The Black Eyed Peas have a habit of revitalising tired phrases.

Their various anthems, such as Where is the Love, I Gotta Feeling and Let’s Get it Started have now become part of party vernacular (sorry, but Boom Boom Pow didn’t make the cut).

And with their new single, the catchy electro hip-hop of Be Nice, they set themselves the new challenge of taking one of the most maligned adages and making it hip again. For bandleader, the rapper and producer Will.i.am, nice guys don’t finish last.

“The fact that it is not the coolest thing to say just goes to show you the times we live in,” he says when all BEP’s three members – including Taboo and Apl.de.ap – meet press before their performance at Morocco’s Mawazine Festival on June 25.

“Why isn’t it cool to say ‘be nice’ to someone? We must live in some really dark times to where being nice to one another is not a cool thing to do. We wanted to break that tradition and talk about how our hearts were raised by our mothers. They taught us how to be kind to one another. We wanted to keep that spirit alive.”

Aiding the cause is one of the coolest rappers in the game, Snoop Dogg. To suit the subject matter, he tones down the trademark bravado to deliver words laced with the wisdom that comes from being a father and genre leader. His smooth and dulcet flow makes easy work of the pulsating electro beats as he advises us to “fight for each other, not one another/ And when we talk, be nice to each other”

This is in contrast to Will.i.am’s pensive verses, which sound like Twitter posts, which is probably the point: “I just wanna be happy/ I don’t wanna feel nasty/ I’m trying to turn my vibration around so I can feel fantastic.”

The song joins a growing list of tracks, such as the aforementioned Where is the Love, that has the band taking social issues.

Their latest album, Masters of the Sun (which Be Nice is not a part of), has them tackling all sorts of topics affecting US society, with a strong example being the old school hip-hop throwback of Street Livin’.

Accompanied by a gritty black and white video, the track sheds light on the powerful prison industrial complex, immigration and police brutality. It is not an attempt for the band to sound ‘woke,’ Taboo offers, instead BEP is trying to continue on the less trodden path laid by their heroes.

“If you think about it, we had people like Marvin Gaye, whose songs like What’s Going On and Mercy, Mercy, Me speaking about society at that time,” he says. “We are also trying send a message that we’re living in some crazy times. We’re not political, but we are a voice, and we like to use our platform to get those messages out. And it always starts with words of love. We’ve always had that type of frequency.”

With a growing number of sports stars, such as American football player Colin Kaepernick and basketballer LeBron James, taking a stand against social injustices, does the band feel that their fellow artists are being too timid?

For Will.i.am, it’s not a simple answer. He says the challenges artists face is in getting their message out through the prism of an industry which has totally different priorities.

“Unfortunately, our music industry is only geared to make money and not make change. So it would be an amazing time if music was used to make change just as much as it is to make money because there is no section of that in the industry,” he says. “There’s every genre of music, there’s a genre for jazz, there’s a genre for rock, there’s a genre for hip hop, there’s a genre for R’n’B, but there is no genre for change. Somebody should try to start that. It is a good business model.”

Until then, the group is committed to releasing music that moves the heart and body. Be Nice is one of a string of new songs to be released later this year, one of which will feature Moroccan American rapper French Montana.

It will be the first time they collaborate with an artist from the Arab world and – heads up to talent from the region – Will.i.am is keen for more partnerships: “We are always looking for collaborations. As far as folks that live here in the region – female and male – yes, we would love to collaborate with you. If you know anybody that wants to collaborate with The Black Eyed Peas, let us know.”

Perhaps that opportunity may come sooner rather than later. The Black Eyed Peas are planning to perform a show in the UAE as part of their yet to be announced Asian leg of their present world tour.

When that happens, the country is in for a treat. Their Moroccan performance, in front of over 30,000, people was a joyful affair. All the hits were performed and the band gave plenty of opportunities for season audiences to showcase their break dancing moves. Will.i.am says that infectious and friendly vibe extends to the band’s dealings off stage. It is, in fact, the secret to their longevity.

“I remember when we were on our way to being successful, we would see other successful people, and we would frown like ‘wow, that person’s not cool with other people,'” he recalls. “And we never wanted to be like that. Taboo and Apl.de.ap always check me and I check them. Sometimes after a situation I ask Apl.de.ap ‘Yo, was I cool to that person?”

Apl.de.ap adds: “And do you know what I say? Be nice.”