Bridging the Gap

1	Bep Empire 4:40
2	Weekends 4:47
3	Get Original 2:52
4	Hot 4:05
5	Cali to New York 4:47
6	Lil' Lil' 4:10
7	On My Own 3:52
8	Release 5:08
9	Bridging the Gaps 4:56
10	Go Go 4:53
11	Rap Song 3:33
12	Bringing It Back 3:34
13	Tell Your Mama Come 3:14
14	Request + Line 9:21

Barnes & Noble

Tired of Puff Daddy sampling '80s pop classics and Jay-Z borrowing hooks from Broadway musicals? Well, multicultural hip-hop trio Black Eyed Peas provide the ideal alternative for audiences jaded by the monumental egos and uninventive sampling pervasive in today's hip-hop. In 1998, the Peas' boho-hip-hop offering Behind the Front spawned the club hit "Joints & Jam" and a tour with No Doubt. Bridging the Gap successfully picks up where that debut left off -- combining elements of live band performance, old-school funk, and positive lyrics reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest and Digable Planets. Inspired by club diva Debbie Deb's 1989 hit "Lookout Weekend," "Weekends" is a hypnotic dance groove featuring jazzy vocals by Esthero. Other guests include Macy Gray on the sassy "Request Line," Les Nubians and Mos Def on the drum-'n'-bass-tinged "On My Own," and Wyclef Jean on the playful "Rap Song." Lyrically, the standout track is "Bringing It Back" -- on which Peas member Will.i.am comments on the materialistic state of rap music: "I know I'm not the only one feeling the void/ Creatively hip-hop is being destroyed." But don't worry. The Black Eyed Peas skillfully bridge the gap between mainstream and eclectic rap. Neo Brentacious

All Music Guide

Is this the real thing or a substitute? In 1998, Black Eyed Peas released their debut, Behind the Front, and by most accounts, it snugly filled a hole left behind by the absent, optimistic talents of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. So in the same year that Jurassic 5 complete their first proper release and De La Soul finally return, is there any room for a group like BEP anymore? Well, maybe. While the album fails in its titular intention of bringing together the two exclusionary worlds of rap and rock, it still diligently follows in the footsteps of its predecessor's highs. Maybe one might have to look toward Kim Hill -- the group's backing vocalist -- who seems to have a larger impact this time. Hill hovers over terrific sun-streaked ditties like "Tell Your Mama Come" and the irrepressible "Hot" without a hitch. The other collaborations follow her lead too. From Macy Gray to Les Nubians to Mos Def to, yes, even Jurassic 5 and De La Soul, none of these guest artists feel out of place or contrived. Undoubtedly, this second release finally proves that BEP get to mark their own territory in the history of old-school, soulful -- and playful -- hip-hop. Because Bridging the Gaps is a terrific follow-up full of warmth. Unlike what the advertisements might say, this is a multi-ethnic, multi-faceted substitute that should be accepted immediately. ~ Dean Carlson, All Music Guide

Rolling Stone

Uncluttered but muscular production, deft samples and smart rhymes all ensure that the album's power increases with repeated listenings. Ernest Hardy