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Home boy at heart

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**Originally printed in Mas Magazine Volume 2, Issue 11, 11 - 24 - 06

Jaime “Taboo” Gomez is no overnight sensation.
    
As a member of hip-hop superstars, The Black Eyed Peas — appearing in Bakersfield, Nov. 30 at the Rabobank Arena — Gomez currently enjoys worldwide fame, hit records, videos and Grammys. Rewards collected not by resting at home, but rather on the road to entertain the people responsible — the fans.

“We’ve been touring since about 1998,” said Gomez, 31, in a telephone interview from a mall in Porto Alegre, Brazil, during the group’s latest worldwide trek. “The claim to our success is that we’ve been able to tour around the world, with or without a hit record.”

Born and raised in the Boyle Heights region of East Los Angeles and Rosemead, Calif., Gomez made an early name for himself on the local party scene as a kid, dancing at gatherings with friends to the sounds of Latin music and enjoying the hometown limelight.

“When I was 5-years old, I got into cumbias, salsa, merengue and rancheras,” said Gomez of his early musical influences, “because growing up, and going to quinceañeras, and all these little house parties, that’s all I was exposed to. I’d be the center of attention, by dancing.”

Staying visible dancing on the club scene during high school, it was in 1993 that Gomez met fellow Black Eyed Peas, William “will.i.am” Adams and Allan “apl.de.ap” Pineda at Ballistics, a local club.

At the time, Adams, Pineda and another rapper, Dante Santiago, were signed to rapper Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records, as Atban Klann. The group’s music was never released, but that didn’t stop Adams and Pineda from pursuing their dream.

Known primarily as a dancer, Gomez would replace Santiago in the group, and in 1995, The Black Eyed Peas was born with Gomez — now known as “Taboo” — adding emceeing to his resume.

By 1998, the group was signed to Interscope Records, starting their journey to becoming chart-topping superstars.

And the hits have been plentiful for los guisantes.

With their 1998 debut, “Behind The Front,” and single, “Joints and Jam,” critics (and fans) found The Peas’ music a refreshing change from the violent nature of gangster rap.

The group’s sophomore effort in 2000, “Bridging The Gap,” spawned another hit single, “Request Line,” featuring R&B vocalist, Macy Gray.

But it was with the release of their third album, “Elephunk” on new label A&M in 2003, that really launched The Black Eyed Peas, turning them into a household name. It also marked the introduction of female vocalist, Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson to the line-up. Now a quartet, The Black Eyed Peas again stayed at the top of the charts with 2005’s “Monkey Business.” More singles (“My Humps,” Don’t Phunk With My Heart,”) and platinum awards followed, as well as achieving ambassador-like status as a multicultural band of friends to the world.

Group member and producer, will.i.am, recently won a 2006 Latin Grammy for “Timeless,” a collaboration with Bossa Nova master, Sergio Mendes, along with some of today’s most popular vocalists.

Fergie is also now stepping up as a solo artist, with her Black Eyed Peas family on board to support her new CD, “The Dutchess,” and her subsequent promotional tour.

“Fergie was a solo artist before she joined the group,” said Gomez about the planned introduction of Fergie to the masses. “She wanted to build a brand name with Black Eyed Peas, then branch out and do her own thing, instead of just getting thrown out to the sharks, then be forgotten.”

Gomez himself is far from being forgotten and has learned the price of fame and celebrity — privacy.

“I’m trying to live a normal lifestyle by going to the mall, and buying some food and clothes,” said Gomez of his latest attempt at leading a regular life outside of the spotlight. “It’s weird because people don’t give me my space, but it’s cool, it comes with the job. Just talking to you on the phone, I’ve already been approached by 10 people.”

One thing Gomez does not want to keep private, however, is his ethnicity — a topic debated among Peas fans to this day. So is Taboo of Filipino, Mexican, Asian or Indian descent?

“I’m Mexican and Shoshoni (Native American),” Gomez said. “I was raised in a Mexican community, but I’ve never had the opportunity to venture off and find out about my Native American culture. I spoke Spanish at home, but my grandmother always taught me about representing both sides.”

Gomez also adds that fans often confuse his nationality with that of fellow Black Eyed Pea, Apl, who is Filipino.

“A lot of people confuse me for being Apl,” he said, “I may be in a group that’s very diverse, but the first thing that matters to me is representing my Latino heritage.”
No matter the case, Gomez recognizes that the multicultural aspect of the group can only be a good thing.

“It’s great, because we get to express our heritage and let people know that no matter what race, color or creed, they’re able to rock just as hard as everybody else,” he said.

In addition to performing on stage, Gomez also enjoys feeding another of his life long passions — the martial arts.

“I studied Jeet Kun Do (a martial art) when I was 12 years old, so that’s maybe why I get confused for being Asian,” said Gomez. “It’s about skill and technique, and I’m very influenced by the art.”

The Black Eyed Peas also want to present a positive influence to their fans.

The Black Eyed Peas’ Pea Pod Foundation was founded by group leader, will.i.am.
According to the foundation’s official Web site:

“The Peapod Foundation is a global leader in encouraging social change by uniting people through the universal language of music.”

At its inception, the organization helped promote fundraisers with other artists to benefit local toy drives and orphanages.

Now, the Pea Pod Foundation has gone global with concerts in South Africa and an annual Grammy week gathering in Hollywood, featuring other famous friends for charity.

“I don’t want to be a role model, but an inspiration of someone going from mediocre success to the forefront” said Gomez of his image as an entertainer and part-time philanthropist. “A lot of times as Latinos, we get told we can’t do certain things. Don’t ever let anyone tell you, ‘You can’t do it.’”

With the solo success of will.i.am and Fergie, Gomez now looks to his own future stepping out of the comfort of The Black Eyed Peas, with his own solo project currently in the works.

“My solo record will be out next year,” he said. “It’s going to be heavily influenced by artists like Juanes, Alejandro Fernandez and feature my man, Frankie J., on some vocals, so look out for that!”

After years of hard work, fame and accolades, Gomez insists he’s still an Este LA homeboy at heart.

“I don’t let the fame and superstardom get to me,” said Gomez, “because at the end of the day, I still gotta go home to my mom, who tells me, ‘Mijo, when you come home, you’re not Taboo — you’re still my son, Jamie Gomez from East Los.’”
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-The Black Eyed Peas & Fergie with special guest Frankie J !
- Thursday, November 30th 2006
- 8pm
- $25.50 - $65.00
- Click Here To Purchase Tickets Online