Grade: B | Genre: Hip-Hop Summary: Monkey Business stuffs a lot into a small package that you may suffer from sensory overload. So much is going on that you'll pick up more and more with each listen. The Black Eyed Peas were once a group that couldn't get out from under the shadows of A Tribe Called Quest. Their jazzy hooks and laid back tongues were a dead ringer for the "Abstract," and the Peas were destined to fall short of Hip Hop super stardom. However, with each release, the lyrical MC's were able to grow out of their shells to cast shadows of their own. The crew of Will.I.Am, Apl.de.Ap, Taboo and Fergie are back with Monkey Business and continue their infectious rhythms that cater to cross-over platforms. The album is a blender of so many genres that "Hip-Hop" no longer is an appropriate label. From Pop to R&B to Jack Johnson, these guys will continue to explore the farthest reaches of their musical ability. Let's just hope that they can keep from sounding like one classic rap group to sounding like so many other groups on your radio dial.

Don't confuse the album's opener, "Pump It," for the start the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack. It's a blatant sample of the Dick Dale and His Del-Tones' "Misirlou" that has you cringing at first listen. Sampling is fine when it's not obvious to the listener, but to plug in something as familiar as Dale's surf guitar is unacceptable. If the Peas were a lesser Hip-Hop group, this album would quickly be thrown into the bargain bin.

"Don't Phunk With My Heart" and "My Style" don't do much to win you over, but things quickly get back on track with "Don't Lie." It's a step back from the manic beats that Monkey Business seems to be setting us up for. The grooves are less in your face and more in your head with its catchy hooks and radio friendly grooves.

"Like That" is the Peas' answer to all the critics who said they borrowed too much from A Tribe Called Quest's trademark sound. Q-Tip, himself, lend his MC skills for the stand out track on Monkey Business. This one is reminiscent to the vibe of Tribe's Midnight Marauders but yet with a Black Eyed touch that makes it more their own than anything Tribe has done. Remember "Joints and Jams" from their debut Behind the Front that had you "turn that shit up and play it again?" "Like that" is, well, just like that. A jam you can't sit still to.

Check out The Black Eyes Peas' Monkey Business for yourself! You may also like... A Tribe Called Quest Anthology The Police - Every Breath You Take: The Classics Email this article to a friend Concert Tickets Find Sold Out Concert Tickets To the Hottest Acts in Music www.VandelayTickets.com New iPod mini in stock Up to 6 GB in silver & 3 new colors. Buy from Apple, get free shipping. www.apple.com Sick of Paying 99 cents a Song? How Does 10 cents Sound? 300,000 Albums, Hot New Releases www.mp3search.ru

With appearances from "The Abstract" himself and Jack Johnson, what more could you expect from Monkey Business? How about Gordon Sumner stopping by the studio for the track "Union?" For those who don't know, Sumner fronted a small English group that was once known as the biggest act in the world, The Police. "Union" harks back to the reggae-esk sounds that the trio integrated so well into their tunes and The Peas really out did themselves on this track.

Monkey Business stuffs a lot into a small package that you may suffer from sensory overload. So much is going on that you'll pick up more and more with each listen. Their strength in meshing various genres together, at times, becomes the album's weakness. Sometimes too much isn't enough and too little is just right. The Black Eye Peas continue their growth on Monkey Business, but will learn a valuable lesson in that it's OK to hold a little back.