Behind The Front

06/30/1998 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Billy Johnson Jr

The hip-hop nation may not already be familiar with this Los Angeles trio, but they soon will be. Not since early Jungle Brothers, De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest has the scene been able to boast of such an appealing, original group.

Group members Will.I.Am, Apl.de.Ap and Taboo are backed by an R&B vocalist and full band, yet tread different ground than the Roots, who the Peas consider among their influences along with Digable Planets, Portishead and Stereolab. Their sound is overtly positive, with songs that avoid explicit sexual details, hardcore exteriors or faddish party themes. One of their singles, "Fallin' Up," addresses the Peas' refusal to follow trends and the occasional cold shoulders they subsequently receive from conforming hip-hoppers. It shouldn't bother them. There have been few original groups to break through the hip-hop scene in some time, and the Peas have the skills to change those statistics.