Apl.de.Ap of BLACK EYED PEAS shares HIS Journey to SUCCESS | EPISODE # 250 The Paco's Place Podcast
00:32.0
And he's like, no, no, you got it, you got it.
00:36.1
So he's like, I'm gonna put on some beats
00:39.7
and just try to say it on top of your head and make it rhyme.
00:47.5
Because Will would freestyle, right?
00:49.0
Yeah, he was already freestyling already.
00:51.1
So he would put on beats like...
00:54.1
And then I'm like, alright, I got something.
00:58.1
I got something, you know?
01:02.1
He's like, yo, that's dope, man.
01:14.3
What did you say?
01:16.8
Welcome to the Paco's Place Podcast.
01:20.7
And the podcast will begin in 5, 4...
01:26.0
Ladies and gentlemen,
01:31.5
Guest needs no further introduction.
01:33.3
Big round of applause, Mr. Apple Dap!
01:40.9
Hey, what's up? What's up, guys?
01:43.0
Thank you. Thank you.
01:45.4
Thank you, Apple. Thank you for doing this.
01:47.6
You've been an inspiration.
01:49.4
You were on a short list when we started this podcast.
01:52.7
And you just validated...
01:54.1
You validated everybody who sat on that chair,
01:56.5
including the person who donated that chair,
01:59.3
your good friend, Mr. Vince Nantes.
02:01.1
Oh, nice. Oh, cool, Vince.
02:03.9
Yeah, give it up.
02:06.1
They actually donated stuff at my house, too.
02:12.9
Yeah, when he moved.
02:13.6
When he moved, right?
02:15.2
So they brought me a bar.
02:16.7
I'm like, you know what?
02:19.4
You know, my mom said always,
02:21.0
don't turn grace away, so...
02:24.1
Speaking of Vince, you guys wrote a song.
02:28.3
Which is currently, as of right now,
02:30.5
we're in March 2024.
02:32.5
It's a song, Too Proud.
02:36.8
We wrote it during pandemic.
02:39.5
Now, was the idea to have Sandara as part of it
02:42.2
or that came later?
02:43.6
So, as always, we are good friends with 21.
02:49.5
We have a mutual friend in Philippines
02:52.5
named Kathy Villarba.
02:54.1
And she's done a lot of work in Philippines.
02:56.7
She's done soap operas.
02:59.3
She learned how to speak Tagalog.
03:00.9
So, I was looking for a feature.
03:04.3
And our girl Kathy suggested her.
03:08.4
And yeah, we did it via internet.
03:11.9
Yeah, via internet.
03:12.9
I just sent her the track and the lyrics.
03:15.7
And then she recorded it over there in Korea.
03:21.4
And then that's how we finished the song.
03:24.1
So, my wife and I, we've been debating about Too Proud.
03:27.6
Because we were listening to the lyrics.
03:30.1
And tell me what the message of the song is.
03:34.2
My thing is, I was telling my wife,
03:36.6
Too Proud speaks about being teammates
03:39.5
like you and your partner acting as one team.
03:42.8
And, you know, I mean, whether you're number two
03:44.8
or number one with regard to that team.
03:47.6
That is pretty good.
03:50.2
I like that little explanation.
03:51.1
Because when you're...
03:54.1
Communicating, you know, you like, you help each other.
03:59.7
You help each other win.
04:00.9
You know, so when she's around you and you're around her
04:04.8
and you guys in proper communication and like in tune.
04:10.8
Then you make each other number one, you know.
04:13.2
And the nice thing about it, the lyrics is,
04:15.5
it's not vulgar, but it's naughty.
04:20.3
It's very intimate.
04:24.1
You really have to be really in tune with this other person
04:27.8
in order for that song to...
04:29.9
You guys should listen to it.
04:30.8
It's on Spotify, right?
04:31.9
Yeah, it's on Spotify.
04:34.3
You know, sometimes when you're in a long distance relationship,
04:42.2
You know what I mean?
