"The pop/rap quartet Black Eyed Peas may have only exploded once the bombshell lead singer Fergie entered the scene in 2003, but the funky Los Angeles rappers were around long before the sexy Fergalicious took center stage in the band.The Black Eyed Peas came about as a project of rappers will.i.am and apl.de.ap, who were then members of the breakdancing crew Tribal Nation. Branching off to work on their own hip-hop project, the two created the group Atban Klann, an acronym for A Tribe Beyond a Nation. Atban Klann distanced themselves from other hip-hop groups of the ‘90s who were focusing on ghetto life and gangsta living, instead focusing on more positive subject matter. Eazy-E's Ruthless Records picked up the duo in 1992, but ultimately shelved their first release, not sure how to market such a radical change in the hip-hop industry. Along with the death of Eazy-E in 1995 came a change in record labels (for obvious reasons), and Atban Klann picked up another dancer/MC, Taboo, reemerging on the hip-hop scene as the trio Black Eyed Peas. The group focused on funky breakdancing beats with the rap lyrics to go along with, recruiting vocalist Kim Hill for backing vocals. The Black Eyed Peas debuted with the release Behind the Front in 1998, faring well with critics and fans alike. The group's sophomore release Bridging the Gap was released in 2000, but it wasn't until 2003 that the Black Eyed Peas really shot into megastar fame.2003's Elephunk brought the gem Fergie (who replaced Hill) and the stunning temptress added a dimension to the group that had mistakenly been missing all along. Elephunk stormed the charts, earning Top 40 spots with the hit singles ""Hey Mama,"" ""Let's Get It Started"" and ""Where Is the Love?"" By 2005, the Black Eyed Peas were a smash success, releasing the '05 album Monkey Business which caught the attention of teenagers everywhere with the hit song ""My Humps."""
