Studio Album · No. 7
Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 Songwriting Credits by Black Eyed Peas
Produced by will.i.am, DJ Ammo, Keith Harris, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Epic Records
Hip HopConscious Hip Hop
100%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 12 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 12 / 12 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Black Eyed Peas carries a lyricist or composer credit.
12 trackswritten by Black Eyed Peas
0 tracksoutside writers
Black Eyed Peas's roles on this album
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer92%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
12
Tracks
22
Lyricists
10
Producers
2018
Released
Data Insight
Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 is the Black Eyed Peas' first album as a trio after Fergie's departure, with will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo returning to the politically charged boom-bap sound of their early years. will.i.am produced most of the record and built it around socially conscious themes including gun violence, police brutality, and race relations, loosely tied to a graphic novel of the same name. The guest list leans on hip hop heritage rather than pop crossover, pulling in Nas, Slick Rick, Posdnuos, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Critics largely framed it as a creative reset that recaptured the edge the group had traded away during their electro-pop run.
Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 is Black Eyed Peas' seventh studio album, released October 26, 2018. Released after a seven-year hiatus and without Fergie, it introduced new vocalist J. Rey Soul and returned to a hip-hop-centric sound with Afrobeat and Latin influences. The album was conceived as a graphic novel tie-in and dealt with social and political themes. It received generally positive reviews as a creative reset from their electro-pop era.
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Back 2 Hiphop
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooNasJoshua AlvarezMike McHenry | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezNasir JonesJoshua AlvarezMike McHenry | Paperboywill.i.am | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals)Nas (Featured Vocals) |
| 2 |
Yes or No
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTaboo | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime Gomez | will.i.amU.N.I. | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals) |
| 3 |
Get Ready
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooLauren Evans | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezLauren Evans | will.i.amHigh P | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals) |
| 4 |
4ever
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooJoshua Alvarez | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezJoshua Alvarez | will.i.am | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals)Esthero (Featured Vocals) |
| 5 |
Constant pt.1 pt.2
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooU.N.I.Damien LeRoyKeith HarrisLauren EvansDavid Quinones | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezU.N.I.Damien LeRoyKeith HarrisLauren EvansDavid Quinones | U.N.I.DJ Ammowill.i.amKeith Harris | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals)Slick Rick (Featured Vocals) |
| 6 |
Dopeness
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooJoshua AlvarezLee Chae-rin | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezJoshua AlvarezLee Chae-rin | will.i.am | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals)CL (Featured Vocals) |
| 7 |
All Around the World
|
Phife Dawgapl.de.apTaboowill.i.amPosdnuosJoshua AlvarezKeith HarrisKarlina Alexandra Covington | Phife DawgAllan PinedaJaime GomezWilliam AdamsKelvin MercerJoshua AlvarezKeith HarrisKarlina Alexandra Covington | Ali Shaheed MuhammadDavid Lukewill.i.am | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals)Phife Dawg (Featured Vocals)Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Featured Vocals)Posdnuos (Featured Vocals) |
| 8 |
New Wave
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooKeith HarrisDamien LeRoy | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezKeith HarrisDamien LeRoy | will.i.amDJ AmmoKeith Harris | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals) |
| 9 |
Vibrations pt.1 pt.2
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooKeith HarrisU.N.I. | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezKeith HarrisU.N.I. | U.N.I.Double X | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals) |
| 10 |
Wings
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTaboo | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime Gomez | will.i.am | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals)Nicole Scherzinger (Featured Vocals) |
| 11 |
Ring the Alarm pt.1 pt.2 pt.3
|
will.i.amapl.de.apTabooRita EkwereJean BaptisteJoshua AlvarezDJ Motiv8 | William AdamsAllan PinedaJaime GomezRita EkwereJean BaptisteJoshua AlvarezDJ Motiv8 | will.i.amDJ Motiv8 | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals) |
| 12 |
Big Love
|
will.i.amAnders GrahnJames FlanniganAeon ManahanTabooJoshua Alvarezapl.de.apBenjamin Mor | William AdamsAnders GrahnJames FlanniganAeon ManahanJaime GomezJoshua AlvarezAllan PinedaBenjamin Mor | will.i.am | will.i.am (Vocals)apl.de.ap (Vocals)Taboo (Vocals)J. Rey Soul (Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 38 contributors
W
will.i.am
Writer · Producer · Vocals
AP
Allan Pineda
Writer
A
apl.de.ap
Writer · Vocals
JG
Jaime Gomez
Writer
T
Taboo
Writer · Vocals
WA
William Adams
Writer
JA
Joshua Alvarez
Writer
KH
Keith Harris
Writer · Producer
U
U.N.I.
Writer · Producer
DL
Damien LeRoy
Writer
LE
Lauren Evans
Writer
DM
DJ Motiv8
Writer · Producer
More from Black Eyed Peas
1998
100%
Behind the Front
Interscope / Ruthless Records
16 tracksProd. will.i.am
2000
100%
Bridging the Gap
Interscope
14 tracksProd. will.i.am
2003
100%
Elephunk
A&M / Interscope
14 tracksProd. will.i.am
2005
100%
Monkey Business
A&M / Interscope
15 tracksProd. will.i.am
2009
100%
The E.N.D.
Interscope
15 tracksProd. will.i.am
2010
100%
The Beginning
Interscope
12 tracksProd. will.i.am
2020
100%
Translation
Epic / Interscope
15 tracksProd. will.i.am
2022
100%
Elevation
Epic Records
15 tracksProd. will.i.am
Frequently Asked Questions Masters of the Sun Vol. 1
Is Masters of the Sun Vol. 1 the first Black Eyed Peas album without Fergie?
Yes. Released October 26, 2018, it is the group's first studio album after Fergie's departure earlier that year, returning them to the three-member lineup of will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo.
Who are the guest artists on the album?
The record features hip hop veterans rather than pop stars: Nas on "Back 2 Hiphop," Slick Rick on "Constant pt.1 pt.2," CL on "Dopeness," Esthero on "4ever," Nicole Scherzinger on "Wings," and Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Posdnuos on "All Around the World."
What is the album about?
It is a politically themed record addressing gun violence, police brutality, and race relations, loosely inspired by a graphic novel of the same name that the group created.
Who produced Masters of the Sun Vol. 1?
will.i.am produced the bulk of the album, with additional production from collaborators including DJ Ammo, Keith Harris, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Paperboy, U.N.I., and High P across individual tracks.
Were there singles from the album?
The group issued promotional singles including "Ring the Alarm pt.1 pt.2 pt.3," "Constant pt.1 pt.2," "Big Love," and "Dopeness," though none charted significantly and the album itself did not produce a major mainstream hit.
Who wrote "Back 2 Hiphop" with Nas?
The opening track was written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and Nasir Jones (Nas), along with Joshua Alvarez and Mike McHenry, and was produced by Paperboy and will.i.am.
How did the album perform commercially?
It was a modest seller that landed on component and international charts, reaching number 35 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Sales chart and number 27 on the UK R&B Albums chart, but did not match the commercial scale of the group's electro-pop era.
Data note: Japanese Edition adds 3 bonus tracks not included here.