Just because the next Papa Roach album will be devoid of rapping doesn’t mean the band doesn’t have a little bit of hip-hop left in its blackened heart – which might explain why the group has booked studio time to work on a song with innovative rappers Black Eyed Peas.
The track will appear on the next Black Eyed Peas record, due later this year. This isn’t the first time Papa Roach have been invited to collaborate with another group, but it’s the first time they’ve accepted an offer.
“We’ve been holding out to actually work with an artist in person,” Jacoby Shaddix said shortly before entering the rehearsal studio. “When we’ve been asked to work with artists before, they’re like, ‘OK, the guys you’re collaborating with won’t even be there, so you’re just gonna have to hear their rap and then sing a chorus.’ And I’m like, ‘No, dude, that’s not what a collaboration is.’ To me, a real collaboration is where all the motherf–ers get in a room together and rock sh-, and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
There’s no name for the song yet, and Shaddix said it’s too early to tell what the track will sound like. “We’ve got some ideas, they’ve got some ideas, and we’re just looking forward to getting together to see what we’ve got.”
As much as it might seem like the result of a marketing strategy session, the collaboration between Papa Roach and Black Eyed Peas actually arose from a chance encounter between the two bands. A couple of months ago when Papa Roach were in Los Angeles working on their upcoming Lovehatetragedy, Shaddix was partying at a club and ran into the Peas.
“I was like, ‘Damn, man, I saw you on the Warped tour, and you guys f–ing rocked,’ ” he said. “They play with a live band, and I’m totally a fan of hop-hop groups that play with live bands. And they were like, ‘Yeah? We’re putting out another record and we’re looking for people to work with.’ And I said, ‘Dude, what’s up? Let’s do something.’ ”
On their 2000 disc, Bridging the Gap, Black Eyed Peas worked with Wyclef Jean, Esthero and De La Soul. The Papa Roach collaboration will mark their first foray into loud rock.
