Following the global success of their third studio album,Elephunk (2003), the group embarked on the Elephunk Tour. While touring, they began recordingMonkey Business in June 2004, continuing for the following six months at various locations worldwide. Executive producersRon Fair andwill.i.am enlisted producersPrintz Board, Noize Trip,Timbaland andDanja for the album. Their final product was ahip hop andpop record incorporating an array of genres, such ascrunk,funk,reggae,Raï,calypso,soul,jazz andLatin rock. Similarly toElephunk, it explores lyrical themes such as relationship complexities, sexual attraction, partying, fame and, to a lesser extent, social issues. Controversy arose over the lyrics of the track "My Humps", which center on a woman using her physical attributes to accomplish her goals.
Monkey Business received mixed reviews frommusic critics, who complimented its production but criticized its lyrical content and the Black Eyed Peas' inclining to commercialization with the album. It debuted at number two on the USBillboard 200 with first-week sales of 291,000 units, becoming the group's first top-ten album on the chart. The album was certifiedtriple platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over four million copies in the United States. Internationally, it reached number one in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland, and has sold over nine million copies worldwide. Despite its critical response, the album won twoGrammy Awards for its singles "Don't Phunk with My Heart" and "My Humps", receiving three additional nominations.
Monkey Business produced four singles. "Don't Phunk with My Heart" became the group's highest-peaking single on the USBillboard Hot 100 at the time, peaking at number three, and reached number one in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland and New Zealand. "Don't Lie" peaked at number 14 on theBillboard Hot 100, being overshadowed by its successor "My Humps", which began receiving heavy unsolicited airplay. After its official release as a single, "My Humps" peaked at number three on theBillboard Hot 100, reaching number one in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. The final single "Pump It" became the album's lowest-peaking single on theBillboard Hot 100, reaching number 18. The album was further promoted with two global concert tours–The Monkey Business Tour (2005–2006) and the Black Blue & You Tour (2007).
In June 2003, the Black Eyed Peas released their third studio albumElephunk. During its production,Fergie joined the group as its female vocalist.[2] Led by a global hit single and the group's first top-ten hit on the USBillboard Hot 100 "Where Is the Love?", the album was asleeper hit and became their breakthrough record.[3] It peaked at number 14 on the USBillboard 200, was certifieddouble platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and garnered sixGrammy Award nominations, including the group's first win for "Let's Get It Started".[4] The commercial success ofElephunk made a substantial impact on the group's prominence, and its memberswill.i.am and Fergie planned on recording solo studio albums in 2004. However, the plans were postponed as they "felt it was important to install the next Black Eyed Peas record this year with the momentum that we've had, which will only allow our solo adventures to be successful and continue to keep our franchise going".[5] Fergie stated: "For us, Black Eyed Peas are feeling really good right now, and for me to come out with a solo record, it just doesn't feel right. This is a family, and we're on a certain kind of wave and I wanna keep riding on that wave together. It's my boys."[5] She would later release her debut solo studio albumThe Dutchess in September 2006, and will.i.am released his third studio albumSongs About Girls in September 2007.
Monkey Business was recorded in "two and three-month spurts" throughout 2004 while the Black Eyed Peas were on their Elephunk Tour, in support of their third studio albumElephunk (2003).[6] The executive producerwill.i.am co-wrote all the tracks, and produced or co-produced all tracks except "My Style" and "Disco Club". Among other producers wereapl.de.ap,Timbaland,Danja,Printz Board, Noize Trip, and the executive producerRon Fair. apl.de.ap co-wrote nine tracks,Fergie co-wrote eight, andTaboo co-wrote two.[7] The production commenced in June, while the group was touring the United Kingdom.[8] They recorded six tracks at theMetropolis Studios in London.[7] The recording sessions continued in July during the tour's stop in Japan, where "Pump It" was partly recorded in abullet train.[7] Upon the group's return to the United States, they recorded most of the tracks at the Stewchia inLos Feliz, Los Angeles.
