The Black Eyed Peas released the single “Where Is The Love?” in 2003 as part of their third album, Elephunk. The pop band decided to remake their classic hit “Where Is The Love?” in 2016 and released a video which features other musicians, including Justin Timberlake, Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, Usher, and Fergie. They made this decision when everything they saw in the media was showing the depravity of the world, the conflict in Syria, the Paris terrorist attacks, the Brussels bombing, the Turkey violence and the Orlando shooting. Will.I.Am recalls, “Everytime I looked up there was severe hate and not enough love, so I wanted to get all of my friends together and re-imagine what we did after 9/11 with “Where is the Love?” The social justice issue presented in this remake is protest of unnecessary violence, police brutality, and discrimination based on race (including refugee and immigration issues), gender and religious beliefs across the world. The Black Eyed Peas saw the relevance of this song and decided it was time to revive the song for a new generation.
The meaning and context of this song is very easy to pick up as they is say it in the first verse of the song. Listening to the song, the listener can quickly pick up what is the main message the Black Eyed Peas are sending without watching either one of the music videos created. The lyrics express the pain and frustration over the absence of unity and togetherness around the world.
People killin’ people dyin’
Children hurtin’, I hear them cryin’
Can you practice what you preachin’?
Would you turn the other cheek again?
Will.I.Am, the songwriter conveys a very specific message and provokes a personal response from the listener’s mind. This generation is very different from the generation during the 9/11 attacks. This new approach to the new generation listening to this music is just a new way to conduct the flow of information in today’s world. The main idea the lyrics and song sends are about the ignorance in societies, terrorism, racism, lack of humanity, war, violence, selfishness and materialism.
Overseas, yeah they trying to stop terrorism
(Where’s the love)
Over here on the streets the police shoot
The people put the bullets in ’em
(Where’s the love)
But if you only got love for your own race
(Where’s the love)
Then you’re gonna leave space for others to discriminate
(Where’s the love)
Love and peace are communicated to be the solution to the world’s problems, but the trouble is finding if love and peace still exists in a world full of so much hate. While the Black Eyed Peas uphold love as the solution for correcting society, the main question is if this such love can even be found in such chaos in a broken world.
Best,
Grace
March 7, 2019 at 10:36 pm
Grace, this is a good start to your understanding of “Where is the Love?” especially in term of the song’s lamentation about the state of race relations. Indeed, that was the extent of the song I remember hearing in 2003, but looking back at the lyrics, the song is covering quite a bit more territory, including the backlash the BEPs seem to have gotten for a prior song, voting practices, dis- and mis-information in the media, and others. Indeed, it’s wide range of discussions could make one say that it is covering too much.
I’m also wondering who they are trying to reach with the song? Those who agree with them? Do they think those who are filled with hate will change their mind through the song? Who is doing the preaching here?
It’s also important to credit all of the song writers, George Pajon Jr., Justin Timberlake , Michael Fratantuno, Printz Board, Allan Pineda, Will Adams, and Jaime Gomez, though Will.I.Am delivers most of the vocals (with Timberlake on the chorus, too).
The other question is what, if anything, has changed in the last 16 years, other than get worse?
B