Behind the Front

Behind the Front
Studio album by
Black Eyed Peas
ReleasedJune 30, 1998
Recorded1997–1998
Genre
Length73:53
Label
Producer
Black Eyed Peas chronology
Grass Roots
(1992) 		Behind the Front
(1998) 		Bridging the Gap
(2000)
Singles from Behind the Front
  1. "Fallin' Up/¿Que Dices?"
    Released: December 3, 1997
  2. "Joints & Jam"
    Released: November 9, 1998
  3. "Karma"
    Released: April 6, 1999

Behind the Front is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas, released on June 30, 1998 by Interscope, The original members of the group were rappers will.i.am, Taboo and apl.de.alp as well as R&B singer Kim Hill, although Hill was a member of the group her photo wasn't included on the album and she only appeared on a few of the songs on the album. Some of the songs were demos from will.i.am and apl.de.alp's group Atban Klann's scheduled debut album Grass Roots which was never released, with additional raps added by Taboo.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producers Length
1. "Fallin' Up" (contains "Skit 1") (featuring Sierra Swan & Planet Swan)
will.i.am 5:09
2. "Clap Your Hands" (featuring Dawn Beckman)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Z. Modeliste
  • A. Neville
  • L. Nocentelli
  • G. Porter
will.i.am 4:57
3. "Joints & Jam" (featuring Ingrid Dupree)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Paul Poli
  • G. Phillinganes
  • B. Gibb
  • T. Smith
  • Paul Poli
  • will.i.am
 3:35
4. "The Way U Make Me Feel"  
C-Los, will.i.am 4:19
5. "Movement" (contains "Skit 2")
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Feyen
  • Lapin
  • Fratantuno
  • T. Yoshiaka
will.i.am 4:42
6. "Karma" (featuring Einstein Brown)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Feyen
  • Debbie Harry
  • N. Harrison
will.i.am 4:28
7. "Be Free"  
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • T. Stahl
  • J. Goldberg
will.i.am 4:06
8. "Say Goodbye" (featuring Dawn Beckman)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Feyen
  • Lapin
  • M. Oliver
will.i.am 4:01
9. "Duet" (featuring Redfoo)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • S.K. Gordy
  • Lapin
  • Feyen
  • will.i.am
  • Brian Lapin
 4:21
10. "Communication" (contains "Skit 3")
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Fratantuno
  • Feyen
  • Yoshiaka
will.i.am 5:41
11. "What It Is"  
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Fratantuno
  • T. Browne
  • Smith
will.i.am 4:45
12. "¿Que Dices?"  
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Feyen
  • Lapin
will.i.am 4:01
13. "A8"  
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Feyen
  • Fratantuno
will.i.am 3:52
14. "Love Won't Wait" (featuring Macy Gray)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Macy Gray
  • Feyen
  • Lapin
will.i.am 3:35
15. "Head Bobs"  
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Feyen
  • Lapin
  • Lapin
  • will.i.am
 4:14
16. "Positivity" (includes Hidden Outro)
  • Adams
  • Pineda
  • Gomez
  • Feyen
  • Lapin
  • Fratantuno
will.i.am 8:07
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic4/5 stars [1]
RapReviews.com8.5/10 stars link
Robert Christgau(neither) link
Rolling Stone3/5 stars [2]

Sample credits

  • "Fallin' Up" contains a sample from "Comanche" by Jorge Ben.
  • "Clap Your Hands" contains a sample from "Handclapping Song" by The Meters and "Tenement Yard" by Jacob Miller.
  • "Joints & Jam" contains a sample from "Grease" by Frankie Valli and "Love Till the End of Time" by Paulinho da Costa.
  • "The Way U Make Me Feel" contains a sample from "Here We Go (Live at the Funhouse)" by Run-DMC and "Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)" by Stephanie Mills.
  • "Karma" contains a sample from "El Raton" by Cheo Feliciano and The Joe Cuba Sextet and "One Way or Another" by Blondie.
  • "Be Free" contains a sample from "White Horse" by Laid Back.
  • "Say Goodbye" contains a sample from "Heaven and Hell Is on Earth" by 20th Century Steel Band.
  • "What It Is" contains a sample from "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)" by Tom Browne.
  • "A8" contains a sample from "O Homem Da Gravata Florida" by Jorge Ben.
  • "Positivity" contains a sample from "Cinco Minutos" by Jorge Ben.

Personnel

Black Eyed Peas
  • will.i.am - vocals on all tracks; m.p.c 3000 on tracks 1-3, 5, 6, 8-13, 14 and 16; rhodes on tracks 8 and 16; hammond b3 organ on tracks 2, 10 and 13; moog on track 9; theremin on track 12; marimbas on track 9; melody phone on track 16
  • apl.de.ap - vocals on all tracks except 4
  • Taboo - vocals on all tracks except 4, 7, 9 and 15
B.E.P. musicians
  • Kevin Feyen - guitar on tracks 1, 5, 6, and 8-16
  • Mike Fratantuno - bass on tracks 1-3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 16
  • Terrence Yoshiaka - drums on track 5; percusions on tracks 1 and 6
  • Brian Lapin - rhodes on tracks 1, 5, 9, 11, 12 and 15; hammond b3 organ on track 11; bass on track 9; moog on tracks 9, 11 and 16
Additional musicians
  • Ramy Antoun - congas on track 6
  • Darell Cross - drums on track 15
  • J. Curtis - guitar on track 4
  • DJ Drez - turntables on track 15
  • Carlos Guacio - rhodes and bass on track 4
  • Peter Kim - bass on track 15
  • DJ Motiv8 - turntables on tracks 3 and 8
  • Matt Nabours - violin on track 14
  • Tommy O. - flute on track 14
  • Paul Poli - turntables on track 3 and 7
  • Miles Tackett - bass on track 14 and cello on track 5
Guest Vocalists
  • Kim Hill - vocals on tracks 4, 7 and 11
  • Dawn Beckman - vocals on tracks 2 and 8
  • Einstien Brown - vocals on track 6
  • Ingrid Dupree - vocals on track 3
  • Redfoo - rap on track 9
  • Macy Gray - vocals on track 14
  • Sierra Swan & Planet Swan - vocals on track 1

References

  1. ↑ link
  2. ↑ "Behind the Front". Rolling Stone. 28 July 1998.