04:42.9
Like, so there's a lot of uncertainty.
04:46.4
Like, where is this going?
04:47.6
You know, but you still got that like, you know what I mean?
04:50.6
Like, you know, you still want to be with that.
04:54.1
Like, why FaceTime?
04:56.0
Yeah, like where, you know?
04:57.3
Like, yo, like, there's no doubt I want to be with you.
05:03.1
There shouldn't be no doubt.
05:05.5
You know, so reciprocal, right?
05:07.7
I like the lyrics.
05:08.6
I mean, oh my God, the lyrics of the song.
05:10.1
And, uh, yeah, so...
05:11.2
And the way it was delivered, the way it was produced,
05:14.0
the way you sang on it, even the whole production.
05:18.1
It was very nice.
05:19.2
Thank you, thank you.
05:20.2
Yeah, big up to Keith Harris.
05:24.1
Um, our MD for the Black Eyed Peace.
05:28.2
Yeah, hooked it up.
05:29.8
Um, I started the song and then he, uh, finished it off.
05:34.8
You said the Black Eyed Peace.
05:36.6
I was, um, I was on a forum, and this was years ago.
05:40.7
And people in the forum would say, or maybe it's a myth,
05:44.4
is there a difference between the Black Eyed Peace and Black Eyed Peace?
05:50.9
Sometimes it's trio, sometimes it's quartet.
05:55.6
So, the Black Eyed Peace is what?
05:58.3
The trio or the quartet?
06:00.2
And then if it's Black Eyed Peace...
06:04.7
Okay, we could put that to bed now.
06:07.9
See, that's one thing I wanted to find out.
06:10.8
Now, since we're in the topic of the Black Eyed Peace,
06:13.6
or Black Eyed Peace,
06:15.2
I was at church when my aunt actually said,
06:17.9
have you listened to Where's the Love?
06:19.7
I was in Norwalk.
06:21.0
Would never forget that.
06:23.1
have you heard of the group Black Eyed Peace?
06:24.1
Black Eyed Peace.
06:26.4
You should listen to this.
06:28.3
And that was a Justin Timberlake feature.
06:32.5
And then my aunt goes,
06:34.5
one of them is Filipino.
06:37.4
And I was new in the States at the time,
06:39.7
probably a year and a half in the States.
06:42.2
And that's when I kind of researched your story.
06:46.9
And two decades later,
06:48.6
here we are face to face.
06:50.5
So, you've really been an inspiration to me.
06:53.3
And not only to me,
06:54.1
but to the people I mentor.
06:56.8
Now, I'll go deep.
06:59.0
Because you also have mentored people.
07:01.7
But most importantly,
07:03.6
the person who is singing with the peace right now,
07:07.7
you actually mentored her.
07:10.5
Janice Javier also was here on the podcast.
07:13.9
Said a lot of good words about you.
07:15.9
But one thing that she will never forget
07:18.5
is how you fed her.
07:24.1
He feeds me all the time.
07:27.5
But talk about that mentorship.
07:29.6
Where did that heart come from?
07:32.5
I think it's from,
07:35.9
I mean, doing The Voice.
07:38.7
The Voice Philippines kind of taught me
07:40.9
how to do the mentoring.
07:44.8
Because you really have to,
07:46.6
because I didn't want to do the show at first.
07:50.5
because I can't see more than 10 feet.
07:53.8
I can't see faces.
07:56.9
when it was brought up,
07:59.2
I tried, you know,
08:00.2
we tried the first day
08:01.5
and I got back to the hotel.
08:03.3
I can't do this, you know?
08:05.9
we got the idea to put a screen
08:12.2
So, now I get to look.
08:14.0
I get to connect a little bit visually
08:15.8
and then I get to comment, you know?
08:20.2
so that got me, you know, comfortable.
08:22.4
And then after a while,
08:25.6
actually was brought up by my best friend,
08:30.2
yo, you should do The Voice Philippines.
