Rapper, producer, chef, farmer—Apl.de.Ap has worn many hats over the last five decades. Most international fans will know him as one of the pillars of the Black Eyed Peas, but Filipinos will always remember him as the kid from Pampanga who, against all odds, helped form one of the greatest musical acts of all time. Let it be known that in the realm of music, Allen Pinedo Lindo wins the title of the OG for putting Filipino talent on the mainstream map.
Three decades into his career, Apl is cementing his legacy not just in music, but in his community. https://tinyurl.com/88ar6m9m
Three decades into his career, Apl is cementing his legacy not just in music, but in his community. https://tinyurl.com/88ar6m9m
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CreativityTranscript
00:00 The first thing I purchased once I made some money was a rice field.
00:06 I don't know, I was just like, "You know if I buy a rice field, my mom never has to buy rice ever again."
00:14 [Music]
00:30 Yeah, I'm very like, you know, very excited to see other Filipinos in the game.
00:36 You know, we've always been in the background, you know, in our beginning from DJs to MCs,
00:44 and now we're in the forefront of American culture.
00:48 And I'm just proud to see everybody that I can relate to, and I'm like, "Hey!"
00:54 You know, it's like seeing Pinoys around the world, you know.
00:59 It's like you get that instant connection, and you just feel proud.
01:05 [Music]
01:12 You know, it's important for, you know, especially for Web3 because it protects the artists from their creation, you know.
01:22 It gives them like an equal playing field, especially in the industry these days, you know.
01:28 It's hard to like, you know, and they could directly to the listeners, to supporters with their creations.
01:36 So it's a great tool to have.
01:38 [Music]
01:44 It could kind of like, you know, learn data, but for anything, something new, new music, new songs, new emotions.
01:57 I don't think it could replace musicians, you know.
02:01 It could enhance, but you could never replace a human emotions and writing.
02:08 [Music]
02:15 We've always been trying to push the envelope and try to utilize technology to our advantage.
02:21 And instead of fearing it, embrace it and like try to use it.
02:26 We've been doing, you know, from "Dirty Bit" to "I Got a Feeling," even on "Rock Your Body."
02:32 If you pay attention to the beginning of the song, we were already talking about AI, you know.
02:38 We didn't have to like show up in the studio to record our vocals and stuff.
02:43 But we've always been, you know, ahead and try to push the envelope and just utilizing all the technologies around us, all the platforms.
02:52 [Music]
02:58 Going back home every year, every Christmas, I've seen the discrepancy of just a place to educate the youth.
03:07 We built a computer lab in Sapang Bato, the foundation that built a music studio.
03:13 Aspiring artists could go there and record their demos and music, and as well as classrooms, you know.
03:21 It's very important to have a structure to build dreams.
03:25 From cleaning the surroundings to recycling and to agriculture, you know.
03:33 I want to improve that, provide opportunities to people in my neighborhood.
03:37 [Music]
03:43 So I used to tag along with my grandfather. He was a farmer.
03:46 So I used to go to the mountain with him and plant from corns to sweet potatoes, to kamoten kahoy, to tubo, as well as a designated kalabao driver, you know.
03:58 Tagging along with my grandfather, it always kind of like, there was like a concern inside, inside of me like,
04:06 "Okay, I got to learn most of these things so I could continue my grandfather's legacy in my family."
04:13 The first thing I purchased once I made some money was a rice field.
04:19 I don't know, I was just like, "You know, if I buy a rice field, my mom never has to buy rice ever again."
04:27 So instead of fancy cars, I bought like a land for a rice field.
04:33 And beyond music, it's been kind of knocking on my door to get back to it.
04:39 I've been meeting people that talks about agriculture and how we're actually running out of soil, healthy soil, to grow crops.
04:49 When that was brought up to me, I'm like, "Oh, I felt kind of obligated to do something about it."
04:54 [Music]
05:00 Not too much like technology, technology, but mostly like organic type of technology, you know.
05:08 I think collecting data, using AI, we could utilize that in the future to like, learn the cycle of certain vegetables,
05:16 or learning the environment of what kind of like microbes are that's needed in that surrounding, you know.
05:26 So it's mostly organic technology, I would say.
05:29 [Music]
05:35 I've always been like the cook of the crew, you know.
05:40 I like cooking for my friends on the weekends, on boxing nights, football, basketball.
05:49 So I would invite everybody and I like cooking.
05:52 I was nervous at first, but it's one of my passions.
05:56 So I'd like to showcase what I know, and as well as learning new things, you know.
06:02 I got to introduce our cuisine.
06:05 All I cooked was all Filipino food, you know.
06:09 I like to introduce our cuisine around the world, you know, and I'm very proud of it.
06:15 It was fun.
06:16 You know, I got sauces coming, apple sauces.
06:21 We're working on that.
06:22 That's another legacy that I'd like to capture is my mom's cooking, you know.
06:27 I've asked her to send me recipes.
06:29 It's all on my fridge in LA, from bistec to adobo.
06:34 So definitely in the future, I'd like to open up a restaurant.
06:37 [Music]
06:42 I'd say my philanthropy work, I was blessed to give an opportunity to become who I am now,
06:49 to have the opportunity to become a Black-eyed pea.
06:52 So I like to reciprocate that and help other kids paying it forward.
06:56 But music got me there, so, but definitely I'd like to spread the love, the opportunity,
07:04 and help other kids.
07:05 [Music]
07:10 More music.
07:11 I have a side project coming.
07:15 This one, you're gonna have to really pay attention because it's gonna be under another alias.
07:21 And as well as the sustainable agriculture.
07:26 I'm very excited about that.
07:27 Make it an example with the things I'm talking about, the biochar and how the healthier,
07:34 how healthier the crops are.
07:35 So not just talking about it, I want to show it and, you know, make my, one of the farm
07:43 as an example.
07:45 We also got a beer coming out.
07:46 I'm introducing different type of beers around the world that I've experienced.
07:52 So I'd like to bring some of that taste back home.
07:55 I would like to create a retreat center to introduce healthier eating.
08:00 It fixes a lot of things, medical-wise.
08:03 That's one of my dreams and goals.
08:05 From old school to new school, I mean, a lot.
08:13 From Asin to Apple Hiking to SB19, the hip-hop artists in the Philippines, from Glock 9 to
08:24 Abra to violin.
08:27 I like everything, you know, from different music genres coming from the Philippines.
08:32 Hopefully I made my country proud that I helped out other people with the blessings that I have.
08:45 I can't take it with you.
08:46 Might as well spread the love and what you have to other people.
08:51 [Music]