Apl.de.ap
The global beatmaker of the Black Eyed Peas who infused hip-hop with Filipino soul and championed his homeland's talent.
Born 1974 (age 52)·Filipino musician·Birthday: November 28·Generation X
Biography
Allan Pineda Lindo, known to the world as apl.de.ap, brought a distinct, international rhythm to the heart of American pop. Born in poverty in the Philippines, he was adopted as a teenager by an American family and found his footing in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene. Teaming with will.i.am, he became a foundational member of the Black Eyed Peas, initially as a beatboxer and dancer before his rapping took center stage. His verses often carried the cadence and stories of his upbringing, most powerfully in the hit 'The Apl Song,' which featured Tagalog lyrics and directly sampled a traditional Filipino folk tune. Beyond the group's stadium-filling electro-pop era, apl.de.ap has dedicated himself to philanthropy in the Philippines, building computer labs and music studios, and using his platform to spotlight Filipino artists on the world stage.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Apl.de.ap was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Apl.de.ap Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Apl.de.ap's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As a founding member of the Black Eyed Peas, won six Grammy Awards and sold tens of millions of albums worldwide.
- Pioneered the inclusion of Filipino language and musical elements in mainstream global pop with songs like 'The Apl Song.'
- Founded the apl.de.ap Foundation, which has built over 30 computer labs and music studios in Philippine public schools.
- Created and judged 'The Voice of the Philippines,' helping to launch the careers of new Filipino musical talent.
Did You Know?
He met his future bandmate will.i.am in a breakdancing circle at a Los Angeles high school.
Apl.de.ap has nystagmus, an eye condition that causes involuntary movement, and is legally blind.
He was adopted by a family in the United States through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation.
Before fame, he worked as a telemarketer and a dancer for the group 'The Tribal Nation.'
“I wanted to represent where I came from. I wanted to put the Philippines on the map.”
