8 December 2005
The words ‘crass’ and ‘inane’ run through the Black Eyed Peas like the placename in a stick of seaside rock. The humps here are the “lovely lady lumps” of singer Fergie. Will.i.am leers on approvingly at “all that junk inside that trunk” and “all that breast inside that shirt”. But don’t assume he can’t turn on the smooth gallant charm when required: “Let’s spend time not money / And mix your milk with my coco puff” Fergie too got game: “They say I’m really sexy / The boys they wanna sex me” The main sample on ‘My Humps’ is from a 1983 track called ‘I Need A Freak’ by a group named Sexual Harassment.
The musicologists among you will probably detect the influence on ‘My Humps’ of Kelis’s ‘Milkshake’ and Salt-N-Pepa’s excellent ‘Push It’. That said, the lasting impression is of the infantile, puerile delivery and the usual Black Eyed Peas habit of doubling and tripling every inch of the melody so as to ram it in your earhole. And don’t forget the dreadful ’00s lads-mag sexism! For many compelling reasons, listening to ‘My Humps’ by the Black Eyed Peas gives me an uncontrollable urge to throw myself in front of the King’s horse on Derby day.
