The Black Eyed Peas dates back to 1989 when will.i.am (Born: William Adams) and Apl.de.ap (Born: Allan Pineda) met and began rapping and performing together around Los Angeles. The pair signed to Ruthless Records (run by Eazy-E) after catching the attention of the nephew of Jerry Heller (Eazy-E's manager). Along with another friend of theirs, Dante Santiago, they called their trio Atban Klann. Their debut album, Grass Roots, was never released because Ruthless did not consider the social themes reflected in the group's music to be marketable to their audience.

 

After Eazy-E died of an AIDS related illness in 1995, Atban Klann reformed the group as Black Eyed Pods. Then, they became the 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'. They replaced their original third member with Taboo (Born: Jaime Gomez), and having Kim Hill as a steady background singer. Unlike many hip-hop acts, they chose to perform with a live band and adopted a musical and clothing style that differed wildly from the "Gangsta Rap" sounds of other Los Angeles-based hip-hop acts at the time. Through the mid-'90s, they performed in the local club circuit alongside fellow acts such as Ozomatli and Jurassic 5. After being signed to Interscope Records and releasing their debut, Behind the Front (1998, 1998 in music) the group (and their accompanying live band) earned critical acclaim. The single from the album was "Joints and Jam", and was featured on the Bulworth soundtrack. Their second album was 2000's Bridging the Gap (2000 in music), which had the hit "Request + Line" featuring Macy Gray.

 

Their breakout album, Elephunk, was released in 2003. It was the group's first album to feature the vocals of Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, previously a cast member of Kids Incorporated and a member of teen pop band Wild Orchid. She is the replacement of background singer Kim Hill, who departed the band during 2000. Though Hill was a backup vocalist, Fergie is recognized as a member of the group and is widely believed to be responsible for the Black Eyed Peas's commercial success

 

Stacy Ferguson was born in Whittier, California to parents Patrick Ferguson and Terri Gore. She is of Irish and Scottish descent.[citation needed] As a child actress, she appeared on the television program Kids Incorporated for several years with Renee Sands, who herself would become another member of Wild Orchid. Her well-scrubbed image on that show presents quite a contrast with the "ghetto-funk" image she has more recently begun to cultivate. Ferguson was the voice of Sally Brown in two Charlie Brown specials: It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984), Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985) and also voiced Sally in the 1985 version of "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show". She has one sister, Dana Ferguson, who is an actress. Later, Ferguson was a member of the female trio Wild Orchid which she fronted with fellow Kids Incorporated star Renee Sandstrom and Stefanie Ridel. Wild Orchid released two albums, but after completing a third album, their record label declined to release it. This prompted an emotional crisis, and Stacy sought therapy. She left the group shortly thereafter.

 

Her disappointment with Wild Orchid led to an addiction to ecstacy and crystal methamphetamine. She told a Glasgow paper, "I started doing Ecstasy. Then I got addicted to crystal methamphetamine. My weight dropped to 90 lb so I lied to my friends and said I was not bulimic. Finally, I started going crazy."

 

In July 2003, she had a guest role on the Rocket Power special, Reggie's Big Beach Break, on Nickelodeon, voicing a fictitious pop music star named Shaffika.

 

In 2003, Ferguson took over the lead female vocal duties for the band, The Black Eyed Peas. Ferguson replaced background singer Kim Hill, who left the group in 2000. Ferguson recorded five songs with the group before she was invited to join them permanently. Ferguson's addition to the band, which had been formed years earlier, sent the group on a whirlwind of success. She appeared on the cover of FHM in January 2005. In 2006, Ferguson returned to acting, appearing in the movie, Poseidon. She is also featured as No. 36 on Maxim's Hot 100 list for 2006. After two hit BEP albums, Ferguson has turned her sights on a solo career. Her first album due in September 2006, is entitled, The Dutchess, a misspelt variant of the former title of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, with whom she shares a surname and popular nickname. The solo deal however, does not mean the demise of the Black Eyed Peas. Ferguson is intending on staying with the group, and alternating between the two duties. Music on The Dutchess is expected to be reminiscent of the Black Eyed Peas sound, most likely due to fellow BEP member, will.i.am, featured on production duties. Ferguson worked with an array of talent, and the lyrics will focus on Fergie's own brand of style and delivery.

 

They have went through alot of members havent they :rofl:

Yes they sure have! :lol: