Is it illegal to steal chord progressions? If it is, arrest every pop artist ever…

My two responses:
1. If he hadn't gotten the material copy written, the tune is fair game. [example: Edison and the light bulb]
2. The only thing that is the same is the first mantra/beat pattern, which is also in David Guetta/Fergie/Chris Willis's Getting Over You.

Blame David Guetta, the producer, not Black Eyed Peas.

Normally I'd say, “sucks for that guy” but the fact that he actually sent his demo into their label and they blatantly copied his riff and didn't even bother changing up the original keyboard sound even the slightest, The black guy pees are definitely in the wrong here.

identical.

I guess that chip company also stole his idea of a last name.

It's just a single sound bit. Is he saying that nobody in the world can use that sound on a record for the rest of time because he used in some random song? On the flip side, this might be some attempt to get his music heard.
Mission accomplished.

And just now he's suing? As much as I want to side with the underdog he's a little late to the party.

i never realized how stupid the song was until i watched the mv.. and am i the only one who things fergie was born a man? she has the lowest voice i've ever heard come out of a woman (except for lauren bacall.. but lauren bacall is all woman! haha)

No melody, no case. End of story.

Everything is stolen, kid. Learn that now and you're way ahead of the game.

And Bryan Pringle stole his song from the 1997 3M stockholder's meeting promotional video.

I thought it was already established that Will.I.am steals all their beats?

Where is the “who cares” button everyone involved in creating this song should be ashamed

Yes, very similar. They both suck.

I started listening, thinking, “when is the intro gonna be over”, but then I thought “oh, this song is all intro”.  Really??? I mean, how generic can you get. How can someone use the same chord progression and instrumentation, without any thematic elements at all, and get mad at someone for stealing their “song”… I'm not a fan of the BEP, but come on.

Why is he just now bringing it up?

definitely similar