Black Eyed Peas

After the resounding success of Elephunk, crossover party rap favorites Black Eyed Peas look to up the ante on their hotly anticipated fourth album. Jam-packed with undeniably catchy beats, fun-time rhymes and breezy melodies, plus collabos with James Brown, Justin Timberlake, Q-Tip, Sting and Jack Johnson, Monkey Business is a guaranteed summer smash.

For 2003's multiplatinum Elephunk, the Black Eyed Peas recruited sexy crooner Fergie and
ditched ponderous rhymes in favor of smooth hooks, transforming themselves from the
world's most boring rap group to hip-hop's brightest popsters. Monkey Business is just as
bright if not quite as fun as Elephunk, calling in Justin Timberlake, James Brown and Sting
for a series of party-starters and hijacking Dick Dale's "Miserlou" for the opening "... More >

What all pop might be--so much brighter and kinder than it is ("Pump It," "Don't Phunk With My Heart"). (Grade - ***)