Monkey Business – Black Eyed Peas

Hip-hop artists with commercial aspirations need never appear pandering to their audience, since a tough, defiant stance -- aka keeping it real -- is exactly what will draw in most crossover listeners anyway. Nevertheless, the Black Eyed Peas quickly embraced the pop world after the surprising success of third album Elephunk, and only continued their repositioning as a mainstream act with 2005's Monkey Business. That focus is immediately clear on the opener, "Pump It Up," where they gladly welcome listeners on a track whose sample -- Dick Dale's "Misirlou," already ubiquitous before it appeared in Pulp Fiction -- has to replace "I'll Be Missing You" or "Walk This Way" as the most conspicuous case of an unmissable rock riff being used on a rap track. With the Wal-Mart audience safely in tow, the group moves on to motivate its hip-hop base by reaching for every trick in the grab bag of contemporary urban music. "Disco Club" is a serviceable re-creation of Cassidy's "Hotel," and the group's newest member, Fergie, tucks into the hyper-sexual Kelis/Ciara archetype on "My Humps." Unlike Elephunk, the Justin Timberlake feature here ("My Style") is placed early in the program, and it's bolstered by a Timbaland production. Most of the tracks on Monkey Business are the same type of party rap singalongs that Black Eyed Peas made their name with in the past. Other than "Disco Club," the best is "Feel It," a rare production by the group's apl.de.ap that has the streamlined sound and detailed production of the hits off Elephunk. At the very tail end of the disc, where Timblerlake was slotted previously, there's one brief glance at their socially conscious past -- "Union," featuring Sting and Branford Marsalis, which floats the usual bromides about peace and equality. Monkey Business might sell just as well, or better, than Elephunk, but what the group made sound effortless in the past sounds labored and canned here. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide