Black Eyed Peas announces a new hiatus

Boom boom pow, indeed.

The Black Eyed Peas have announced that they will go on indefinite hiatus after their current tour supporting their album "The Beginning" wraps up this month. However, they are set for sporadic festival appearances, including the star-studded "I Heart Radio Music Festival" in Las Vegas in September and the SWU Festival in Brazil in November.

The band's leader will.i.am tweeted that they plan to take a break "just like we did from 'Monkey Business' to 'The E.N.D.' . . . but it doesn't mean we stop creating."

It was during that four-year break that Fergie established herself as a solo artist and will.i.am became known for both his production work and digital start-up projects.

According to the British music magazine NME, Fergie was booed when she told a British crowd about the hiatus from the stage, saying it was the "last time we're going to be in England for a long time," but adding, "This isn't going to be the last time you'll see us."

However, the singer may have offered a hint to her future direction on Sunday when she took the stage at the Oxegen festival with former Guns 'n' Roses guitarist Slash to perform their collaboration "Beautiful Dangerous" and the Heart classic "Barracuda."

Though the Black Eyed Peas' return from their last hiatus -- "The E.N.D." -- turned out to be a smashing multiplatinum success, last year's follow-up "The Beginning" underperformed, entering the Billboard charts at No. 6, with none of its singles matching the No. 1 success of their previous albums.