08:33.4
Because he was in the UK?
08:36.0
yeah, they got like this blind audition.
08:39.6
I'm like, oh, shoot.
08:41.7
I didn't do that, right?
08:46.1
I didn't know what that meant at that time.
08:50.2
you turn around with the chair, right?
08:59.7
When I was comfortable,
09:03.9
you really gotta dig in deep,
09:06.9
in how to really mentor an artist.
09:10.0
Because it feels like
09:11.2
their career is in your hands.
09:13.4
You know what I mean?
09:14.1
Like, while doing a show,
09:15.9
a proper way to perform,
09:18.0
to connect with the crowd.
09:26.2
listening to hip-hop.
09:27.6
Listening to Tribe,
09:30.2
They were mentoring us
09:38.3
when I was going to school in Philippines,
09:43.2
because I would sit in the back, right?
09:44.7
I would try to hide
09:45.9
so you don't get picked to read, right?
09:48.7
but she'd always make me
09:51.2
almost every day.
09:54.9
Can you read the first paragraph?
09:58.0
ah, I can't see from here, mom.
10:00.6
It's like, well, get up.
10:02.0
Get up where you can see it
10:03.2
till you can see it, you know?
10:05.0
So, I had to get up
10:06.4
until I'm like five feet away from the board.
10:09.1
And then, you know,
10:10.4
everyone was laughing, you know.
10:12.4
My crush was there, you know.
10:15.1
And then, I'm like,
10:17.0
you know, for a while, I'm like,
10:18.5
she's always picking on me.
10:20.4
You know, she knows I'm blind.
10:26.2
And then, it dawned on me later
10:28.5
that she was teaching me a lesson.
10:31.0
To not to give up into my disability.
10:35.6
Yeah, so she was one of my mentor.
10:41.2
my dad was a mentor.
10:43.9
he would check my English subject
10:47.3
whenever I'd come home with the homework.
10:49.2
That would be, excuse me,
10:50.6
that would be Mr. Hudgens.
10:51.8
Mr. Hudgens, yeah.
10:52.4
Yeah, Joven Hudgens.
10:57.1
that's, and my mom.
11:01.2
she always has kids
11:02.4
around the neighborhood around
11:06.2
Either working for her
11:09.9
helping them with schooling
11:11.0
and stuff like that.
11:15.1
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:18.5
That's where it all comes from.
11:20.3
as you're telling me this,
11:22.4
it's amazing though.
11:27.3
and disregarded your disability.
11:30.0
How about around the house?
11:32.1
like this disability,
11:33.2
this is nystagmus.
11:38.5
ignore that disability
11:39.8
so that you and your siblings
11:41.0
can be pantay-pantay
11:44.2
shoulder to shoulder?
11:46.5
like, she never showed me
11:47.8
I had a disability.
11:49.8
so I felt normal, you know,
11:51.4
until I went to school.
11:52.5
I'm like, oh, wait.
11:54.1
Oh, look, I'm different.
11:57.2
Everyone could read the board
11:58.5
and I can't, you know.
12:00.1
So, that was like,
12:01.5
that's why getting into music,
12:04.0
once I discovered music,
12:06.7
because I went to like,
12:07.8
I went to fashion school
12:08.8
when me and Will went to
12:11.5
for fashion design
12:13.7
we were coming up,
12:15.6
we would shop at thrift stores
12:20.4
That's all we could afford
12:21.7
we would go to the store
12:22.4
and we would just cut off
12:23.6
and make our own style,
12:26.6
let's learn how to make
12:27.6
our clothing, you know.
12:30.1
we were at LA Trade Tech
12:32.7
first day of school.
12:34.1
We were sitting in the back
12:35.6
and you had to learn
12:37.3
how to draw a face,
12:40.6
I can't see that,
12:45.4
can't see the board.
12:47.1
you just want to get out of here
12:51.5
And we just walked out.
12:52.1
And we just walked out.
12:53.7
Never looked back.
