will.i.am - I Got It From My Mama

The sound of will.i.am's light pop raps and simple, insistent beats has become nearly ubiquitous on pop radio. Lyrical content about women and their body parts is the usual fare as well. Sometimes his easy way with a pop melody combined with musical blender approach churns out a brilliant single like "Fergalicious" by fellow Black Eyed Pea Fergie. At other times inane lyrics and minimalist, lazy instrumentation can result in pointless, even offensive pop drivel such as "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas. "I Got It From My Mama" lies comfortably on middle ground.

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While Fergie certainly takes the prize as the solo Black Eyed Pea with the greatest commercial success as an artist, will.i.am easily outdistances his bandmates when it comes to success in songwriting and production. He has contributed work to recordings by top pop artists ranging from Justin Timberlake to the Pussycat Dolls. Aside from 2 specialized dance-oriented collections, will.i.am has yet to release a proper solo album. That first collection, Songs About Girls, will arrive in the fall of 2007.

"I Got It From My Mama" is the first single from the album, and it seems designed to generate commercial interest and little more. will.i.am's frequently demonstrated encyclopedic knowledge of intriguing pop/hip hop samples is missing from this song in favor of a very simple, repetitive melody line. (see update) The instant familiarity of will.i.am's voice, catchy party approach, and pleasingly organic sound of the drum track will light up late summer pop radio, but this is ultimately a forgettable tune.

will.i.am says that his album Songs About Girls will be a semi-autobiographical work about falling in and out of love. With context, perhaps "I Got It From My Mama" will gain more resonance. If not, simply enjoy it on the radio and in the club.