Apl.de.Ap takes on new roles in humanitarian and creative projects

Global celebrity Apl.de.Ap of Black Eyed Peas will soon be taking on a new role. He will be appearing as a contestant in the latest edition of Master Chef UK. His participation in the program aligns with his lifelong passion for the culinary arts.

The Pampanga-born musician is currently developing new projects in the food and beverage space, including a sustainably sourced coffee and a new craft beer, both from the Philippines, and a cookbook of Filipino cuisine written together with his mother.

Apl has also been developing an innovative sustainability enterprise related to farming in the Philippines, focused on the uses and technology of biochar, to help address food scarcity and provide economic independence for provincial farming communities.

Through the Apl.de.Ap Foundation International, the multi-hyphenate has been providing resources and support to Filipino youth and underserved communities worldwide. Now celebrating 12 years, the foundation is bridging even closer its work between the Philippines and the US with its renewed focus on education, arts, and innovation.

The foundation says, “From Angeles City to Los Angeles, new foundation projects are focused on two key areas — 1.) creative innovation and 2.) sustainability — setting the stage for more exciting news from Apl.de.Ap this year.”

Through the foundation, Apl has launched a creative arts fellowship in the US to connect talented young people to more opportunities in the creative industries. With the Allan Pineda Arts Leader Fellowship, two senior high school students of Filipino descent from LA County High School for the Arts were awarded inaugural fellowships.

They have been working with Apl’s team at the Black Eyed Peas studio in L.A. where they have been meeting and learning from top entertainment industry executives, such as Pixar Animation co-founder Ralph Guggenheim and will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas. They have also been encouraged to apply new skills to their creative interests and artistic abilities.

Based on the success of this pilot program, Apl aims to replicate this fellowship for youth in the Philippines and other communities worldwide.

Amid all his projects, Apl.de.Ap is getting ready to embark on another international tour with Black Eyed Peas this summer while concurrently developing a major project in entertainment that will be announced later this year.