PEP: Apl.de.ap denies Black Eyed Peas is disbanding

Hindi magdi-disband ang grupong Black Eyed Peas. Ito ang nilinaw ng Filipino-American member ng international singing group na si Apl.de.ap, o Allan Pineda sa totoong buhay. Nitong August 17, bumisita ang international singer/rapper sa kanyang hometown sa Angeles, Pampanga, upang mag-donate ng desktop computers sa dati niyang mga paaralan. Nakapanayam si Apl ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at ng ilan pang media outfits sa Sapang Bato National High School, sa Angeles, Pampanga. Dito'y nilinaw niyang magpapahinga lang daw sila ng kanyang mga kagrupo matapos ang ilang international shows. "No, we're not breaking up," tanggi ni Apl. "We always have a cycle where we take a break and pursue our individual projects. "But, we'll never break up. "Black Eyed Peas is a friendship that could never be broken, and you know, we're just taking a break." ON HIS CAREER. Naikuwento rin ni Apl. na magkakaroon ng series of concerts ang kanilang grupo, at kasama sa listahan ang Pilipinas. "We'll still gonna be on tour," saad niya. "We're on tour until November, and we'll gonna have a show in Philippines on October 22, and I don't know where is the venue yet. "But we'll have a break after November, and then we're not breaking up, and I'm gonna pursue my solo project." Ano naman kaya ang aasahan ng mga tao sa concert na ito? "It's gonna be the best concert!" bulalas niya. "You know, always a great reception, I just really feel powerful and at home, feeling proud. "I'm gonna be bringing some local artists to sing duet with me. "But, that's surprise!" Bukod pa sa international tour ng kanilang grupo, abala rin daw si Apl sa kanyang solo album. "Right now I'm influenced with a lot of dance music, electronic, close to hip-hop," saad niya. "I want to do more a lot of sample of folk songs." At para mas mabigyan ng "individuality" ang kanyang solo album, may pinaplanong twists si Apl para dito. "You know, just mix with the Black Eyed Peas and more of personal stuff, more Tagalog songs. "One of my goals is that to add a Kapampangan song one of these days." FILIPINO AT HEART. Matapos daw ang kanilang concert tour, balak daw magbakasyon ni Apl ng dalawang buwan dito sa bansa. Ito'y isang paraan na din daw niya upang makilala at makadiskubre pa ng ibang Filipino artists. Aniya, "When we had our break, I want to live here for about two months, to really absorb and meet Filipino artists, and really absorb what's going on because, you know, I'm in and out, I got to find out things for a little bit. "But, I wanna spend some time, [to] really meet people, [and] meet new artists." Dumadalaw daw rito si Apl sa ating bansa sa tuwing may libre siyang oras. Iba daw kasi ang kultura dito, at nami-miss niya din daw kasi ang luto ng kanyang mommy. Aniya, "She doesn't like it there [United States], coz I'm not always at home, I'm always on tour. "So, she gets bored, so she likes it here better." Ilan daw sa mga paborito niyang pagkain ay "bistek, and bulalo, sinigang, and tortang talong." Pagmamalaki pa ni Allan (tunay niyang pangalan), "I could cook. I could cook chicken adobo, I could cook bistek, and sinigang." Kuwento pa niya, ipinagluto raw niya ang kanyang mga kabanda ng ilang Filipino food, at talaga daw nagustuhan nila ito, lalo na ng kaisa-isang babae ng grupo na si Fergie. "We lived in the U.K. for three months when we're working on Elephunk, I used to cook and she [Fergie] loves it!" ON LOVELIFE. Halos magkasunod ang pagdating ni Apl at ng Hollywood star at hotel heiress na si Paris Hilton. May balak ba siyang ipasyal si Paris sa ilang lugar dito sa bansa? "Sure, I guess I got to heat her up, I got to call her or tweet!" natatawang sagot niya. "You know, people always go out in L.A. and party together. "So, we'll see what she's up to." Ngayong nandito uli si Apl sa bansa, hindi maiwasang kumustahin ng ilan ang kanilang relationship ni KC Concepcion na minsan ding na-link sa kanya. Maaalala kasi noong Enero, kumalat ang balitang binigyan daw ni Apl ng Tiffany bracelet ang actress-TV host. Pero depensa ng dalaga, isa lang daw itong thank you gift mula kay Apl, at hindi tanda ng panliligaw nito sa kanya. Kamusta na nga ba sila ni KC? "We're still friends," bulalas niya. "Actually, I just wrote a song for her—not about her, but for her singing it. "We're just friends, I mean, you know, she's focused and I'm focused on what I am doing." Giit pa niya, "Right now, I'm just focusing on my career and [in] improving education, especially in the provinces. "God will make it happen, I'm just focusing on working." - Jocelyn Jimenez, PEP