MAS Magazine / 11 - 24 - 2006

November 24, 2006 Volume 2, Issue 11

www.masbakersfield.com

CULTURE PRIDE COMMUNITY

Soaking up The Black Eyed Peas

Emilio Estevez on ‘Bobby’ Latina singer Julieta Venegas

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Contents COVER STORY

The Black Eyed Peas mix multicultural music

COMMUNITY NOTICIAS

Check out the latest toy recall before shopping

12-13 5

6 LATINOAMERICA 7 FILM 8 GENTE 10-11 HOLIDAY 15 ENTERTAINMENT 17 CLASSIFIEDS 20

November 24, 2006

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EDUCATION

Success stories abound at MAOF graduation

Guatemalans prepare for Burning of the Devil night

12-13

7

Emilio Estevez’s “Bobby” brings back memories

The Special Olympics turns up the fire on the ice

8

‘Tis the shopping season — check out MÁS picks for niños

In the Mixx with Noe G.

Buy, sell and hire

Did You Know?

General Manager

Delia Carson

Kern Hispanics like rock, jazz over country music

10% 8%

Source: Scarborough Research, 2006

8%

6%

7%

2%

04

3% Rock

Jazz, big band, etc.

November 24, 2006

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Editorial / Advertising 716-8640

7%

4% 0%

Managing Editor

Olivia Garcia ogarcia@masbakersfield.com 716-8644

Concerts attended past 12 months 9%

dmccallister@masbakersfield.com 716-8632

Symphony, opera, etc.

R&B, rap, hip-hop

Country

Más is a new weekly magazine focused on Hispanic people, style, culture and issues in Kern County. Más is a publication of Mercado Nuevo, LLC, a subsidiary of The Bakersfield Californian.The Más name and logo design are trademarks of Mercado Nuevo and cannot be used without the company’s permission. For questions or for more information about Más or other publications of Mercado Nuevo, contact us: Mercado Nuevo LLC P.O. Box 2344 Bakersfield, CA 93303; (661) 716-8640 www.mercadonuevocorp.com or masbakersfield.com

C OV E R

STO RY

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BOYheart Despite fame & fortune, ‘Taboo’ of The Black Eyed Peas stays true to his Latino roots

The Black Eyed Peas 12

November 24, 2006

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■ With special guest: Frankie J. ■ 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30 ■ $25.50-$65 ■ www.ticketmaster.com

By Matt Muñoz MÁS staff

J

aime “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

“... 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,” said “Taboo” Gomez of The Black Eyed Peas, which will perform Nov. 30 at Rabobank Arena.

“Fergie was a superstars. solo artist before And the hits have she joined the been plentiful for group,” said los guisantes.

Gomez about the With their 1998 planned introducdebut, “Behind The tion of Fergie to Front,” and single, the masses. “She “Joints and Jam,” wanted to build a critics (and fans) brand name with found The Peas’ Black Eyed Peas, music a refreshing then branch out change from the and do her own violent nature of thing, instead of gangster rap. just getting thrown The group’s sophout to the sharks, omore effort in then be forgotten.”

2000, “Bridging The Gomez himself Gap,” spawned is far from being another hit single, forgotten and has “Request Line,” COURTESY PHOTO learned the price featuring R&B A young Taboo in his break-dancing of fame and vocalist, Macy days. celebrity — privaGray. cy.

But it was with “I’m trying to live a normal the release of their third album, “Elelifestyle by going to the mall, and phunk” on new label A&M in 2003, buying some food and clothes,” said that really launched The Black Eyed Gomez of his latest attempt at leading Peas, turning them into a household name. It also marked the introduction a regular life outside of the spotlight.

“It’s weird because people don’t give of female vocalist, Sarah “Fergie” me my space, but it’s cool, it comes Ferguson to the line-up. Now a quartet, The Black Eyed Peas again stayed with the job. Just talking to you on the phone, I’ve already been approached at the top of the charts with 2005’s by 10 people.”

“Monkey Business.” More singles One thing Gomez does not want to (“My Humps,” Don’t Phunk With My keep private, however, is his ethnicity Heart,”) and platinum awards fol— a topic debated among Peas fans to lowed, as well as achieving ambassathis day. So is Taboo of Filipino, Mexdor-like status as a multicultural ican, Asian or Indian descent? band of friends to the world.

“I’m Mexican and Shoshoni Group member and producer, (Native American),” Gomez said. “I will.i.am, recently won a 2006 Latin was raised in a Mexican community, Grammy for “Timeless,” a collaborabut I’ve never had the opportunity to tion with Bossa Nova master, Sergio venture off and find out about my Mendes, along with some of today’s Native American culture. I spoke most popular vocalists.

Spanish at home, but my grandmothFergie is also now stepping up as a er always taught me about representsolo artist, with her Black Eyed Peas ing both sides.” family on board to support her new Gomez also adds that fans often CD, “The Dutchess,” and her subseconfuse his nationality with that of quent promotional tour.

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.’” — To hear more of Matt’s interview with Taboo, listen to Bakotunes Podcast, Episode 45: www.bakotopia.com

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November 24, 2006

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