Grammy Awards 2008

Black Eyed Peas Kick Off Grammy Weekend

By Nicholas White

02/08/2008 at 07:20 PM EST

Lester Cohen/WireImage

Fergie

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Kanye West

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Grammy weekend got off to an early start Thursday night, thanks to the Black Eyed Peas.

"Grammy weekend is busy!" lead singer Fergie told PEOPLE on the green carpet of the fourth annual Peapod Foundation's benefit for the Entertainment Industry Foundation, in Hollywood. "There's always something going on."

Anticipation is running high for Kanye West's upcoming performance at the Sunday-night ceremony, given that the hip-hop artist has been mostly out of the spotlight since his mother Donda's sudden death on Nov. 10.

"The last time I saw Kanye, he was in really, really good spirits," Ne-Yo told PEOPLE about his friend and sometime collaborator.

"I think, of course, [his mother's passing] was a major, major tragedy. But, Kanye is a guy that keeps going through any and all pain and sorrow," he added. "Whatever the case may be, he's going to get up, keep going and do what he loves to do, which is music."

All told on Thursday, the Black Eyed Peas led a three-hour jam session that also included performances by Velvet Revolver's Slash, Snoop Dogg, Nicole Scherzinger and Common.