12:54.8
Never looked back
12:55.6
and made music from there.
12:57.4
are like brothers.
12:59.4
How did that relationship start?
13:02.9
I was born in Sapang Bato,
13:10.4
We have Kapampalans
13:11.7
in the studio also.
13:13.7
What's up, Kabalans?
13:17.7
my dad was in the US Air Force,
13:26.1
before I was even born.
13:28.6
But my mom discovered
13:29.7
a foundation called
13:30.7
Perilous Buck Foundation
13:32.0
where they support
13:34.0
abandoned immigration kids.
13:36.2
those commercials.
13:37.5
Send 75 cents to a kid,
13:41.4
they get sponsors from the US.
13:47.8
and school supplies
13:51.4
For the school year.
13:53.9
you get to go through
14:01.3
show receipts as well,
14:03.1
So that they know
14:03.6
it's really going to the kid.
14:07.8
a thank you letter.
14:09.2
in my thank you letter,
14:11.6
actually apologize
14:16.6
that my math grade
14:18.8
I have a rare condition
14:21.7
and I can't see the board,
14:23.7
by telling him that story,
14:32.1
condition checked
14:41.8
come to find out,
14:45.2
under seven years old.
14:52.4
stop adding the math.
15:01.9
by telling him that story,
15:04.3
when I was here in the US,
15:07.1
during our breaks,
15:08.5
we would go to like Disneyland
15:09.7
and Universal Studio.
15:21.7
in the Philippines.
15:25.5
so it wasn't a Universal
15:26.6
Studio attraction,
15:28.9
I got to sit in there,
15:31.6
But they were just probably
15:37.4
You ready to ride?
15:39.5
You wanna get ready
15:40.0
to get McDonald's?
15:41.7
Drive through only,
15:46.2
can I stay longer?
15:50.1
or would you adopt me?
15:54.2
let me talk to your mother
15:55.1
and the Philippine government,
15:57.0
let's see what we could do.
16:01.6
he processed the adoption.
16:04.3
three years later,
16:09.5
my adopted father
16:12.7
with Will.i.am's uncle.
16:15.1
He's the first person
16:16.6
when I got to America.
16:25.4
Will's uncle suggested
16:27.9
And you weren't in school
16:30.3
I wasn't enrolled yet.
16:32.5
they took me to East LA
16:37.2
Did you connect right away?
16:39.9
he was pissed off.
16:45.5
he told me later why.
16:47.1
Because he had a,
16:49.6
he had a girlfriend
16:50.0
in school, right?
16:51.1
now he has to miss
16:51.9
a couple of days of school
16:54.6
to hang out with this guy
16:56.1
from the Philippines,
17:02.0
Where's Philippines?
17:03.6
of that place anyway,
17:05.6
I got to the house
17:07.5
and Will comes down
17:09.3
and then he's like,
17:11.3
he's like looking at me
17:17.1
you from the Philippines?
17:20.4
what do you do there?
17:21.7
What do you do there?
17:28.6
take care of water buffaloes
17:31.0
and I break down.
17:33.2
You have a pet bison?
17:42.1
You know how to break dance?
17:46.9
this new dance move
17:48.0
called the running man.
17:49.6
I saw it on a Pepsi commercial,
17:53.7
the next generation
17:54.8
and they were doing
18:02.9
I was practicing that
18:04.2
and then when I met Will,
18:06.0
that's the first dance
18:07.5
was the running man.
18:08.6
And then he was like,
18:10.4
you know the running man?
18:14.0
from the Philippines.
18:19.9
I showed him the running man
18:21.0
and then after that,
18:22.3
he started going to my house
18:23.7
instead of me going
18:24.7
to his house every weekend,
18:26.5
started going to my house
18:28.3
and then I started,
18:30.3
when I was enrolled,
18:31.2
I started meeting
18:33.8
and they would invite us
18:35.5
to house parties.
18:37.2
which meant that you
18:38.4
were like that already.
