Elephunk is the album that turned The Black Eyed Peas into international superstars following its 2003 release. The first The Black Eyed Peas record to feature Fergie vocals, this eco-pack version of Elephunk includes the big hit singles 'Where Is The Love?', 'Shut Up' and 'Hey Mama', as well as the hard-hitting Papa Roach-collaboration 'Anxiety'.
According to will.i.am, Elephunk (the name stemmed from the Black Eyed Peas' attempt "to conjure a big, deep funk sound") took a long time to write and make, the process being interrupted by a tour that began on September 12th 2001. "That was a weird time, as you can imagine", he notes, and the experience, along with an initially cool record company reaction to the new songs, has given him a new view on some aspects of making music. "I don't write any of my lyrics down anymore; I just record them myself. There's something to be said for a project that you don't put too much thought behind - you just get your ideas down quickly and work on them when they're fresh."