(UPDATE) Apl.de.Ap Kicks Off Benefit ConcertABS-CBN - Thursday, October 15
MANILA – Apl.de.ap of Grammy Award-winning group the Black Eyed Peas led an all-night hip hop party at Skydome, SM North Edsa Thursday.
Filipino hip hop artists from here and abroad gathered at the Skydome for the benefit concert.
The Filipino American international singer organized the concert to help thousands of flood victims here. Tickets were sold for P150 each. The proceeds from the concert will go to the affected communities.
“That’s why it’s important for me to go back [here]… to help out. I donated money and also we bought a couple of boxes of food, canned goods and stuff like that,” apl.de.ap said.
After the benefit concert, apl.de.ap will immediately fly back to Los Angeles, California for the Black Eyed Peas' show there. He will reportedly return to the country in November to celebrate his birthday with his fellow kababayans in Pampanga.
Right after tropical storm Ondoy (international codename Ketsana) caused massive devastation in the country, apl.de.ap, the creative ambassador to the Philippines, pledged immediate assistance to thousands of affected Filipinos.
He also made an appeal to the international community to provide aid to the storm victims.
"My heart is broken to see so many of my Filipino brothers and sisters hurt by this disaster. We must all bond together and move forward to restore the city we hold dear. I'm asking the global community for their support and donations to assist the thousands of Filipinos affected by this tragedy," the singer said.
apl.de.ap is now a leading hip hop musician and record producer in the US. He set up his own record label, Jeepney Music, to help fellow Filipino artists make it in the international music scene. -Report from Ginger Conejero, ABS-CBN News.