Apl.de.ap (R), William (L), and Fergie (C) of the Black Eyed Peas perform during their concert in Stockholm in this September 2007 file photo. AFP/SCANPIX SWEDEN
MANILA, Philippines -- Struggle and perseverance are words that Allan Pineda Lindo dealt with early in life.
An abandoned child of an American airman stationed in Clark, Pampanga, he planted rice and other crops to help his mother earn a living. When the opportunity came for him to travel to the US, he learned to speak English by reading a dictionary.
Now that he’s achieved success as a hip hop artist, Allan -- better known as apl.de.ap of the Grammy-winning, internationally famous Black Eyed Peas -- says he wants to reconnect and give something back to his native land.
The 33-year-old Filipino-American musician is in town as the main presenter at the Myx Music Awards show held Wednesday night at the Meralco Theater. He’s also set to shoot an independent film titled “Subject: I Love You.”
In an interview shortly after his arrival, Lindo said he wanted to get his own foundation more involved in projects that would benefit Filipino children.
The Los Angeles, California-based Apl Foundation organizes an annual event called the Apl Benefit, a charity show featuring him and other musician friends. Some of the money raised has helped apl’s community in his hometown.
“We built a stage for graduation rites in my old elementary school,” he said. “We also bought computers and installed electric fans in the classrooms.”
This year, the foundation wants to raise more money to build music schools for children. “I want to launch it very soon,” he added.
Deprived children stir vivid memories for apl. Born in Sapang Bato, a poor village in Angeles, Pampanga, he remembers planting rice, corn, potato and other crops to make money and help his mother Cristina. His father, an African-American serviceman stationed at the former Clark Air Base, abandoned the family shortly after his birth.
Life was hard, but it was also during that period that he started developing an ear for music. At age 8, he heard the songs of the Filipino folk-rock group Asin through his mother.
“My mom used to have a cassette tape of Asin. That’s why when it was time for me to do a Tagalog song, the first thing that came into my mind was Asin, ‘cause it was played non-stop in our household.”
The composition, titled “The Apl Song” and which encapsulates his life story, borrows the chorus in Asin’s “Balita.” It was part of the BEP’s 2003 debut album, “Elephunk,” which went platinum in the US, UK, Germany and other European countries.
Another song he wrote, “Bebot,” recalled typical Filipino street scenes and was included in BEP’s 2005 “Monkey Business” album.
Apl tweaked some of the song’s lyrics to suit his live performance at the recent Pacquiao-Morales boxing match in Las Vegas. “I’m good friends with Pacquiao, I always visit him when he’s training in LA. I asked if I could walk him out to the ring with a song,” he recounted. “It made me feel so proud as a Filipino.”
Apl was 11 when he was sponsored by the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, an organization that finds healthier living environments for young abandoned or orphaned Amerasian children.
He was brought to the US to treat nystagmus, an involuntary movement of the eyes that afflicted him. During a trip to Disneyland, apl expressed his interest to stay in the US for good.
But when it was almost time to leave Pampanga, apl expressed apprehension. “I was so worried and asked my mom how am I gonna learn to speak English. She said, ‘Read the dictionary.’ And that was how I learned, by reading an English-Filipino dictionary like a textbook.”
Apl went to live in LA, where he met will.i.am, founder and frontman of BEP.
The group also struggled before joining the big league.
“We had to work hard to achieve our dreams. For three years we played wherever we could for free. We played in schools during lunchtime. We played a lot of benefit shows,” he said.
“But we believed in ourselves and soon we started having a following. The audience got bigger after every show. And then record companies took notice of us,” apl recalled.
He also sold popcorn in movie theaters, handled a telemarketing job, and did construction work while recording the early albums with BEP. “The struggle made us strong as a group,” he said.
Now BEP can afford to take a break, temporarily, while its members pursue individual projects. Will and female vocalist Fergie have both released their own respective albums, while apl is currently working on his debut solo.
He said his debut would contain “new songs about the country and some that can make you dance. It has modern sounds like house music, but I also put in some folk guitar and tinikling beats.”
One of the new songs, “Island ,” was heard for the first time at the Myx Music Awards. Apl performed with another Filipino-American, a female DJ named Mia Guzman.
Apl added that the album would feature collaborations with other Filipino artists such as the Apo Hiking Society, Billy Crawford and Lolita Carbon of Asin. “It’s kinda like a Black Eyed Peas album but this time, it will show my individuality, who I am, where I came from, the struggle I’ve been through.”
Today he can live like a rock star, but refuses to. “I’m still Allan Pineda who eats with my hands at home. I like simple things. I’m not trying to get all bling-blinged out, you know, and have five cars and buy a four million dollar house. I just built a simple house where I was born in Sapang Bato."
Asked to define himself, apl responded with meekness. “I’m a Filipino who came from humble beginnings. I try not to forget that.”
Although he has never known nor met his father, apl has no intention of seeking him out.
“A couple of years ago I was really interested to look for him. I asked my mom, and she said something that made me think otherwise. She said, ‘You might not like what you’ll find out.’”
It’s something apl would rather not struggle to find out.
Copyright 2009 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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