''Behind the Front'' is the debut studio album by American

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

group

Black Eyed Peas The Black Eyed Peas are an American musical group formed in Los Angeles in 1995, composed of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo (rapper), Taboo. Fergie (singer), Fergie was a member during the height of their popularity in the 2000s, and ...

released on June 30, 1998, through

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...

and will.i.am Music Group.

Background

Most of the tracks were demos for the ''

Grass Roots A grassroots movement is one that uses the people in a given district, region or community as the basis for a political or continent movement. Grassroots movements and organizations use collective action from volunteers at the local level to imp ...

'' album, with added verses by new member

Taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

. The song "

Joints & Jam "Joints & Jam" is the second single by American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas, taken from their debut studio album, ''Behind the Front''. The song features the vocals of Ingrid Dupree. The song is featured in the ''Bulworth'' soundtrack. A re ...

" appeared on

the soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured ...

of the movie ''

Bulworth ''Bulworth'' is a 1998 American political satire black comedy film co-written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Warren Beatty. It co-stars Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, and Isaiah Washington. The ...

'', where it was billed as "Joints & Jams". "Be Free" also features in the film ''

She's All That ''She's All That'' is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Robert Iscove. It stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, Matthew Lillard, Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Kieran Culkin and Anna Paquin. After being dumped b ...

''. On the back cover, "Skit 3" is listed after "Duet", when it actually appears after "Communication". This was their only studio album to be released in a Parental Advisory version and an edited version until the release of '' Masters Of The Sun Vol. 1''. On the edited version's back cover, "Skit 3" is properly listed after "Communication".

Release and promotion

''Behind the Front'' was released for

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...

on June 30, 1998, through

, will.i.am's imprint will.i.am Music Group and

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...

. Three singles from the album were released–double single "Fallin' Up/¿Que Dices?" in December 1997, "Joints & Jam" in November 1998 and the final single "

Karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...

" in April 1999. In 1997, a music video for the song "Head Bobs" was filmed and finished, however, the band decided to not release the song as a single. Around the same time a music video for the song "Fallin' Up" was also created, however, was decided that the album's first official single would be "Joints & Jam", with its respective music video released. A similar video to "Joints & Jam" was filmed for the song "What It Is", but like "Head Bobs" and "Fallin Up", the song wasn't an official single. The last music video to be released from the album was "Karma", the album's second and final official single. All five music videos were included on the DVD '' Behind the Bridge to Elephunk'' (2004).

Critical reception

''Behind the Front'' received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Matt Conaway of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

stated: "Black Eyed Peas bring some positivity and fun back into hip-hop. Musically there is almost no realm this group does not touch -- right from the jump, the stylistic innocence of "Fallin Up," complete with striking guitar licks, sums up what BEP is all about." Marcus Reeves of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' gave the album three out of five stars, stating: "Behind the Front, offers an organic mixture of sampled melodies and live instruments aimed at those of us seeking a little enlightenment with our well-oiled boogie." Tony Green of ''

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' was an American print magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade ...

'' also proclaimed that the Black Eyed Peas "provide a musical hip-hop shot that rises beyond mere discussions of consciousness" which "sounds, well dope, with a live band accentuated by clever samples."

Track listing

* All songs produced by

will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he ...

, except where noted. ;Notes * signitifes a co-producer

Personnel

– vocals on all tracks; MPC 3000 on tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8–14 and 16;

Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, t ...

on tracks 8 and 16;

Hammond b3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

on tracks 2, 10 and 13; Moog on track 9;

theremin The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone, etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named aft ...

on track 12;

marimba The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the mari ...

s on track 9; melody phone on track 16 *

apl.de.ap Allan Pineda Lindo (born November 28, 1974), known professionally as apl.de.ap ( ), is a Filipino-American rapper, singer and record producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Black Eyed Peas (BEP). With the BEP, he has been nomin ...

– vocals on all tracks except 4 *

– vocals on all tracks except 4, 7, 9 and 15 ;Musicians *Kevin Feyen – guitar on tracks 1, 5, 6, and 8–16 *Mike Fratantuno – bass on tracks 1–3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 16 *Terrence Yoshiaka – drums on track 5; percussion on tracks 1 and 6 *Brian Lapin – Rhodes on tracks 1, 5, 9, 11, 12 and 15; Hammond b3 organ on track 11; bass on track 9; Moog on tracks 9, 11 and 16 *Ramy Antoun – congas on track 6 *Darell Cross – drums on track 15 *J. Curtis – guitar on track 4 *DJ Drez – turntables on track 15 *Carlos Guacio – Rhodes and bass on track 4 *Peter Kim – bass on track 15 *DJ Motiv8 – turntables on tracks 3 and 8 *Matt Nabours – violin on track 14 *Tommy O. – flute on track 14 *Paul Poli – turntables on track 3 and 7 *Miles Tackett – bass on track 14 and cello on track 5 ;Guest vocals * Kim Hill – tracks 4, 7 and 11 *Dawn Beckman – tracks 2 and 8 *Einstein Brown – track 6 *Ingrid Dupree – track 3 *

Redfoo Stefan Kendal Gordy (born September 3, 1975), better known as Redfoo, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer, DJ, dancer, and tennis player. He came to prominence as one half of the duo LMFAO, formed with his half-nephew Sky ...

– rap (track 9) *

Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known professionally as Macy Gray, is an American contemporary R&B, R&B and soul music, soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influence ...

– track 14 * Sierra Swan & Planet Swan – track 1

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1998 debut albums Albums produced by will.i.am A&M Records albums Interscope Geffen A&M Records albums Black Eyed Peas albums