by Jim Fairthorne for State of Affairs
Back when I was in college, there was a little song that didn’t really get a lot of play called “BEP Empire”. It was all about the state of hip hop and how everyone was selling out. The song’s video reminded me a lot “What They Do“, by 
The Roots- another great song commenting on the state of hip hop. I’d never heard of Black Eyed Peas before, and discovered that they were a pretty solid band. You can’t beat catchy hooks, slick jazzy funk beats and conscious hip hop lyrics. It was right up my alley. Now I look at them and ask myself “what the hell happened?” How did this band with so much potential for greatness degrade into one of the biggest sellout artists of the century? The article below is a look at the Black Eyed Peas and their rise from a small conscious hip hop groups to a super pop/dance quartet. It’s definitely one of the most bizarre evolutions I’ve ever seen, and angers me every time I think about it.FOR THE REST OF THE STORY CLICK HERE