18:40.0
And we got started
18:41.3
in the Filipino scene
18:43.3
at house parties.
18:46.5
And that's how I met Will.
18:51.5
performed at SIPA.
18:55.5
performed here first.
19:00.2
that was our home.
19:01.9
That's where we practiced.
19:03.9
That's where we like,
19:06.0
did our first show.
19:07.8
It's a place to go to,
19:11.5
so now you and Will.
19:11.9
Shout out to SIPA.
19:16.8
like you and Will
19:17.7
were hanging out.
19:19.5
come into the picture?
19:20.8
come into the picture?
19:25.5
popular in the Filipino scene,
19:27.7
Just both of you,
19:30.6
That was the name of our crew.
19:32.3
And then a friend of ours
19:35.9
in the Asian scene,
19:37.3
but you gotta go to Hollywood
19:38.8
to get the rest of the world,
19:45.0
a club called Ballistics.
19:47.0
And it was thrown by
19:49.8
by Married With Children,
19:51.8
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:53.5
So he used to throw that club
19:56.1
we started going there
19:58.1
and Will started joining
20:01.8
and I was joining
20:15.7
on the dance floor
20:17.8
in the Ballistics
20:21.3
become friends and stuff
20:22.6
and we liked his energy.
20:26.9
this guy's like a character,
20:29.3
he had that charisma,
20:31.5
and we were like,
20:34.0
you wanna join our crew?
20:37.5
that's how we met Tab.
20:39.0
like when you say
20:39.4
you wanna join our crew,
20:43.9
because he was like
20:44.5
good with the crowd,
20:46.4
are kind of like,
20:48.4
we're kind of pretty chill.
20:56.0
I just act all the time.
20:59.0
but Tab will get down there,
21:00.9
get the crowd involved
21:02.4
we need that guy,
21:05.5
especially hip hop,
21:06.6
you need the crowd participation.
21:08.5
You want everyone involved,
21:15.1
that's how we got Tab.
21:16.1
That's how we recruited Tab.
21:20.1
When did you guys
21:21.3
sit down and said,
21:22.8
we're gonna rule the world?
21:27.8
it's always been a,
21:34.5
we were shopping our demos,
21:44.2
it's not tangible.
21:57.6
Will looked it up
21:58.6
in the dictionary.
22:01.2
something you could like,
22:05.7
we're gonna put more
22:06.3
tangerine in here.
22:13.0
rejection was part
22:14.4
of the whole deal.
22:17.4
it was predominantly
22:18.9
It was predominantly
22:24.6
these weird kids,
22:31.6
doing our own shows,
22:33.2
We started doing our shows
22:36.1
at Loyola Marymount,
22:45.9
our following that way.
22:49.6
we got everyone's
22:50.5
addresses and then
22:53.4
for the next show
22:58.1
and then there was always like,
23:02.9
I guess I started
23:03.6
getting homesick,
23:15.3
and you're here to stay,
23:17.0
You're old enough
23:17.7
to remember your family,
23:21.0
you can focus on your studies
23:22.3
and go back home,
23:24.4
and then I'd cry to Will too
23:25.8
and Will used to be like,
23:27.8
and Will used to be like,
23:29.2
don't worry about it,
23:31.1
we're gonna make it,
23:32.7
We're gonna make it,
23:34.0
we're gonna go to Philippines
23:35.2
and perform in front
23:43.9
so that's like the mentality
23:47.1
taking no for an answer,
23:51.0
we gotta do this.
23:52.3
He wants to get his family
23:55.4
trying to get my family
23:59.4
out of a different ghetto,
24:02.0
and that was the pat.
24:06.9
we're gonna make it,
24:13.4
and then I remember,
24:14.3
we go back to the Philippines,
24:16.4
they made a movie,
24:20.4
And the ending was landing
24:27.3
this is pretty great, man!
24:31.4
wait, wait, wait,
24:32.0
where's the money at?
24:36.6
Sa nyong royalties.
