Monkey Business Music

[Beltran Mathews]

Followingthe global success of their third studio album, Elephunk (2003), the group embarked on the Elephunk Tour. While touring, they began recording Monkey Business in June 2004, continuing for the following six months at various locations worldwide. Executive producers Ron Fair and will.i.am enlisted producers Printz Board, Noize Trip, Timbaland and Danja for the album. Their final product was a hip hop and pop record incorporating an array of genres, such as crunk, funk, reggae, Ra, calypso, soul, jazz and Latin rock. Similarly to Elephunk, it explores lyrical themes such as relationship complexities, sexual attraction, partying, fame and, to a lesser extent, social issues. Controversy arose over the lyrics of the track "My Humps", which center on a woman using her physical attributes to accomplish her goals.

Monkey Business received mixed reviews from music critics, who complimented its production but criticized its lyrical content and the Black Eyed Peas' inclining to commercialization with the album. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 291,000 units, becoming the group's first top-ten album on the chart. The album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over four million copies in the United States. Internationally, it reached number one in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland, and has sold over nine million copies worldwide. Despite its critical response, the album won two Grammy Awards for its singles "Don't Phunk with My Heart" and "My Humps", receiving three additional nominations.

In June 2003, the Black Eyed Peas released their third studio album Elephunk. During its production, Fergie joined the group as its female vocalist.[2] Led by a global hit single and the group's first top-ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 "Where Is the Love?", the album was a sleeper hit and became their breakthrough record.[3] It peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard 200, was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and garnered six Grammy Award nominations, including the group's first win for "Let's Get It Started".[4] The commercial success of Elephunk made a substantial impact on the group's prominence, and its members will.i.am and Fergie planned on recording solo studio albums in 2004. However, the plans were postponed as they "felt it was important to install the next Black Eyed Peas record this year with the momentum that we've had, which will only allow our solo adventures to be successful and continue to keep our franchise going".[5] Fergie stated: "For us, Black Eyed Peas are feeling really good right now, and for me to come out with a solo record, it just doesn't feel right. This is a family, and we're on a certain kind of wave and I wanna keep riding on that wave together. It's my boys."[5] She would later release her debut solo studio album The Dutchess in September 2006, and will.i.am released his third studio album Songs About Girls in September 2007.

Monkey Business was recorded in "two and three-month spurts" throughout 2004 while the Black Eyed Peas were on their Elephunk Tour, in support of their third studio album Elephunk (2003).[6] The executive producer will.i.am co-wrote all the tracks, and produced or co-produced all tracks except "My Style" and "Disco Club". Among other producers were apl.de.ap, Timbaland, Danja, Printz Board, Noize Trip, and the executive producer Ron Fair. apl.de.ap co-wrote nine tracks, Fergie co-wrote eight, and Taboo co-wrote two.[7] The production commenced in June, while the group was touring the United Kingdom.[8] They recorded six tracks at the Metropolis Studios in London.[7] The recording sessions continued in July during the tour's stop in Japan, where "Pump It" was partly recorded in a bullet train.[7] Upon the group's return to the United States, they recorded most of the tracks at the Stewchia in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.

On August 11, a fire caused by unattended candles broke out at the Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California while the group was recording, destroying approximately $50,000 worth of gear and instruments.[9] Other recording locations for Monkey Business included Amerycan Studios, Henson Recording Studios and the Record Plant in Los Angeles; Morning View Studios in Malibu, California; Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin; Daddy's House and Sony Music Studios in New York City; The Brothel in Philadelphia; Osi and Calvin Studios in Washington, D.C.; the Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, and the Peas Tour Bus.[7] In December, it was revealed the group had recorded "They Don't Want Music" with James Brown, and that Monkey Business was being mixed and neared completion.[10] The album was mastered by Brian Gardner at the Bernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles.[7]

