i used to be with "it," and then they changed what "it" was...

...and now what i'm with isn't "it," and what is "it" seems weird and scary to me.

i just listened to the new black eyed peas song at the behest of a coworker, and it's terrible. they used to be progressive and old school at the same time, and while it's arguable that by adapting kanye west's recent infatuation with the 808 drum machines and auto-tune (lil wayne? i'm looking in your direction, too...), they're still doing that, now they're doing it from a position of behind the curve instead of ahead of it.

they've also dumbed themselves down tremendously, and don't have any of the wit and spark apparent on their earlier records. back in 1998 in their first single, "fallin' up," will.i.am spoke to the haters, theorizing that the reason they weren't getting respect was because they didn't wear "tommy hilfiger and baseball caps," but now they might as well be. so much of what they've become has to do with fashion and trends and everything they stood apart from 10 years ago. contradicting themselves again, it seems like they're "using dollars to represent," and don't seem to be using their "inner sense and talent" like they used to.

so i leave you with a question: what the hell, black eyed peas? what the hell?