| Behind the Front | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Black Eyed Peas |
| Cover: | BehindTheFrontAlbum.png |
| Released: | June 30, 1998 |
| Recorded: | 1997–1998 |
| Length: | 73:53 |
| Next Title: | Bridging the Gap |
| Next Year: | 2000 |
Behind the Front is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas released on June 30, 1998, through Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group.[1]
Most of the tracks were demos for the Grass Roots album, with added verses by new member Taboo. The song "Joints & Jam" appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Bulworth, where it was billed as "Joints & Jams". "Be Free" also features in the film She's All That. On the back cover, "Skit 3" is listed after "Duet", when it actually appears after "Communication". This was their only studio album to be released in a Parental Advisory version and an edited version until the release of Masters Of The Sun Vol. 1. On the edited version's back cover, "Skit 3" is properly listed after "Communication".
Behind the Front was released for vinyl on June 30, 1998, through Interscope Records, will.i.am's imprint will.i.am Music Group and Universal Music Group.
Three singles from the album were released - double single "Fallin' Up/¿Que Dices?" in December 1997, "Joints & Jam" in November 1998 and the final single "Karma" in April 1999.
In 1997, a music video for the song "Head Bobs" was filmed and finished, however, the band decided to not release the song as a single. Around the same time a music video for the song "Fallin' Up" was also created, however, was decided that the album's first official single would be "Joints & Jam", with its respective music video released. A similar video to "Joints & Jam" was filmed for the song "What It Is", but like "Head Bobs" and "Fallin Up", the song wasn't an official single. The last music video to be released from the album was "Karma", the album's second and final official single. All five music videos were included on the DVD Behind the Bridge to Elephunk (2004).
Behind the Front received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Matt Conaway of AllMusic stated: "Black Eyed Peas bring some positivity and fun back into hip-hop. Musically there is almost no realm this group does not touch -- right from the jump, the stylistic innocence of "Fallin Up," complete with striking guitar licks, sums up what BEP is all about." Marcus Reeves of Rolling Stone gave the album three out of five stars, stating: "Behind the Front, offers an organic mixture of sampled melodies and live instruments aimed at those of us seeking a little enlightenment with our well-oiled boogie." Tony Green of JazzTimes also proclaimed that the Black Eyed Peas "provide a musical hip-hop shot that rises beyond mere discussions of consciousness" which "sounds, well dope, with a live band accentuated by clever samples."[2]