"Underground hip hop" track "Like That", featuring Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, CeeLo Green and John Legend, begins with a sample from Astrud Gilberto's 1965 version of "Who Can I Turn To?".[21][7] The seventh track "Dum Diddly" was described by Neil Drumming from Entertainment Weekly as a "glossy, faux-reggae" track.[13] "Feel It" lyrically encourages its listeners to dance.[22] Country-influenced "Gone Going" addresses the emptiness of materialism.[23] It's built around a hip hop beat and a live string-horn arrangement.[24] "They Don't Want Music", featuring James Brown, is a horn-driven jazz, lounge and funk track.[16][17] "Disco Club" is about men "cruising clubs for casual hookups".[23] The "funky" dance track "Bebot", whose title means "hot chick", is rapped entirely in Tagalog, much like "The Apl Song" from Elephunk (2003).[25] "Ba Bump" features its male protagonist getting a woman drunk and having sex with her afterwards.[23] "Audio Delite at Low Fidelity" lyrically details the group's history up until the release of Monkey Business, referencing their rise to prominence; it ends with the hidden track "Change".[26] The album's closing track "Union" heavily samples "Englishman in New York" by Sting, who makes a guest appearance.[7] A jazz-influenced track,[27] it lyrically demands social equality.[13]

In an interview with The Record, the members described an experience in Paris during their Elephunk Tour (2004) which inspired the title. According to will.i.am, they were inside of a van when a large group of fans came and started banging on its windows and looking inside, to which Taboo said he felt as if they were caged monkeys in a zoo.[12]

The album cover for Monkey Business was photographed by Albert Watson. It depicts Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap surrounding will.i.am as he's shouting into a megaphone, against a red background. Shepard Fairey and Florencio Zavala designed the artwork and its logo, as directed by Mike Jurkovac.[7]

In May 2004, the Black Eyed Peas announced Monkey Business would be released by November.[8] Its release was then postponed to early 2005, before ultimately being set for June 7 in the United States.[28] The promotion of the album had already commenced in January, when the Best Buy commercial featuring the group performing "Pump It" was released.[29] They performed "Don't Phunk with My Heart" for the first time during the 2005/2006 MTV Networks UpFront at the Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2005.[30] The group promoted the album in the United Kingdom by performing "Don't Phunk with My Heart" on the May 6 episode of Top of the Pops and the May 13 episode of Later... with Jools Holland.[31][32] There, they commenced their promotional tour at the Brixton Academy in London on May 6, and performed at various venues and festivals across Europe and North America, including Wango Tango, until June 2.[33][34] On June 3, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on The Monkey Business Tour at The Joint in Las Vegas;[35] the tour was originally set to commence on June 11, but three earlier dates were later added.[28] "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was subsequently performed at the 2005 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 19,[36] on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 24,[37] at the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia on July 2,[38] and at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards on August 16.[39]

The Black Eyed Peas promoted "My Humps" on Total Request Live on November 1,[40] and performed it at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 3.[41] At the NRJ Music Awards on January 21, 2006, the group performed a medley of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", "Don't Lie" and "Pump It".[42] On March 21, an extended play (EP) titled Renegotiations: The Remixes was released, including alternative versions of seven non-single tracks from Monkey Business.[43] Simultaneously with The Monkey Business Tour, the group embarked on the 2006 Honda Civic Tour in the US from March 23 until May 21.[44] Live from Sydney to Vegas, a video album documenting The Monkey Business Tour's June 3, 2005 show in Las Vegas and the October 3, 2005 show at the Sydney SuperDome, was released on December 5, 2006.[45] After visiting North America, Asia, Oceania, South America and Europe, The Monkey Business Tour ended on December 29 at the Mandalay Bay in Paradise, Nevada.[46] On September 11, 2007, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on the third concert tour in support of Monkey Business, the PepsiCo-sponsored Black Blue & You Tour, visiting select countries across Africa, North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania until October 30.[47][48]

In December 2004, MTV News reported "They Don't Want Music", featuring James Brown, would be released as the lead single from Monkey Business in February 2005.[49] However, those plans were scrapped in favor of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", which was released on April 5.[50] It became the Black Eyed Peas' highest-peaking single on the US Billboard Hot 100 at the time, peaking at number three.[51] The song peaked atop the charts in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland and New Zealand.[52][53][54] The digital single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 6, for sales of 500,000 units in the United States.[50] Critically acclaimed, the song won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards (2006), while receiving a nomination for Best Rap Song.[4] Directed by The Malloys, its accompanying music video is a parody of game shows such as The Price Is Right, The Dating Game and Love Connection.[1] It was nominated for Best Group Video at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.[55]

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