apl.de.ap facts for kids

apl.de.ap
apl.de.ap in 2011
Born	Allan Pineda Lindo (1974-11-28) November 28, 1974 (age 50) Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines
Citizenship	Philippines United States
Occupation	Rapper, singer, record producer
Years active	1988–present
Television	The Voice of the Philippines
Musical career
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop alternative hip hop hip house electro
Labels	BMBX Entertainment

Allan Pineda Lindo (born November 28, 1974), known as apl.de.ap, is a Filipino and American rapper, singer, and music producer. He is a founding member of the famous hip hop group Black Eyed Peas. With the Black Eyed Peas, he has been nominated for many Grammy Awards and won six of them, including Best Pop Vocal Album.

Early Life and Challenges

Allan Pineda Lindo was born in Angeles City, Philippines. His mother, Cristina Pineda, raised him. His father, an American airman, left the family when Allan was very young. As a child, Allan helped his family by farming sweet potatoes, corn, sugar cane, and rice. He also traveled an hour each way to school by jeepney.

A group called the Pearl S. Buck Foundation helped Allan. They connected him with a sponsor named Joe Ben Hudgens, a lawyer. This program helped Allan get a better living environment.

Moving to the United States

Allan first came to the U.S. at age 11 for medical treatment. He has a condition called nystagmus, which causes his eyes to move without him controlling them. This condition affects his vision. After visiting Disneyland, Allan wanted to live in the U.S. It took three more years, but Mr. Hudgens officially adopted him. At age 14, Allan moved to Los Angeles, California, to live with the Hudgens family.

Meeting will.i.am and Musical Influences

In Los Angeles, Allan attended John Marshall High School. There, he met and became friends with William Adams, known as will.i.am. Will.i.am was the nephew of Mr. Hudgens' roommate.

Allan's mother introduced him to music from artists like Stevie Wonder, the Eagles, the Beatles, and the Filipino band Asin. He discovered hip hop and break dancing by watching kids in Angeles City. He said, "I would see kids at the corner break-dancing and I'm like, 'I wanna do that.'"

In 2011, apl.de.ap shared that he is legally blind in both eyes due to nystagmus. His vision was improved with surgery in 2012.

Allan has faced personal sadness, losing two of his younger brothers.

Musical Journey

Forming the Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas started in 1988. Allan (apl.de.ap) and will.i.am met in eighth grade and began rapping together in Los Angeles. In 1992, they signed with Ruthless Records. With their friend Dante Santiago, they formed a group called Atban Klann. Their first album, Grass Roots, was never released.

The Black Eyed Peas performing in Paris

After 1995, Atban Klann changed their name to Black Eyed Pods, then to Black Eyed Peas. Taboo joined the group, and Kim Hill became a background singer. Unlike many hip hop groups, they performed with a live band. They had a unique musical and clothing style. They signed with Interscope Records and released their first album, Behind the Front (1998). Critics praised the album. One song, "Joints & Jam", was featured in a movie soundtrack. Their second album, Bridging the Gap (2000), included the song "Request + Line" with Macy Gray.

Breakthrough with Elephunk

In 2001, the group started working on their third album, Elephunk, which came out in 2003. At first, only will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo were on the album. While making the song "Shut Up", they realized they needed a female singer. Fergie was introduced to will.i.am, and she quickly became a permanent member of the Black Eyed Peas.

Elephunk became a huge success. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Top 200 in the U.S. and number 3 in the UK. The album sold over 8.5 million copies worldwide. The songs "Where Is the Love?" and "Shut Up" both reached number 1. "Hey Mama" was used in many advertisements. "Let's Get It Started" was also very popular. The Black Eyed Peas even worked with Electronic Arts to put their music and characters into the video game The Urbz.

Continued Success with Monkey Business

Work on their fourth album, Monkey Business, began in 2003. This was their second album with Fergie. Released in 2005, Monkey Business sold over 10 million copies worldwide. It was certified three times Platinum in the U.S. The album earned the group four Grammy Award nominations in 2006. They won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Don't Phunk with My Heart". After this album, the band decided to take a break to work on their own projects.

New Era and More Hits

The Black Eyed Peas performing in 2009

In 2009, the group released their fifth album, The E.N.D. ("The Energy Never Dies"). This album had a more electronic hip hop sound. It sold 304,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200. The E.N.D. was one of the best-selling albums of 2009 in the U.S.

The group made history in 2009 by having two songs, "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling", at the number 1 and number 2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. Their next song, "Meet Me Halfway", also did very well. These three songs were number one for 30 weeks in a row in 2009. "Imma Be" also reached number one, making them one of the few groups to have three number-one songs from the same album.

In November 2010, they released the album The Beginning. The first song, "The Time (Dirty Bit)", was a hit in many countries. In February 2011, the group performed at the Super Bowl XLV halftime show. The music video for their second song, "Just Can't Get Enough", was filmed in Japan. In July 2011, the group announced they were taking another break.

Solo Projects and Advocacy

The Black Eyed Peas in 2011

On October 11, 2011, apl.de.ap launched a new campaign called "We Can Be Anything". This campaign uses a song to encourage children in the Philippines and around the world to stay in school. He worked with the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) and the Department of Education. Their goal was to build 10,000 classrooms in two years. His bandmates supported the campaign at a Black Eyed Peas concert.

In October 2013, he released a music video called "Jump In" with Jessica Sanchez, a singer from American Idol. In March 2013, apl.de.ap became one of the four coaches for the first season of The Voice of the Philippines. He later returned for the second season. He also appeared as a guest mentor on The Voice Australia.

In 2019, apl.de.ap worked with Filipino composer Ryan Cayabyab for the opening ceremony of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines. The Black Eyed Peas also performed at the closing ceremony.

Other Activities

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Apl.de.ap has been recognized for his charity work in America by the This Time Foundation.

In 2008, he started the Apl Foundation to help communities and children in the Philippines and other parts of Asia. In 2011, his foundation partnered with the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) to create the "We Can Be Anything" campaign. This project aimed to build many new classrooms for students.

Coaching on The Voice of the Philippines

In 2012, apl.de.ap mentioned that he wanted to start his own talent show in the Philippines. This led to rumors that he would join The Voice of the Philippines.

In March 2013, it was confirmed that apl.de.ap would be the fourth coach for the show. He arrived in Manila in April to work with the other coaches. His friend and bandmate, will.i.am, who was a coach on The Voice UK, encouraged him to take the role. Apl.de.ap wanted to share his experiences and give honest advice to his artists. He also coached on The Voice Teens.

Starting BMBX Entertainment

In 2014, apl.de.ap started his own music label called BMBX Entertainment. The name "BMBX" refers to 'boombox'. His goal is to sign artists from Southeast Asia, like the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia. He wants to help them create music with a Western style by working with musicians in Los Angeles. Some artists on his label include Slapshock and Jessica Reynoso.

Personal Life

Apl.de.ap was born with nystagmus, a condition that causes his eyes to move without him controlling them, which limits his vision. In 2012, he had surgery to help correct his vision.

Besides speaking English, Allan also speaks two languages from the Philippines: Tagalog and Kapampangan.

Discography

As Lead Artist

Collaborations

Awards

• 2008 – Special Citation – Myx Music Awards
• 2010 – Best Hip-Hop/Rap Performance: Take Me to the Philippines – Filipino-American Vocal Arts Society Online Music Awards
• 2012 GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards - Global Achievement by a Filipino Artist

See also

In Spanish: Apl.de.ap para niños