Black Eyed Peas The Black Eyed Peas are a hip-hop group from Las Angeles who have enjoyed international pop success. Will.i.am (Born: William Adams) and Apl.de.ap (Born: Allen Pineda) met in the late 80’s and began rapping and performing together around Los Angeles, signing to Ruthless Records in 1989. Along with another friend of theirs, Dante Santiago, they called their trio Atban Klann. After Easy – E (who ran the label) died in 1995, Atban Klann reformed the group as Black Eyed Peas, named so because - as will.i.am explained on the front cover of the Monkey Business album - 'Black Eyed Peas are food for the soul'. After years of touring, collaborations and line-up changes, their breakout album, Elephunk, was released in 2003, featuring a new female vocalist, Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson, replacing background singer Kim Hill, who departed the band during 2000. The anti-war anthem "Where is the Love?" became their first major hit, peaking at #8 on the US Hot 100, but topping the charts practically everywhere else, including six weeks at #1 in the UK where it became the biggest-selling single of 2003. The album achieved worldwide success and went gold and platinum in the US, UK, Germany and other European markets – spawning further hits with ‘Shut Up’, ‘Hey Mama’ and ‘Let’s Get It Started’ – which won them a Grammy in 2005. Their next album, Monkey Business, was released in 2005 – and boasting hits such as “Don’t Phunk with My Heart” and “My Humps” debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, selling over 295,000 copies in its first week. It was later certified triple platinum by the RIAA and earned them another Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Black Eyed Peas established the Pea Pod Foundation to help suffering children around the world.