24:44.1
we didn't think about that.
24:48.4
it was part of the movie
24:51.4
and then doing the concert,
24:53.4
the army was there,
24:55.7
the president was there,
24:58.7
and me and Will were like,
25:01.5
We were walking to the stage,
25:06.3
When we used to like,
25:07.7
when we used to cry
25:08.8
about going back home?
25:11.0
But you know what?
25:11.4
And that was that moment.
25:12.8
what's so nice about Will,
25:14.0
based on your story,
25:15.8
he was very empathetic
25:20.1
kung ano yung nararamdaman mo,
25:21.5
naramdaman din niya
25:31.9
every part of your life.
25:33.3
he's like my kuya.
25:35.6
that's what it is.
25:38.6
when this was happening,
25:39.9
I can't help but think,
25:41.2
what was your dad thinking?
25:43.0
I sent this boy to the States,
25:44.7
hopefully to become a lawyer,
25:50.4
and he's doing B-boy stuff.
25:56.1
we invited him to a show in downtown LA,
25:59.4
You weren't popular yet.
26:06.0
the mics were feedbacking,
26:08.6
and stuff like that,
26:25.6
I need to talk to you.
26:28.3
that's how bad it is.
26:35.1
you want to rap with Will.
26:38.3
I brought you to America to,
26:40.6
to have a career,
26:42.1
and have an education.
26:44.9
it seems like you want to rap with Will.
26:48.6
you rap with Will,
26:50.7
and find you a job,
26:53.6
if you stay under my roof,
26:55.4
you go to college.
26:57.3
That was a crossroad.
26:58.6
do you want large,
27:00.1
or medium popcorn?
27:03.3
So, I got a job at,
27:07.2
uh, mixing nacho cheese with my long gloves,
27:10.2
and concession stand,
27:12.0
and sweeping the floor.
27:14.6
moved out at like 17 and a half.
27:17.4
got me my own apartment.
27:18.9
I did construction job.
27:20.9
I did telemarketing.
27:22.9
Cause we would go to like house parties,
27:25.4
Filipino house parties.
27:26.4
Everyone has like,
27:29.4
with the hot bad boy,
27:39.4
to get Honda Civics,
27:42.9
we get a telemarketing job,
27:48.4
I still remember,
27:50.9
My name is Alan Pineda from the Police California Activities League.
27:54.4
Can I ask you a few questions if I may?
27:56.9
we're having dinner.
28:01.4
they hired me and Will together.
28:03.9
Will started calling his girlfriend,
28:08.9
And they could see the,
28:13.4
we don't have this on our data list,
28:15.4
whatever the list.
28:19.4
he's tracking up the phone bill.
28:21.4
And they found out it was Will calling his girlfriend.
28:24.4
And they hired us together,
28:26.4
and they fired us together.
28:29.9
But you know what,
28:30.9
Come to think of it,
28:31.9
that telemarketing gig,
28:33.9
exposed both of you to rejection.
28:37.4
Tons of rejection.
28:44.9
it's a simple lesson that people ignore.
28:46.4
But that develops your,
28:51.4
I don't know how many numbers to get a,
28:56.4
and to your point a while ago,
28:57.9
when you were describing you and Will,
28:59.4
you guys are just chill.
29:00.9
it was an effort to actually do the whole activity of reading a script,
29:05.9
getting rejected.
29:06.9
If that was taboo,
29:13.4
it was a great experience,
29:16.4
he was probably worried,
29:20.4
I brought this kid,
29:24.9
you'd still talk to your dad,
29:26.4
when we started doing shows,
29:27.4
like bigger shows,
29:29.4
always in the front end.
29:30.4
I brought him to the Grammys.
29:31.4
He was sitting right there to the Grammys in front of,
29:39.9
that was alright.
29:41.9
you know what I mean?
29:45.4
how about your mom?
29:48.9
when this was happening,
29:49.9
what was the conversation between you and your mom?
29:52.9
why are you doing that?
