are just as good, if not better, than that other visionary hip hop group, Outkast. Each song sounds like a radio smash, and it's not surprising this group has moved past the one hit wonder tag.

1)Hands Up- gets the CD off to a good start. One of the best party songs of the past few years. The perfect opener for this CD.
2)Labor Day- probably my favorite song on the CD. The beat is infectious, the vocals are top notch, and I think would be an even bigger hit than "Hey Mama" if they release it as a single.
3)Let's Get Retarded- the title threw me off at first, but they say right off the bat it's not meant to be offensive. It really is a good song and it's no wonder it is their latest single.
4)Hey Mama- yes, it's not the same version we heard on the radio, MTV, and VH1. Does that make this version bad? No, the track still holds up even without the excellent Fergie vocals heard on the single version.
5)Shut Up- I like the way this song sounds. The vocals play off each other very well, and even though it's about a disastrous relationship, you can still dance to it.
6)Smells Like Funk- another really good song. I like the beat.
7)Latin Girls- a little long, but it's still a really good song.
8)Sexy- I like the feel of this song. It's very smooth and it sounds great.
9)Fly Away- a great showcase for Fergie. She probably sounds her best on this song.
10)The Boogie That Be- another really good party song. The beats are really strong.
11)The APL Song- a good song. I like the way this song tackles an overused subject but still makes it sound very good.
12)Anxiety- a surprisingly strong rock song. The appearance of Papa Roach sounds strange in theory, but makes perfect sense when you hear it.
13)Where is the Love- not my favorite, but I really do like this song now. I understand the lyrics more now. They even make Justin Timberlake look good.
14)Let's Get It Started- the radio version of Let's Get Retarded. My only problem with it is that if they could put this single onto the CD, why couldn't they put the version of Hey Mama we all want to hear on it?
HIDDEN TRACK)Third Eye- probably the most political song on the CD. I really enjoyed this song and think it's the perfect way to close a near-perfect album.

I highly recommend this CD. I can't think of one song that I don't like, and that is a rarity nowadays. This album should have gotten so much more praise from critics than it got, but I believe someday this album will get the respect it deserves.

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best albums I've ever heard October 12, 2003

By Tanya Bruce

Format:Audio CD

This album is absolutely awesome, and has something for everyone. It brings together R&B, Rap, and Jazz with socially conscious lyrics. There is not a single song that I don't like on it. Fergie, the newcomer to this group, definately adds a new feel to this album.
1) Hands up - a high energy start to the album. The saxophone on this song is very jazzy, and has the whole song has a bit of a retro feel.
2) Labor Day - Pure Fun. You can really dance to this song.
3) Let's Get Retarded - This song starts out by saying that it means no disrespect (look up the lyrics if you're concerned about it) Actually, it uses "retarded" to describe losing control of your body when you dance. Anybody who listens to more than just the chorus of this song would realize this.
4) Hey Mama - Has a latin, almost jamaican, feel. Sounds a little like Sean Paul's "Get Busy." Fun song.
5) Shut Up - Fergie shines on this song! More pop sounding than the rest of the album, but it still has a groove. Fergie's vocals alone make this song worth listening to. Beautiful.
6) Smells like Funk - This also has a retro feel to it. Nothing particularly spectacular about this song, but it's still solid.
7) Latin Girls - Very latin feel to this one. Another fun song to dance to.
8) Sexy - Funktastically Beautiful Song. They did a nice job mixing the piano into this slower song.
9) Fly Away - This song is my absolute favorite - Fergie really shines on this one. A wonderfully free song... you just have to hear it.
10) The Boogie that Be - Mostly rap, with a classic sound to it.
11) The Elephunk Theme - An exotic song, with melodies that sound middle-eastern or Indian, blended with aggressive rap.
12) The Apl Song - An calming song, with beautiful melodies.
13) Anxiety - Aggressive rap on top of a some rocking guitar.
14) Where is the Love - This is a little longer than the radio cut.
15) Hidden Track - I don't know what this one is called, but it's a nice song. It's slow, soft, and sexy with rap verses blended into a melodic chorus.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Every song shines February 21, 2004

By Katie

Format:Audio CD

'Elephunk' is an awesome album. This is one of the first albums I can listen to, in it's entirtey, without having to skip any tracks. Whether I'm listening to the upbeat 'Smells Like Funk', the sultry 'Sexy' or even the angst-filled 'Anxiety' I can always find something about the song to love. Adding Fergie for a female voice was an ingenius move. She really adds alot to the group when singing songs such as 'Let's Get Retarded' and 'Shut Up'.

Just so everyone buying the album for 'Hey Mama' knows, the lyrics were changed on the single version to avoid sounding too political ("then drop bombs like we're in the Middle East" was cut) and to add more of Fergie (her "off the richter" lyrics are not part of the CD version). Both versions basically sound the same other than the slightly altered lyrics though.

The first six tracks are all quite fast, then 'Latin Girls' slows it down quite a bit. 'The Apl Song' is one of my very favorites on the album. I absolutely love the lines "A version of my ghetto where life felt for real/Some would call it hell but to me it was heaven". The song is sung in both Tagalog and English, which sounds awesome. It's about having to work together and live off the land, and it truly is a very beautiful song.

Check out 'Elephunk' if you're a fan of Hip Hop, or even Pop. If you like 'Shut Up' and 'Hey Mama', chances are you'll love the album. The lyrics, vocals, and beats are all very good, and the album overall is awesome.