Black Eyed Peas’ Fil-Am member to promote Pinoy roots in new album

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – Filipino-American musician and record producer Allan Pineda Lindo of the Black Eyed Peas (BEP) is coming out with a solo album that includes songs promoting his Filipino roots.

Lindo revealed that for his solo album, he composed a song titled “Mama Pilipina” which highlights the beauty of the Philippines while another song depicts the “economic imbalance between the rich and the poor.”

“Although each of us (BEP members) has solo projects, we’re not breaking up and we are actually helping each other with our solo stints,” Lindo stressed during an interview with the local television station Aksyon Central Luzon.

“Within the year, we will come up with a new BEP album,” added Lindo, also known as Apl.De.Ap to his fans.

Lindo’s album, scheduled for release this May, includes “Shake,” “Dance With You,” “Back Away,” “Repeat It Loud” and “Put Your Hands Up.”

His best friend William James Adams Jr., also known as Will.I.Am, is the executive producer of the album.

Lindo also said he created Jeepney Music as his “search engine” to open up projects for Filipino talents in the US and other countries.

“I have already signed up for an R&B project in the US. I will sign up and promote R&B, hip-hop and rock projects. I believe that there are many talented Filipinos and their talent is great and globally competitive, just waiting to be tapped. I don’t want such great talent to be wasted,” he said.

He also stressed that BEP members have vowed to become “models of humility because they make it a point to perform for free once in a while in the places where they started and where their original fans are.”

Lindo said he has invested in a farm in Pampanga and also plans to invest at the Clark Freeport.

He also contributes to the humanitarian projects of the Apple Benefit Foundation and Pearl S. Buck Foundation which support several Amerasian children in Angeles.

Lindo is the son of Christina Pineda of Sapang Bato in Angeles City, which is just a fence away from this freeport. He went to high school at the Holy Angel University in Angeles City.

Lindo said he grew up as a “grandma and mama’s boy.”

At 14, he was adopted by an American through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation.

He and best friend William started rapping and breakdancing all over Los Angeles, California in 1995 but the group signed up for their first record album in 1998.