29:54.4
Was it like that?
29:56.4
My mom never really,
30:01.9
whatever I'm doing,
30:10.9
we haven't really talked about it,
30:16.4
she loves singing.
30:19.4
she loves singing in the house,
30:25.4
that's where I get it from,
30:27.9
where did it come from?
30:34.4
what else is there?
30:36.9
songwriting came from,
30:39.9
before leaving Philippines,
30:42.4
I was worried about,
30:43.9
conversing with people.
30:47.4
I was talking to my mom,
30:49.9
how am I gonna talk to people,
30:52.9
I barely know how to speak English,
30:58.9
but you don't really use it,
31:02.9
I didn't know how to compound sentences yet,
31:07.9
how am I gonna talk to people,
31:10.9
read the dictionary,
31:13.4
you'll get it in a month,
31:19.4
I got a dictionary,
31:22.4
learn how to translate words,
31:23.9
and stuff like that,
31:25.4
and she was right.
31:27.4
after a month later,
31:28.9
I started talking,
31:37.4
you should rap with me,
31:42.4
I can barely speak English,
31:52.4
I'm gonna put on some beats,
31:54.9
just try to say one,
31:55.9
on top of your head,
31:56.9
and make it rhyme,
32:01.4
Cause Will would freestyle,
32:03.4
he was already freestyling,
32:06.9
he would put on beats,
32:27.9
What did you say?
32:30.9
the ABCs in Tagalog,
32:39.4
that's pretty clever,
32:40.9
that you could put that in,
32:44.4
I started writing.
32:45.4
I started practicing writing,
32:49.4
when I would write,
32:56.4
the irseductionist,
32:58.4
more than the lyricist
32:59.4
in this rap metropolis,
33:01.4
And Will was like,
33:02.4
how do you know those words?
33:05.4
cause I used to read the dictionary.
33:12.9
that's what got me,
33:23.9
I feel like he writes in sentence,
33:25.4
almost perfect grammar.
33:30.9
hip-hop taught me English,
33:36.4
when you started doing demos,
33:37.9
was it just the three of you,
33:38.9
or did you bring in people already?
33:43.9
it was just me and Will.
33:47.4
we have two demos.
33:50.9
a different band called,
33:53.9
that we started back in 90,
34:06.9
Eazy-E passed away.
34:08.4
Couldn't go on with that name,
34:11.9
we had a demo with At-Band Clan.
34:14.4
We actually have a whole album
34:16.4
that we finished with Roofless Records.
34:22.4
and then we started Black Eyed Peas in 95.
34:25.4
me and Will has a demo,
34:29.9
and then I start adding Tabu when we met him.
34:35.4
the you and Will demo,
34:36.4
did that ever come out?
34:42.4
archives of like,
34:44.4
at least two albums of demos.
34:49.4
Are they ever gonna come out?
34:53.4
Will was just playing them the other day,
34:55.9
and we were just going through them like,
34:59.9
you could see the,
35:01.4
the elevation on how we made music,
35:05.4
when we got better.
35:07.4
we were just like,
35:08.9
smoky boards of like,
35:10.9
Then we started learning about keys and notes,
35:13.9
and then you could see the progression,
35:18.4
we're thinking about re-recording some of that stuff.
35:22.4
Now that we have the knowledge to execute it.
35:25.4
while this was happening,
35:26.4
while your career was soaring,
35:28.9
nystagmus was still in the picture.
35:33.4
do you still have it,
35:38.9
when I would do big shows,
35:44.4
they'd have tapes that I could see,
35:49.9
And then I'd go beforehand.
35:51.9
I'd go beforehand,
35:52.9
master the stage,
35:53.9
this is where I'm gonna be,
35:55.9
this is where I'm gonna do my flip.
36:02.4
visual memorization.
36:07.4
when I first got our advance from,
36:10.4
Roofless Records,
36:14.9
There was three of us.
36:25.9
I bought a Volkswagen Beetle.