On August 11, a fire caused by unattended candles broke out at the Glenwood Studios inBurbank, California while the group was recording, destroying approximately $50,000 worth of gear and instruments.[9] Other recording locations forMonkey Business included Amerycan Studios,Henson Recording Studios and theRecord Plant in Los Angeles; Morning View Studios inMalibu, California;Smart Studios inMadison, Wisconsin; Daddy's House andSony Music Studios in New York City; The Brothel in Philadelphia; Osi and Calvin Studios in Washington, D.C.; theHit Factory Criteria in Miami, and the Peas Tour Bus.[7] In December, it was revealed the group had recorded "They Don't Want Music" withJames Brown, and thatMonkey Business was being mixed and neared completion.[10] The album was mastered byBrian Gardner at theBernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles.[7]
Monkey Business is ahip hop andpop album incorporating an array of genres, such ascrunk,funk,reggae,Raï,calypso,soul,jazz andLatin rock.[11][12][13][14][15][16] It opens with "Pump It", a hip hop-funk track heavily samplingDick Dale's 1962surf rock version of "Misirlou".[17] TheBollywood-inspired "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was described as a lyrical sequel to the group's single "Shut Up" (2003), withwill.i.am explaining: "When you're on bad terms with a significant other, you don't want to break up. You tell her things and at the time you really mean them. But she's saying, stop fucking with me."[12] "My Style"–the group's second collaboration withJustin Timberlake–features "an ingenious mix of creative beats, subtle full-band backing, and multi-layered vocals".[15] "Don't Lie" is a "breezy, grooving romantic apology".[18] will.i.am claimed the song was written from an experience in which he deceptively bended the truth to an ex-girlfriend: "It's a song about owning up and apologizing and realizing your faults. It's about being a man or a woman – an adult – and confronting situations honestly."[19] "My Humps" is a hip hop anddance track backed by anelectro-influenced drum beat, and ends with a piano-drivenhidden track "So Real".[17] The song sparked controversy because of its title and lyrics, which center on a woman who uses herbreasts andbuttocks to accomplish her goals.[20]
Sting is featured on the album's closing track "Union", which heavily samples his own "Englishman in New York" (1987).
"Underground hip hop" track "Like That", featuringQ-Tip,Talib Kweli,CeeLo Green andJohn Legend, begins with a sample fromAstrud Gilberto's 1965 version of "Who Can I Turn To?".[21][7] The seventh track "Dum Diddly" was described by Neil Drumming fromEntertainment Weekly as a "glossy, faux-reggae" track.[13] "Feel It" lyrically encourages its listeners to dance.[22]Country-influenced "Gone Going" addresses the emptiness ofmaterialism.[23] It's built around a hip hop beat and a live string-horn arrangement.[24] "They Don't Want Music", featuringJames Brown, is a horn-driven jazz,lounge and funk track.[16][17] "Disco Club" is about men "cruising clubs for casual hookups".[23] The "funky" dance track "Bebot", whose title means "hot chick", is rapped entirely inTagalog, much like "The Apl Song" fromElephunk (2003).[25] "Ba Bump" features its male protagonist getting a woman drunk and having sex with her afterwards.[23] "Audio Delite at Low Fidelity" lyrically details the group's history up until the release ofMonkey Business, referencing their rise to prominence; it ends with the hidden track "Change".[26] The album's closing track "Union" heavily samples "Englishman in New York" bySting, who makes a guest appearance.[7] A jazz-influenced track,[27] it lyrically demands social equality.[13]
The Black Eyed Peas gave numerous explanations to the title ofMonkey Business. In the "BEP Q&A" portion of the album's booklet, two definitions of the title were written.[7]
"DEFINITION 1: With success, people treat you differently. They can go from viewing you like a person to viewing you like a product. And that's one definition of Monkey Business."
In an interview withThe Record, the members described an experience in Paris during their Elephunk Tour (2004) which inspired the title. According towill.i.am, they were inside of a van when a large group of fans came and started banging on its windows and looking inside, to whichTaboo said he felt as if they were caged monkeys in a zoo.[12]
The album cover forMonkey Business was photographed byAlbert Watson. It depictsFergie, Taboo andapl.de.ap surrounding will.i.am as he's shouting into amegaphone, against a red background.Shepard Fairey and Florencio Zavala designed the artwork and its logo, as directed by Mike Jurkovac.[7]
In May 2004, the Black Eyed Peas announcedMonkey Business would be released by November.[8] Its release was then postponed to early 2005, before ultimately being set for June 7 in the United States.[28] The promotion of the album had already commenced in January, when theBest Buy commercial featuring the group performing "Pump It" was released.[29] They performed "Don't Phunk with My Heart" for the first time during the 2005/2006MTV Networks UpFront at theMadison Square Garden on May 3, 2005.[30] The group promoted the album in the United Kingdom by performing "Don't Phunk with My Heart" on the May 6 episode ofTop of the Pops and the May 13 episode ofLater... with Jools Holland.[31][32] There, they commenced their promotional tour at theBrixton Academy in London on May 6, and performed at various venues and festivals across Europe and North America, includingWango Tango, until June 2.[33][34] On June 3, the Black Eyed Peas embarked onThe Monkey Business Tour atThe Joint in Las Vegas;[35] the tour was originally set to commence on June 11, but three earlier dates were later added.[28] "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was subsequently performed at the2005 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 19,[36] onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 24,[37] at theLive 8 concert in Philadelphia on July 2,[38] and at the2005 Teen Choice Awards on August 16.[39]
