Black Eyed Peas
Album: Elephunk
Song: Let's Get It Started
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
The Band
Will.I.Am and Alp de Ap have been playing together since high school, when they were part of a called Tribal Nation. They turned into Atban Klann a couple years later and hooked up with Ruthless Records in 1992. They recorded an album, which was never released due to some marketing complications. In other words, the Ruthless people weren’t too sure their sound would sell. A few years later, the boys recruited Taboo and Black Eyed Peas was born. After a completing the group with Kim Hill few shows around their hometown LA, they released their debut Behind the Front in 1998, and a second called Bridging the Gap in 2000. Their third release features new comer, Fergie, who replaced Kim.
The Music
The group’s newest album hit the public in late 2003, but is still all over the charts. It’s named Elephunk, which is meant to imply “big, deep, funk sound.” The album is thoroughly hip-hop, but flirts with other genres more so than their previous releases. The group is known for its positive, socially conscious vibe, exemplified by the hit song “Where is the Love.” While the lyrics are refreshingly non-violent, many featured songs are sexually suggestive and a few use strong language.
The Song
Dancing has been a form of celebration in nearly every culture worldwide for thousands of years. The Bible makes references to dancing to reflect joy and happiness, such as in Psalm 30:11, “You turned my wailing into dancing…” and “Let them praise his name with dancing” (Psalm 149:3). Some dances are religious, others traditional, and still others are just for the sake of dancing.
“Let’s Get It Started” is all about dance and celebration—there’s no mystery here, what you see is what you get. This high energy, conglomeration of voices and instruments inspires even the clumsy to get up and move. The rhymes are meant to inspire you to “free your inner soul and break away from tradition.”
The chorus doesn’t get points for creativity, but then again, that is not its intent. The rhythm and energy comes through even you just read the lyrics, which say, “Everybody, everybody, let’s get into it/ Get stupid/ Get it started…” The references to “get stupid” just mean to forget what other people are thinking, bust a move, and have fun (also reflected in their song “Let’s Get Retarded”). Earlier the song explains, “We got five minutes to disconnect/ From all intellect and let the rhythm effect…” Again, emphasizing the idea that if you think about your dance moves too carefully, you miss the point. The chorus is later followed by “C’mon. ya’ll, let’s get coo-koo in here.”
True to their reputation, the Black Eyed Peas have managed to create a hit that is overall clean and positive. There is one questionably suggestive line in the first verse, but that’s about the extent of it. It’s a fun song—especially if you like to dance!
So What Do You Think?
1. Why does dancing sometimes get a bad vibe in Christian circles? (Hint:
think about what often accompanies dance clubs and different types
of dancing)
2. Is dancing ever appropriate? (See Ecclesiastes 3:4, 2 Samuel 6:14)
3. Is dancing ever not appropriate? (See 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 1 Corinthians
6:18-20)
4. How does our society influence what we think about dancing and music?