Black Eyed Peas - Elephunk

Nominally a rap group, in truth Black Eyed Peas call on so many forms of songwriting and production that slotting them into hip-hop is like slotting Prince into r&b -- technically true, but very limiting. Elephunk, the group's third straight winning LP, doesn't have top-notch rapping, but as driven by frontman Will.I.Am, it does possess some of the most boundary-pushing productions in contemporary, (mostly) uncommercial hip-hop -- right up at the level occupied by Common and OutKast. The smart, brassy opening club thump "Hands Up" hits another level with a sly bridge flaunting some heavy metallic slide guitar, while the highly pressurized love jam "Shut Up" features great interplay between Taboo and new member Fergie. Space doesn't allow for description of each track, but suffice to say any Will.I.Am track is going to feature loads of ideas and fresh sounds, not to mention plenty of stylistic change-ups -- from the digital-step ragga of "Hey Mama" (featuring Tippa Irie) to the Latinized, loved-up "Latin Girls." Like a latter-day Digital Underground, Black Eyed Peas know how to get a party track moving, and add a crazy stupid rhyme or two ("bop your head like epilepsy" from the suitably titled "Let's Get Retarded"). ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Name Credits Allen Pineda Vocals Andrew Van Meter Production Coordination Brian Gardner Mastering Christine Sirois Assistant Engineer Chuck Prada Percussion Cortez Farris Engineer Dante Santiago Vocals (Background), Vocals Dave Buckner Drums Dave Chegwidden Conga, Shaker Debbie Nova Vocals Dylan Dresdow Engineer Frank Wolf Engineer George Pajon Guitar J. Curtis Guitar Jacoby Shaddix Vocals Jason Villaroman Engineer John Stephens Vocals Justin Timberlake Vocals Lor e Phillips Stylist Markus Klinko Photography Michelle Ozbourn A&R Mike Fratantuno Bass (Upright), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitarron, Bass Noelle Scaggs Vocals (Background) Printz Board Trumpet, Keyboards Ray Brady Guitar Ron Fair Producer, Piano, Executive Producer, Conductor, String Arrangements, Vocal Producer Sergio Mendes Piano Seth Friedman A&R Taboo Vocals Tal Herzberg Engineer, Digital Editing Terence Yoshiaki Drums Terry Dexter Vocals (Background) Tippa Irie Vocals Tobin Guitar, Bass Tony Maserati Mixing will.i.am Executive Producer, Clavinet, Wurlitzer, Drum Programming, Moog Synthesizer, Engineer, Drums, Vocals, Piano, Producer