The Black Eyed Peas promoted "My Humps" onTotal Request Live on November 1,[40] and performed it at the2005 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 3.[41] At theNRJ Music Awards on January 21, 2006, the group performed a medley of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", "Don't Lie" and "Pump It".[42] On March 21, anextended play (EP) titledRenegotiations: The Remixes was released, including alternative versions of seven non-single tracks fromMonkey Business.[43] Simultaneously with The Monkey Business Tour, the group embarked on the2006 Honda Civic Tour in the US from March 23 until May 21.[44]Live from Sydney to Vegas, avideo album documenting The Monkey Business Tour's June 3, 2005 show in Las Vegas and the October 3, 2005 show at theSydney SuperDome, was released on December 5, 2006.[45] After visiting North America, Asia, Oceania, South America and Europe, The Monkey Business Tour ended on December 29 at theMandalay Bay inParadise, Nevada.[46] On September 11, 2007, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on the third concert tour in support ofMonkey Business, thePepsiCo-sponsored Black Blue & You Tour, visiting select countries across Africa, North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania until October 30.[47][48]
"Don't Lie" was released as the second single fromMonkey Business on June 29, 2005.[56] It failed to duplicate the success of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", partly due to the rising success of "My Humps", which had not been released as a single yet. The song peaked at number 14 on the USBillboard Hot 100, reaching the top ten in Australia, Austria, Canada,CIS, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, and on theEuropean Hot 100 Singles.[51][57][58][59][60] Despite a mixed critical reception, the song was nominated forBest Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards.[4] Its accompanying music video was directed by The Saline Project and shows the members inRio de Janeiro.[1]
"My Humps" became an unsolicited hit oncontemporary hit radio across the US, which caused it to be released as the third singleMonkey Business on September 20, 2005.[61] It peaked at number three on the USBillboard Hot 100 and atop the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand.[51][62][63] Itsmastertone was certified double platinum by the RIAA on June 14, 2006, for sales of two million units in the US.[64] The song received mixed to negative reviews frommusic critics, who criticized its lyrical content; some even regarded it one of theworst songs ever written.[65] Despite the negative critical reception, it won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007),[4] while being nominated for numerous other awards, including theMTV Video Music Award for Ringtone of the Year.[66] Its accompanying music video was directed byFatima Robinson and Malik Sayeed, and shows Fergie dancing withbackup dancers as images of expensive items such asLouis Vuitton purses and jewelry, which are supposed to have been bought for her by men, appear on the screen.[1] At the2006 MTV Video Music Awards, it wonBest Hip-Hop Video.[67]
"Pump It" was released as the fourth and final single fromMonkey Business on January 16, 2006.[68] It became the lowest-peaking single from the album, peaking at number 18 on the USBillboard Hot 100.[51] Internationally, it reached the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and on theEuropean Hot 100 Singles.[69][70][71][72][73] Its accompanying music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and features the group competing and fighting with a gang inside a parking garage.[1]
In July 2005, it was announced that "Like That" would be released simultaneously with "Don't Lie" as the dual second single fromMonkey Business; however, only "Don't Lie" was released.[21] "Like That" ended up being released as apromotional single on12-inch vinyl in late 2005.[74] Its accompanying music video was directed by Syndrome andNabil Elderkin, and was released on December 13.[75] While it was never released as an official single, it was included on the Black Eyed Peas'extended play (EP)Renegotiations: The Remixes (2006), with its music video being aniTunes Store bonus track.[76] "Dum Diddly", whose Noizetrip Remix was aB-side to "Pump It", was released as a promotional single in France in 2006.[77] Grammy Award-nominated "Gone Going" began receiving contemporary hit radio airplay in March 2006, which allowed it to peak at number 37 on the USMainstream Top 40 despite not being released as a single.[78] In 2006, Patricio Ginelsa directed music videos for two other non-single tracks–"Union" and "Bebot".[79][25] The latter was filmed in the Philippines in July and was independently funded by the group members. Showcasing the Filipino culture, it features prominent Filipino-American artists and performers, includingAmerican Idol'sthird season third-place finalistJasmine Trias.[25]
