Black Eyed Peas on Ruthless in 89?!?!?!

[Shawn Nutt]

The Black Eyed Peas dates back to 1989 when will.i.am (Born: William Adams) and Apl.de.ap (Born: Allen Pineda) met and began rapping and performing together around Los Angeles. The pair signed to Ruthless Records (run by Eazy-E) after catching the attention of the nephew of Jerry Heller (Eazy-E's manager). Along with another friend of theirs, Dante Santiago, they called their trio Atban Klann. Their debut album, Grass Roots, was never released because Ruthless did not consider the positive themes reflected in the group's music to be marketable to their audience.

After Eazy-E died of an AIDS related illness in 1995 (see 1995 in music), Atban Klann reformed the group as Black Eyed Pods. Then, they became the Black Eyed Peas, named so because - as will.i.am explained on the front cover of the Monkey Business album - 'Black Eyed Peas are food for the soul'. They replaced their original third member with Taboo (Born: Jaime Gomez), and having Kim Hill as a steady background singer. Unlike many hip-hop acts, they chose to perform with a live band and adopted a musical and clothing style that differed wildly from the "Gangsta Rap" sounds of other Los Angeles-based hip-hop acts at the time. Through the mid-'90s, they performed in the local club circuit alongside fellow acts such as Ozomatli and Jurassic 5. After being signed to Interscope Records and releasing their debut, Behind the Front (1998, 1998 in music) the group (and their accompanying live band) earned critical acclaim. The hit single from the album was "Joints and Jam", and was featured on the Bulworth soundtrack. Their second album was 2000's Bridging the Gap (2000 in music), which had the hit "Request + Line" featuring Macy Gray.

LMAO, i had NO clue that this ever happened... makes sense that they didnt drop on Ruthless, though

[whatthehell]

Crazy. Never thought Eazy would ever go for that style on his label.

["THE" MoSav]

Crazy. Never thought Eazy would ever go for that style on his label.

me niether, too bad they didnt stick and if eazy was still alive he would of racked up off the Black Eyed Peas

[Rud]

Back then they were a completely different group to the BEP of today...they aint even comparable, the labels brought Fergie in to make them appeal and hit the mainstream

["THE" MoSav]

Back then they were a completely different group to the BEP of today...they aint even comparable, the labels brought Fergie in to make them appeal and hit the mainstream

what were they like rud?

[teletomble]

Heres There Album "Grassroots" http://rapidshare.de/files/18083281/Atban_Klann_-_Grassroots.rar.html.

[Inspire / Moss]

They were called "The Atban Klann", you can hear them on Eazy's track "Merry Muthaphukkin X-Mas".  They would of dropped, and were set to drop.  but then Eazy was taken ill, so then the album release got cancelled.

Totally different group to today, without Fergie, a very different style + they sounded alot different.

[R-Tistic]

Damn, that is crazy as hell!!! Props!

[whatthehell]

Heres There Album "Grassroots" http://rapidshare.de/files/18083281/Atban_Klann_-_Grassroots.rar.html.

Thanks for puttin this up to check out. 

[CHUCK KNOXXX]

they were very much like underground, good life style......they had a video called 'puddles of h2o' that was a jazzy type feel, and they were breaking throughout the video.....they had one different member, i think taboo replaced him........never heard the album tho'

[Quadruple OG]

the Black Eyed Peas were underground with their first two releases "Behind the front" and "Bridging the gap".  When the label put Fergie in the mix, then their music was more pop oriented

[whatthehell]

After checkin out Grass Roots, I'm not too impressed. But at the same time it is 89. Fuckin oooooold

[CHUCK KNOXXX]

After checkin out Grass Roots, I'm not too impressed. But at the same time it is 89. Fuckin oooooold

actually when the video for puddles of h2o dropped it was more like 93', 94'...........was that song on the grass roots album?

[Quadruple OG]

is that "Grassroots" album their album they were supposed to drop on Ruthless?

[suckaa free]

fergie is a man.