Life lessons from bighearted apl.de.ap

MANILA, Philippines - Someone gave apl.de.ap a story to tell. Starting out in a Pampanga barrio, it took him on a journey across the world to America, overcoming modest beginnings, an absent father, eye problems and the odds stacked against a poor black kid in the Philippines to become a world-renowned rap artist with Black Eyed Peas.

Now that story is being told by Summit Media, whose Dream Big book series catalogues Filipino achievers — people who rose through hard work and positive values to attain greatness (previous books featured Soccoro Ramos, Lea Salonga, John Gokongwei Jr. and former DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo).

Apl braved typhoon rains and hours of Makati traffic to get to National Bookstore, where fans had probably already gotten a chance to read the children’s book devoted to his life, What’s Ap?, from cover to cover. “Sorry, I lost my voice, I’ve been doing a bunch of shows, walang voice,” he told the crowd, but that proved untrue: fans heard what he had to say loud and clear.

Apl’s book was assembled from interviews conducted by Town & Country editor Yvette Fernandez (with illustrations by Ray Sunga), and Summit will give all proceeds from sales of What’s Ap? to the apl.de.ap foundation, which helps build classrooms, sends children to school, and provides medical help to children with eye problems (apl was born with nystagmus, a condition where the eyes move involuntarily). National Book Store will also donate five percent of its net sales from the book, and Fernandez has donated her professional fee to the foundation as well.

Born Allan Pineda Lindo, apl’s dad was an African-American US airman he never met; at age 14 he got a chance to study and have an eye operation in the US through the Pearl Buck Foundation, was adopted by an American lawyer and grew up in LA with friend William James Adams Jr. (better known as fellow Black Eyed Pea will.i.am) loving music and dancing.

That part of the story is well-known: the hip-hop act Black Eyed Peas, with Fergie and others onboard, won Grammies and toured the world. Apl recalls how, at 14, he got over his initial homesickness: “My best friend will.i.am would tell me, ‘Yo, ap, don’t worry about it, man, we’re gonna make it, man, and then we’re gonna do a show back in the Philippines for your family.’ So that gave me hope.”

Someone asked apl why he chose to do a children’s book. “There’s a lot of kids just like me growing up in the Philippines, so I don’t want them to give up,” he said. “So listen to your parents, work hard and you can achieve so much. I want to inspire the kids to do the same.”

Asked to summarize the short book’s message, apl said: “It’s about a kid from humble beginnings that was given opportunities in life, and now he wants to give back.”

Toward that end, the apl.de.ap foundation has already built over 34 classrooms and sponsored 15 scholars. “The last we built was in Zamboanga, a 24-classroom public school, and 10,000 kids will be going to that school, so I’m very happy about it.”

“This is only the beginning,” he promises, mentioning that Google has also contacted him about setting up a computer lab project to help kids adopt technology early.

I asked apl about politics, especially with elections coming up here in 2016 and in a seemingly politically- and racially-divided United States.

“I think anyone that’s running for office really should focus on the education for our youth, creating more jobs and employment, and really focusing on our next generation,” he says. “You know, some things you can’t change, but you can start from the youth to change the future.”

In the US, where it’s so important for people to get along together now, what’s most important for electing a leader?

“It’s really mostly creating peace. Like judging people’s religion — just because you’re in a certain religion doesn’t mean you’re doing certain things.” He gave praise to the current US leader. “The next candidate should really follow in the footsteps of President Obama. I wish he had a longer term, because I know he’s had his ups and downs, but towards the end of his term, he’s doing really well, so hopefully they’ll continue with his values.”

Apl gives back not only through building schools, but by building up Filipino recording artists. His company BMBX Entertainment and his label Ruthless Records sign upcoming Pinoy artists, like winner of The Voice Philippines Jessica Reynoso; other acts on the label are Slapshock, Miguel Antonio and Kevin Lester.

“It’s been doing great,” says apl, who has helped Reynoso record 25 songs in the US with professional producers and musicians. “Everybody’s really excited to hear a fresh voice from the Philippines. I’m just really grateful for the support of those I’m working with in the US, basically everyone I know, the producers and writers, and putting it together.”

Apl advises hopeful singers and artists to “do a lot of live shows, let people know who you are, your personality. And coming up, don’t be scared to come up with original content, just be yourself, and push the barriers.”

As for Black Eyed Peas, he says: “We plan to get together the end of next year. For our 20th anniversary, we’re paying homage to the people that inspired us, the hip-hop artists — we compiled it into five minutes and put it in a song. We’ve been recording, we have over 30 songs, but it’s just a question of timing and when to release them.”

He thanked Summit, National, author Fernandez and his family for the day, and said the book contained long-forgotten memories, like flying newspaper-and-glue kites as a kid and hauling coal for money. (Fernandez also interviewed apl’s mom for the backstory.)

“There’s stuff in there I don’t remember doing when I was young, and my mom is like ‘Yeah, you used to do that.’ It’s refreshing to know that even when I was young, I had those values,” he said with a laugh.

Someone gave apl.de.ap a life story to tell, and now he hopes to help other kids tell their own.

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What’s Ap?: The Life Story of apl.de.ap is available at National Book Store. Like Summit Books on Facebook via Facebook.com/SummitBooks and follow on Instagram via @summit.books.