Monkey Business received mixed reviews frommusic critics upon its release. AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received anaverage score of 48, indicating "mixed or average reviews", based on 20 reviews.[80]Robert Christgau gave the album a three-star honorable mention, saying: "What all pop might be—so much brighter and kinder than it is".[87] John Bush fromAllMusic labeled most of the tracks "the same type ofparty rap singalong that Black Eyed Peas made their name with onElephunk", adding: "Monkey Business could easily sell just as well, or better, thanElephunk, but what the group made sound effortless in the past sounds strained and canned here."[81] He selected "Feel It" and "Disco Club" as the album's highlights.[81]Nathan Rabin fromThe A.V. Club gave the album an unfavorable review, criticizing the album's lyrical content for managing to "devolve even further" than that ofElephunk, as well as what he perceived as lack of originality due to excessive sampling.[27] Nicholas Taylor fromPopMatters shared Rabin's sentiments but nevertheless praised the album for being a "great party record".[15] Neil Drumming fromEntertainment Weekly declared it "such a bland meringue: a succession of cotton candy raps about chicks, partying, and partying with chicks, broken up by choruses destined to evaporate outside a shindig's perimeter".[13]
Betty Clarke fromThe Guardian commended the Black Eyed Peas' use of the "good-guy rap plus pop-profundity multiplied by numerous special guests" formula but dismissed the lyrical themes. She singled outJames Brown's appearance on "They Don't Want Music" as the album's highlight.[83] Courtney Ryan Fitzgerald fromPaste praised the album's production, calling its songs "danceable" and "catchy".[85]Rolling Stone editorChristian Hoard was positive towardsMonkey Business, calling it "just as bright if not quite as fun as Elephunk".[18] Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine condemned the album for being "virtually unlistenable", but classified "Gone Going" as its highlight.[24] Azeem Ahmad frommusicOMH felt similarly, saying the album was "impossible to listen to in one sitting because it's too much of a strain on the brain to absorb."[17] Talia Kraines fromBBC wrote: "With its witty rhymes and clean lyrics, [Monkey Business] is hip hop for families", but noted the group's downgrade in lyrical themes since their debut studio album,Behind the Front (1998).[11] Jason King fromThe Village Voice described the album as "zany, antiseptic kitsch, like the soundtrack to the ultimateOld Navy commercial".[16]
In the United States,Monkey Business debuted and peaked at number two on theBillboard 200 chart dated June 25, 2005, behindColdplay'sX&Y, with first-week sales of 291,000 units.[100] The Black Eyed Peas' first top-ten album on the chart, it spent its first 23 weeks within the top ten, later spending additional five non-consecutive weeks there.[101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111][112][113][114][115] The album debuted atop both theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums andTop Rap Albums, becoming their first number-one album on both charts.[116][117] It placed within the top 20 on the year-endBillboard 200 in both 2005 and 2006, and has spent a total of 73 weeks on theBillboard 200 as of 2023.[118][119][120] The album was certifiedtriple platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of three million units on December 21, 2005.[121] By 2011, it had sold over four million copies in the US.[122]
Coldplay blocked the Black Eyed Peas from the top spot of the USBillboard 200 with their albumX&Y (2005).
Monkey Business fared similarly in Europe, where it debuted atop theEuropean Top 100 Albums.[133] It also debuted at number one in France, Germany and Switzerland, while reaching the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.[128][134][135]International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) certified the album double platinum for sales of two million copies across Europe.[136] In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number four on theUK Albums Chart,[137] atop theUK R&B Albums Chart,[138] and at number five on theScottish Albums Chart,[139] with first-week sales of 49,260 copies.[140] The album has also been certified triple platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI), selling over a million copies in the country by June 2009, according toMusic Week.[141][140]Monkey Business was the world's fourth best-selling album of 2005,[142] and has sold over nine million copies worldwide.[143]
Following the release ofElephunk (2003), the Black Eyed Peas were criticized and alleged by critics and media outlets to havesold out. The group had previously criticized other artists for selling out, and the group was further scrutinzed throughout the promotional campaign forMonkey Business.[3][144] Some critics claimed their endorsements of various companies caused them to suffer from overexposure; Nathan Rabin fromThe A.V. Club stated: "WithElephunk, The Black Eyed Peas made the rare leap from underrated and overlooked to obnoxiously (and undeservedly) overexposed."[27] Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine was especially critical of the group's newfound popularity and commercial success, labeling them "disposable pop".[24]will.i.am responded to the backlash by stating:
"We don't do anything that doesn't fit with the music. We kinda lend ourselves to benefits so we did theDemocratic National Convention to get people out there to vote. And then we'll do aBest Buy commercial 'cause they sell music. Then we did the firstiTunes commercial. We did theNBA 'cause it's like, who's not gonna do the NBA? We did theSuper Bowl, 'cause who ain't gonna do the Super Bowl? And if they asked you to do two years at theGrammys, you ain't gonna do it? And then we did theEmmys 'cause they said, 'Ain't nobody ever did the Emmys.'"[145]
Further controversy arose over the lyrical content of "My Humps", the third single fromMonkey Business. The song centers on a female protagonist using herbreasts andbuttocks in order to accomplish her goals, namely expensive material goods.[146] Multiple publications labeled the songsexist andmisogynistic.[147][148] Some critics even regarded it as theworst song ever written.[20][65]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
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