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The much talked about and long awaited Millennium
celebration is now only a few hours away waiting for
the bells to ring.
As the time keeps ticking, since three weeks from
the day, Addis is already feeling the rhythmic
vibration of the holiday, with areas like Bole
becoming overcrowded. This is increasing every
minute as the presence of the Diaspora is heavily
felt in languages and styles heard and seen.
Walking on Africa Avenue (Bole Road) the nights are
becoming a magnificent attraction of a walking
crowd. The blue taxis might have never seen this
size of crowd in their Ethiopian life. Young people
excited to experience this special moment in life
are seen everywhere in town walking and talking
about the festivity, Diaspora and who performs where
and when.
The youth is privileged in this context as the
smashing boom is only hours away to detonate in the
20 million dollar Millennium concert hall. Among
these explosions is the contemporary hip-hop group
the Black Eyed Peas.
Background:
Positive messages and
breakdancing are integral parts of hip-hop culture,
but by 1990 those elements had been temporarily
eclipsed by the tough gangsta image and bleak but
compelling lyrics of West Coast groups like N.W.A.
However, despite sharing a zip code, Black Eyed
Peas' vision goes beyond the cracked-sidewalk
vignettes and sampled gunfire of Los Angeles'
gangsta style.
The socially conscious group's earliest connections
go back to high school, when will.i.am and apl.de.ap
were part of Tribal Nation, a breakdancing crew.
Eventually the pair focused more on music - hip-hop,
specifically - and split off into their own as Atban
Klann, their esoteric name, an acronym for A Tribe
Beyond a Nation.
Eazy-E's Ruthless Records signed the group in 1992,
but many in the Ruthless camp were puzzled by the
group and the enthusiasm of Eazy, who had no problem
reconciling his own gangsta style with the
peace-minded breakdancing of Atban. Although an
album was recorded, Ruthless shelved it, unsure how
to market a group whose style was not dependent on
violent braggadocio like N.W.A.
The death of Eazy-E in 1995 signalled the end of any
further deals with Ruthless. Undaunted by the
experience, Will and Apl recruited another
dancer/MC, Taboo, and reappeared as Black Eyed Peas
(BEP).
BEP began playing shows around Los Angeles,
impressing hip-hop fans with their mike skills and
dazzling them with their footwork as well. In 1998
their debut, Behind the Front, was released to
critical acclaim -- not only for the trio of MCs,
but for their live band and backing vocalist Kim
Hill as well.
Featuring guest appearances from Jurassic 5's Chali
2na, De La Soul, and Macy Gray, BEP's sophomore
effort, bridging the Gap, was released in 2000. The
group's third album, 2003's Elephunk, featured a new
member (Fergie, who replaced Kim Hill) and became
their biggest hit yet, storming the Top 40 with
three singles ("Where Is the Love?", "Hey Mama,"
"Let's Get It Started"). Two years later, the
quartet returned with a heavily crossover date,
Monkey Business, which pushed them into the
stratosphere courtesy of the hit single "My Humps".
In their appearance to the Ethiopian audience for
the first time, Black Eyed Peas will chant live at
the Millennium hall, which will be telecast live via
ETV and the big Sony screens planted all over
the nation. Spectators in the metropolis are
privileged with two wide screens at the national
stadium and JAN-MEDA. |
