The Black Eyed Peas, a hip-hop group combining various styles of music including soul, funk, noise music, and rap, first formed in 1995 based out of Los Angeles (Grove Music Online). Their group includes four members, will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and eventually Fergie, all with unique ethnicities, which contributes to the diversity heard in their music. Their song, “Where is the Love?” serves as a commentary on the problems faced by many throughout the world.
The first musical event happens from 0:10-0:19 where an electronic keyboard introduces a steady beat that sets up the tone and melody of the rest of the song. The repeated chord gives will.i.am, the main singer heard throughout the song, a steady beat to sing/rap to.
At 0:20, the keyboard …show more content…
Up until this point we’ve been asked to look out into the world and realize its faults, but at 1:47 the singer says “so ask yourself.” This internal shift prompts the listener to engage in introspective thinking. We’re told to ask ourselves how we can fix this. How can we make the difference? This adds immediacy to the song, and engages the listener more than it had prior to.
From 2:32 to 2:53, the question “Where is the love?” is repeated multiple times, in many ways, and by two distinct voices. This is supposed to be a unifying moment in the song, where the listener realizes that one singular person does not ask the question, many ask it. At this point, we should begin to realize that this is not an effort that just one person can take on by his or herself, it is a problem within society that needs to be addressed by everyone.
After this unifying moment, we are given a time to contemplate the question of, “where is the love?” from 2:54 to 3:04. It’s enhanced by a keyboard solo, and is followed by a verse that attempts to find the root of the chaos in the world. This moment without any lyrics lets the listener introspectively question what they can do to change and make the world a better place for not just themselves but
The first musical event happens from 0:10-0:19 where an electronic keyboard introduces a steady beat that sets up the tone and melody of the rest of the song. The repeated chord gives will.i.am, the main singer heard throughout the song, a steady beat to sing/rap to.
At 0:20, the keyboard …show more content…
Up until this point we’ve been asked to look out into the world and realize its faults, but at 1:47 the singer says “so ask yourself.” This internal shift prompts the listener to engage in introspective thinking. We’re told to ask ourselves how we can fix this. How can we make the difference? This adds immediacy to the song, and engages the listener more than it had prior to.
From 2:32 to 2:53, the question “Where is the love?” is repeated multiple times, in many ways, and by two distinct voices. This is supposed to be a unifying moment in the song, where the listener realizes that one singular person does not ask the question, many ask it. At this point, we should begin to realize that this is not an effort that just one person can take on by his or herself, it is a problem within society that needs to be addressed by everyone.
After this unifying moment, we are given a time to contemplate the question of, “where is the love?” from 2:54 to 3:04. It’s enhanced by a keyboard solo, and is followed by a verse that attempts to find the root of the chaos in the world. This moment without any lyrics lets the listener introspectively question what they can do to change and make the world a better place for not just themselves but