Boom! Boom! Out! The Black Eyed Peas announce indefinite hiatus

Talk about quitting while you’re ahead. With millions of albums sold, chart topping singles around the world and enough awards and nominations to fill a Universal Music warehouse, what better time to bow out?

“It’s the first time in our career that we have this type of success,” says the Black Eyed Peas boss man, will.i.am. “It feels great.”

The Peas’ most recent album, The Beginning, debuted at #2 in Canada and #6 on the Billboard 200. The lead single, “The Time (Dirty Bit),” sold 3 million copies in the US alone.

A year earlier “Boom Boom Pow,” the first single released from the group’s fifth album The E.N.D., held the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks.

This new height of success marked the beginning of the end. The Black Eyed Peas first broke the news of their indefinite hiatus to a crowd of roaring fans in the UK and soon later to the masses via Twitter.

The break will be effective immediately after their last scheduled performance at the Sunlife Stadium in Miami on Wednesday, November 23.

This isn’t the first time the Black Eyed Peas call for a timeout. Their last break was between their albums Monkey Business, released in 2005, and The E.N.D. of 2009.

“We took time apart to do things that we wanted to do individually,” will.i.am explains.

The four years away from each other proved to be time well spent.

Among the members’ side projects, will.i.am made his major motion picture debut in the blockbuster X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but their hiatus highlight was Fergie’s solo debut The Dutchess.

The album spawned six hit singles including “Fergalicious,” “Glamorous” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Among numerous industry nods, Fergie won an American Music Award, seven Billboard Music Awards, one MTV Video Music Award, a MuchMusic Video Award and one Teen Choice Award.

What a trip!

The Black Eyed Peas started their journey 15 years ago, way before the Fergalicious Dutchess was even in the picture.

“We’ve been together since 1995,” Taboo says.

Officially as the Black Eyed Peas that is. will.i.am and apl.de.ap have actually been working on their rhythms and rhymes together since the eighth grade back in 1988.

Fergie has only been a member since 2002, but quickly became one of the boys and the core member of the group.

“We have appreciation for one another. That goes way beyond success,” Taboo says of the group’s bond.

Taboo adds, “Our friendship is something that stands stronger than any materialistic endeavor.”

The road traveled by the Black Eyed Peas has been a boulevard of surreal success and as their hit tune “The Time” blares, they’ve had the time of their lives.

Posted by Marc Andrew on Nov 20 2011. Filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.