- It's crazy, I never thought that
we would have a song bigger than "I Gotta Feeling."
- I didn't think we were gonna have a song bigger than
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- Yup.
- Now, here we are like, "Well, we outdid ourselves --
as a trio."
Because there was a lot of people that didn't think,
that thought The Black Eyed Peas couldn't do it
as a trio.
They thought we could only have pop culture success
as a quartet.
- [Dometi] Right. - So this moment right now
is the most proudest moment out of our whole entire careers.
- The Black Eyed Peas have been getting nominated
for VMAs for the past 20 years now,
but this was the first ever performance in the main show.
First of all, it was long overdue.
This interview is an honor right now.
How did it feel to finally hit that VMA stage?
- It felt really good, you know, like,
I remember sitting in the audience
back in,
1998,
'99,
2000,
2001, 2002,
all the way up until we won our first MTV [Video] Music Award,
and always wishing to be on the stage.
But you know,
in the beginning we were too underground,
and then, you know,
we just never really
had the opportunity to play the MTV [Video] Music Awards.
So now here we are, 2020,
you know,
and, we're able to play the MTV [Video] Music Awards
so it's really, really an honor and a blessing.
- And also at the time that we're living in right now,
2020 has been very hard,
it's been a tough time for a lot of us
so, our hearts go out to a lot of the folks that we lost
and, the people that are going through their own personal
trials and tribulations.
You know, it's beautiful when we could make music
in 2020, perform for folks
and give people that sense of hope
and positivity -- - And joy.
- And joy through our music.
- That's wonderful, man.
Yes, that's a big treat for the fans,
especially to see The Black Eyed Peas perform at the VMAs
during a time like this,
it means a lot to a lot of people.
And I wanna go back to
what you said a little bit earlier, Will, about,
that first VMA win, when you guys won the VMA
for Best Choreography for "Hey Mama."
Walk us back through what the energy was like back then
for that video.
- We were honored to be the first iPod iTunes commercial
with Apple.
- [Dometi] That's crazy.
- It really took the song to another level.
And it was directed by Fatima Robinson.
And I remember like meeting Fatima Robinson in a club
when we were like 18 years old.
And she had already worked with Janet Jackson.
And there's always those moments like,
you know, you go up and you meet somebody that you admire
and you say, "One day, I'm gonna work with you."
I was that guy that went up to Fatima and was like,
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And we ended up working together and friends
and, you know, "Hey Mama" was her first video
she ever directed,
so we're honored to be that for her,
and we were honored to also work with her.
- That was, that was an era man.
One of your nominations this year was for Best Collaboration
with J Balvin with "RITMO."
Of course, that was for the 'Bad Boys For Life' movie.
How did that song and collaboration come about
with J Balvin,
and what was it like working on that music video with him?
- Working with J Balvin is like,
working with like a kindred spirit.
Somebody that always is trying to push
the boundaries of creativity
and that open mind and fuse different styles
so,
we take that
to heart because that's exactly how we are.
You know, we come from different parts of the world
but we appreciate --
I appreciate the Latin community so much.
And he appreciates the things that we've done
in music so much.
So I think "RITMO"
is like the perfect collaboration of two folks that
look at it from an international perspective.
- How did you navigate your sound
after, you know, you guys became a trio?
And how have you been able to keep it fresh
and continue to break these boundaries,
these invisible boundaries that we put around music
when it comes to genre?
- You know, so, Taboo showed me this interview that we did
back in 1998.
A MTV interview.
And the question they asked us is,
"How do you guys feel that your album didn't go platinum?"
Or, "Are you trying to go platinum?"
And I was like, you know,
"We're not trying to go platinum on this album."
Black Eyed Peas -- we're
a group that could play any type of arena
or venue,
whether it's a rock stage or a hip-hop stage,
we could switch it up.
And there's no boundaries on the types of genres
we could write in and produce in.
We were so clear of that vision back in 1998.
We were like, "We're gonna take our time.
Eventually we'll go platinum."
Like we were so freaking--
(laughing)
we're so confident like--
- "We'll get there." - "One day we'll get there."
- Yeah. (laughs)
But the thing about it is that,
the thing that remains consistent
and always the ongoing thread is the trio.
You know, whether configuration is different,
vocalists and you know, partnership with like Macy Gray
and Kim Hill,
and -- - Fergie.
- Fergie and J. Rey Soul, who's on our record now.
The thing is, Black Eyed Peas is me, Will, and Apl.
We started in '95, and we'll continue growing.
And in 2020, you know,
we're just blessed to be able to give our platform
and our vehicle
to other artists, and have artists be birthed
through The Black Eyed Peas family.
- And also remaining a student of the game and music.
We remain fans and always, like,
looking for that new bubbling, an underground sound, and
we try to translate that worldwide, you know.
- The collaborations, no matter what genre you're in,
always feel really authentic.
The J. Rey Soul collaboration on "MAMACITA" with Ozuna like,
and the whole --
matter of fact, the whole album of 'Translation,'
everything feels seamless.
It doesn't feel like voyeurs jumping into an art form
just to get a sound and then move out of it.
You really immerse yourselves into it.
How did you guys come together for the collaboration
on these records, and
how did you choose who you'd work with for 'Translation?'
- It's really about, like, respecting the culture
that you're inspired by.
- [Dometi] Right.
- It's about,
truly collaborating and being open minded
to their suggestions.
And adding to culture,
not just taking from culture.
So,
the way you add is to really listen, right?
Because if you go into a world,
and that world has rules and methods,
and, you know, governors and presidents,
and you know, your hierarchies,
and then you've got your bubbling up cats
like, you know, the El Alphas,
you have to listen to their comments,
their criticism,
and then at the same time,
you just don't wanna do exactly what they do.
You wanna add to it.
And that's what makes, like, a healthy bond.
- Absolutely.
And for it to culminate into a Best Latin nomination --
that's crazy, man. That's like a full circle moment.
Another full circle moment was of course
you guys knowing right at the end,
that "I Gotta Feeling" would be the perfect song
to end the show with,
which, just is an electricity when you hear that record,
especially in this time that we're in right now.
How did you guys know
that that would be the perfect song to end your set with?
- You know, like I said, you gotta be open minded.
So when they asked us to
do "I Gotta Feeling," you're like,
"Of course we could play 'I Gotta Feeling.'"
If it was like a song that has,
that doesn't, like, open up the spirit
towards joy,
then you could be like, "Man, that's my old stuff.
I wanna play my new songs."
There's certain songs that you have to,
you know, respond with, "Yes, of course."
That's, "Where Is The Love?"
and "I Gotta Feeling." - [Dometi] Right.
Because those songs are
the people's songs now.
And if that's what the people need --
people need that right now.
They need some type of optimism.
It's crazy out there in the world.
You know, we out, we have to be masked up,
you know, like the injustice that's happening in the world,
the injustice, the injustice, the injustice,
the masked up, and then more injustice --
people need some love, bro.
They need a spark of
light,
they need joy, they need some smiles,
especially when you can't see the smile.
- [Dometi] Right.
- Especially, like, when everywhere you go,
you gotta cover up the eyes and the mouth.
You need some type of something to just lift the spirit up.
Here I am looking like half robot.
Like bro, like, you've got to,
like, if you can see my face right now,
I'm smiling at you right now.
Because, I wish I could just go out and just like,
give you a pound and a hug but,
until then, I'm singing "I Gotta Feeling,"
you know, because,
that's that love that's that joy.