Let's Get It Started

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“Let's Get It Started”
Single by Black Eyed Peas from the album Elephunk and Barbershop 2: Back in Business
Released	2004
Format	CD single
Recorded	—
Genre	Hip hop, dance pop, pop rap
Length	3:37
Label	A&M
Black Eyed Peas singles chronology
"Hey Mama" (2004) "Let's Get It Started" (2004) "Don't Phunk with My Heart" (2005)
Alternate cover
Let's Get It Started The Urbz Edition
Audio sample
Info (help·info)

"Let's Get It Started" is the edited radio version of the Black Eyed Peas song "Let's Get Retarded", which appears on their 2003 album Elephunk. It was edited because of offense over the word "retarded", making the song unsuitable for play on some radio stations and at sports games. The 2004 song is the fourth single from their 2003 album, Elephunk, and was also included on the Barbershop 2: Back in Business and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle soundtracks, as well as the soundtrack for the 2006 romantic comedy "It's a Boy/Girl Thing". The song was also STAR World's first SID. It gained popularity as the theme song for the 2004 NBA Playoffs on ABC. It was also featured in the film White Chicks. It was used in UK advertisements for the game The Urbz: Sims in the City.

[edit] Reincarnations

• A cover by lounge act Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine appeared on the 2005 album Aperitif for Destruction.
• The song is featured in one of "Weird Al" Yankovic's polkas, Polkarama, on his CD, Straight Outta Lynwood.
• The song was played by the Francis Howell North High School marching band at the Bands of America grand national championships in 2005.
• A version of this song translated into Simlish is the theme song for the Playstation 2 game The Urbz: Sims in the City, also recorded by the Black Eyed Peas themselves.
• The Detroit Pistons formerly played this song in the beginning of every home game to "pump up" the crowd.
• The introduction of the song sounds similar to Alicia Keys' 2001 single Fallin'.

[edit] Lyrical controversy

The phrase "Let's Get Retarded" is a slang term used in the United States that means to consume intoxicating alcohol or drugs to the point where you are incapable of verbally communicating past incoherent mumbles.^[1] The word "retarded", as used in this song, refers to being drunk or high, similar to the colloquial use of getting "blind", "pissed", "wasted", "faded", or "smashed". The phrase is often used in everyday slang.

However, "retard" is a pejorative term for the mentally challenged^[2], and "retarded" is sometimes considered offensive as well.

[edit] Music video

Will.i.am in the music video.

The music video directed by Francis Lawrence consists of a nighttime setting, in an urban area. Fergie says 'let's get it started' into her phone. The Black Eyed Peas, particularly will.i.am, are on a stage doing energetic dances while singing the song.

The video went to #34 on "MuchMusic's 50 Most Controversial Videos" for its original song title.

[edit] Chart Performance

The single debuted at #37 in the Latin America Top 40^[3] and peaked at #14(four times) four weeks later^[4] becoming her second top twenty. It reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the United States.

[edit] Track Listing

CD Single

1. "Let's Get It Started" (Spike Mix)
2. "Way U Make Me Feel" (Album Version Explicit)
3. "Let's Get Retarded" (Album Version Explicit)
4. "Let's Get It Started" Music Video

The Urbz Edition – EP

1. "Let's Get It Started" (Spike Mix) – 3:39
2. "Ga Ra Ta Da" (Simlish Version) – 3:28
3. "The Sticky" – 4:39
4. "Friddy Dope" (Simlish Version) – 3:46

[edit] References