The Beginning

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

The Beginning. The Black Eyed Peas. Audio CD. Interscope Records. Release Date: November 30, 2010. ASIN B0042X90LG

SUMMARY

The beginning is The Black Eyed Peas sixth album. It follows the success of their previous album The E.N.D. It is a hip hop album that has incorporated songs from the past. The song "The Time (Dirty Bit)" opens with the opening lyric of I’ve Had the Time of My Life from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack. There are other older songs that are in the background of the additional songs on the CD, but I do not know the names of those songs. I recognize them though. The tracks on the album are: The Time (Dirty Bit), Light Up the Night, Love You Long Time, Xoxoxo, Someday, Whenever, Fashion Beats, Don’t Stop the Party, Do It Like This, The Best One Yet (The boy), Just Can’t Get Enough, Play It Loud.

CRITICAL EVALUATION

I am most certainly not a music critic, either I like it or I don’t. I like The Beginning. It’s a great CD that will keep you upbeat. I loved The Time. I am a child of the 80’s, so this was a nice surprise. I also think that it was great that we get to hear Fergie’s voice. In most of the CD her voice is digitized. She really has a great voice, it’s a shame we don’t get to hear it. Love You Long Time has a Reggae kind of feel to it, mixed with hip hop of course. Play it loud is the closest song to pop on the album. It is one of the milder songs. No ballads here. This CD will keep you going on a rough day. It is not the kind of music you want to relax to. If you’re looking to pick up the pace then The Beginning is for you. Teens will love this CD. The Black Eyed Peas are hugely successful. I think that teens and young adults play a large part in that success.

LISTENER’S ANNOTATION

Great hip hop CD for when you need a pick me up.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE BLACK EYED PEAS:

The Black Eyed Peas are an American hip hop group, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1995. The group is composed of rapper and multi-instrumentalist will.i.am, rappers apl.de.ap and Taboo, and singer-rapper Fergie. Since the release of their third album, Elephunk, in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 27 million albums worldwide, 20 million singles and 47 million copies with both sales combined.

The group scored their first worldwide hit with "Where Is the Love?" in 2003, which topped over ten charts worldwide. Another single was the European hit "Shut Up". Their next album, Monkey Business was also a worldwide hit, certified 4× Platinum in the U.S., and spawning two hit singles, "My Humps" and "Don't Phunk with My Heart".
In 2009, the group became one of only 11 artists to have ever simultaneously held the #1 and #2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, with their singles "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling". The album later produced a third Hot 100 number-one placement with "Imma Be", making the group one of few to ever place three number one singles on the chart from the same album before being followed with "Rock That Body" which managed to peak in the Top 10 of Hot 100. "I Gotta Feeling" has become the first single to sell more than 1 million downloads in the United Kingdom.

Before becoming part of the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am and apl.de.ap were in a group called Atban Klann, signed to Eazy E's Ruthless Records. The Black Eyed Peas were ranked 12th on the Billboard's Decade-End Chart Artist of the Decade, and 7th in the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade. The group has been nominated for "Most Popular International Artist" in the ARIA Music Awards.

In November 2010, they released their album The Beginning. The first single of the album was "The Time (Dirty Bit)". The song topped the charts in many countries. In February 2011, the group performed at the Super Bowl XLV halftime show. The album's second single was "Just Can't Get Enough" and it was released in February 2011. (Unknown, The Black Eyed Peas)

GENRE

Music CD, Soundtrack

CURRICULUM TIES

None

BOOKTALKING IDEAS

Not Applicable

INTEREST AGE

Ages 14 and up

CHALLENGE ISSUES

Explicit lyrics

In order to prepare yourself should this CD be challenged you may wish to take the following steps:

• Listen to the CD or familiarize yourself with the artists.
• Refer to the library’s collection development and circulation policy.
• Read reviews from sources such as billboard.com and rollingstone.com.
• Seek the opinion of teens that are familiar with the artists and have listened to the CD.

Should this CD be challenged you should follow the additional steps below:

• Advise the senior staff of the challenge.
• Let the patron know that their challenge will be filed and that senior library management will review their request and notify them once a decision has been made.
• Offer any further assistance should the patron have additional questions.

WHY DID I INCLUDE THIS CD IN THE TITLES I SELECTED?

I found an older CD in the teen room. I thought that I would put the new CD in the blog.