Maps of Music

Bridging the Gap (2000)

Where the lyrics of Bridging the Gap take you, and where it was really made.

Kim Hill was deeply involved in making this album, then left the group soon after it came out.

Place unknown

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Second studio album by American hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas
Released 26 September 2000 through Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group
Three official singles: BEP Empire/Get Original, Weekends and Request + Line
Last album credited as Black Eyed Peas before Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 in 2018
Kim Hill was deeply involved in making the album but left the group after release

Development began in the late 1990s, after the debut Behind the Front (1998)
Aimed to widen the group's sound after critical recognition of the debut
Drew more outside collaborators than the debut, including Macy Gray and members of The Harlem Boys Choir
Seen as a stylistic continuation of Behind the Front, with more structured production and melodic elements

Rhett Lawrence credited as composer and producer
will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo credited as vocalists and composers
Featured artists include Chali 2na, De La Soul, Esthero, Macy Gray, Wyclef Jean, Mos Def and Les Nubians
Mix engineers Dave Pensado and Dylan Dresdo; mastering by Tom Coyne

Formed in Los Angeles in 1992 by rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo.
Started as an alternative hip hop trio; early albums Behind the Front (1998) and Bridging the Gap (2000) were released through Interscope Records.
Rebranded toward a more marketable pop-rap sound after the early albums.

Current core members: will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo.
Fergie was the lead singer from 2002 until her departure in 2018.
J. Rey Soul joined in 2018 as a touring member and later appeared as a featured artist on recordings.

Breakthrough with Elephunk (2003) and the single "Where Is the Love?", which topped the UK chart for seven weeks.
Monkey Business (2005) debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
The E.N.D. (2009) topped the Billboard 200 and produced three Hot 100 number-one singles, including "I Gotta Feeling".
Performed at the Super Bowl XLV halftime show in February 2011.
Went on indefinite hiatus in 2011, briefly reunited in 2015, and released Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 (2018), Translation (2020) and Elevation (2022).
Estimated to have sold around 80 million records.

Reviews generally favorable; Metacritic score 74 based on professional reviews
AllMusic critic John Bush said the album kept the group's identity within alternative hip hop
The album leaned more toward melodic structures and prominent vocal collaborations
Critics highlighted Kim Hill's participation as key to the album's sound identity
Guest artists such as Macy Gray widened the stylistic range
Reviewers saw continuity with the debut Behind the Front and more refined production

In retrospect, described as representative of the group's early stage, before a more commercial sound in the mid-2000s
Critics agreed it consolidated the group's reputation in alternative hip hop without major commercial impact

Billboard 200 (US): number 67, on chart for a limited period
UK Albums Chart: peak near number 28, per Official Charts Company records
Australia: entered secondary genre charts with little lasting presence
No gold or platinum certification in major markets such as the United States
BEP Empire/Get Original reached number 44 on the US rap chart
Request + Line ranked 51st on US R&B/Hot Rap Singles charts and 2nd on US Hot Rap charts
Weekends reached a lower position on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Kim Hill sang on Hot and Tell Your Mama Come, then left the group later that year
Kim Hill had a prominent role on the album, contributing to several songs before leaving after release
UK editions include a bonus track, Magic, placed before Empire Strikes Back
On My Own is no longer available on digital releases of the album
Weekends was later remixed and renamed Another Weekend for the deluxe edition of The E.N.D. (2009)
will.i.am called the album's gap never bridged, an irony aimed at the title