Black Eyed Pea

English

Etymology

Back-formation; from black-eyed pea—member will.i.am stated that “Black Eyed Peas are food for the soul” and cited the Red Hot Chili Peppers as an influence for naming the group after a food.

Noun

Black Eyed Pea (plural Black Eyed Peas)

1. (uncommon) A member of the American musical group Black Eyed Peas.
   • 2002 September 2, Doug Levy, “Dexter’s Laboratory: The Hip-Hop Experiment”, in CMJ New Music Report, number 778, page 9:

     Former Tribe Called Quester Phife Diggy puts himself in Dexter’s shoes on “Love According To Dexter,” while Black Eyed Pea Will.I.Am delivers “Secrets,” a bouncy circus soundtrack of a tune about the mysteries of the hidden lab.

   • 2006 August 26, Tamara Conniff, Hillary Crosley, “Making Of A Legend Part 2”, in Billboard, page 26:

     This time around, [John] Legend assembled an A-list crew of producers to work on “Once Again,” including Raphael Saadiq, Black Eyed Pea Will.i.am and Kanye West.

   • 2007, Hip Hop Connection, page 22:

     You might think you’ve got Black Eyed Pea Will I Am pegged as, depending on your perspective, the king of pop-rap or a hip-hop sell-out, but the truth is much more complicated.

   • 2009, Elizabeth Noble, The Girl Next Door, Touchstone, →ISBN, page 96:

     “I was more of a Posh Spice,” she had said, “and you’re more of a … Fergie.” She meant the duchess, not the Black Eyed Pea, and Cath had rolled her eyes and scowled at Eve.

   • 2011, Taboo, Steve Dennis, Fallin’ Up: My Story, Touchstone, →ISBN, page 208:

     I had viewed Fergie as Joan Jett crossed with Madonna; the rock ’n’ roll girl with a pop track record who liked listening to groups like Guns N’ Roses and Led Zeppelin. That she made the transition into a Black Eyed Pea so effortlessly speaks to her versatility as an artist.

   • 2016, Daryl Easlea, Michael Jackson: Rewind: The Life & Legacy of Pop Music’s King, Race Point Publishing, →ISBN, page 2:

     Reflecting just how white hot the group was in 2007/2008, fellow Black Eyed Pea Fergie contributes vocals to the mix of “Beat It.”

   • 2017, Clare Pooley, The Sober Diaries: How One Woman Stopped Drinking and Started Living, Coronet, →ISBN:

     Willy was a wild and extravagant host. Over the years everyone who was anyone, from (allegedly) Princess Margaret and Marianne Faithfull to Fergie (the ex-royal, not the Black Eyed Pea) had been to stay.

   • 2021, Jessa Hastings, Magnolia Parks, Orion Fiction, published 2022, →ISBN:

     My mother could zip off for a girls’ weekend that would last a week with Fergie (the former Royal, not the Black Eyed Pea).