36:31.9
I had a girlfriend in West Covina at the time,
36:34.4
and I used to live in LA.
36:44.4
even though I can't drive.
36:49.4
I can't wait for Autonomous.
36:52.4
I'll pick you guys up.
36:53.4
You guys wanna go somewhere?
36:59.4
I'll pick everybody up.
37:03.4
when she would take me to her house,
37:05.9
I'd count all the exits.
37:14.9
when I'd go drive my car,
37:29.9
and it took me 4 hours to go home,
37:33.4
just go towards the mountain.
37:35.9
Go towards the mountain.
37:39.9
I'll just pull over,
37:41.4
this is where I'm going,
37:43.4
Rich destination,
37:46.9
I made it home 4 hours later,
37:52.9
that was very short,
37:55.4
term of my driving career.
38:11.9
Because after EV,
38:12.9
autonomous driving is the next step.
38:15.9
Is that why it is?
38:17.9
Can you talk more about that?
38:18.9
What's the whole thing?
38:20.4
we were part of the,
38:21.4
the trade mission,
38:22.9
the delegation trade mission,
38:26.4
For the Philippines, right?
38:27.4
For the Philippines, yeah.
38:28.4
America to Philippines,
38:33.9
America's been in the Philippines for a long time, right?
38:38.9
we deserve some of that,
38:42.9
we were there promoting EV education,
38:51.9
we wanna have skilled,
38:55.4
kids to be able to,
38:59.4
Existing vehicles.
39:00.9
So, they could like,
39:02.4
flip a jeepney into an electric.
39:06.9
we're coming into an electric world,
39:09.4
if we're gonna have electric cars in Philippines,
39:11.4
someone needs to fix them.
39:14.9
we're trying to strengthen that workforce,
39:19.4
take care of these cars.
39:22.4
I have some future,
39:31.4
it's amazing, like,
39:32.9
this technology from like,
39:36.9
after the use of the batteries,
39:38.4
you can still utilize it,
39:39.9
to power a house.
39:43.9
the life's battery has,
39:47.4
So, you can repurpose it as,
39:49.4
remember when you have solar,
39:50.9
you have batteries also, no?
39:54.4
that's what we're doing right now.
39:56.9
And that's happening as we speak, right?
39:59.4
We just signed an MOU,
40:03.9
ADB is the Asian Development Bank.
40:07.9
in their support,
40:08.9
and our collaboration,
40:10.4
we're in the process of,
40:16.9
this is the Apple Dapp Foundation?
40:18.4
Apple Dapp Foundation International.
40:21.4
What made you start it?
40:25.9
I knew you did that back in,
40:28.9
I thought that was for,
40:31.9
you've gone far and beyond.
40:37.9
that's definitely in the works,
40:40.4
you just gotta map out EDSA,
40:42.9
that's gonna be crazy.
40:49.9
there's other things,
40:50.9
you know what I mean?
40:52.9
EV is really needed in Philippines.
41:06.9
With regard to autonomous,
41:08.9
that would be nice.
41:11.4
if you can't discipline the drivers,
41:12.9
no offense to the drivers.
41:17.4
we're the most affected.
41:19.9
and Southeast Asia,
41:21.4
when it comes to,
41:22.9
climate change and stuff.
41:24.9
that's another thing,
41:30.4
You know what I mean?
41:31.9
I wanna make e-boats,
41:36.9
those things that you pedal,
41:42.9
pedal assist on those,
41:45.4
you can cover more ground.
41:53.4
I'm very excited about that.
42:00.9
Who came to you to?
42:07.9
Dan Vos in the house.
42:12.4
but he's really into cars.
42:17.9
we always talk about flipping a car,
42:20.9
one day let's get,
42:22.4
an old school Japanese cab,
42:28.4
one of my best friend,
42:40.9
a super engine in there,
42:45.9
his engine blew up.
42:50.9
he didn't want to fix it anymore.
42:55.9
can we use your car?
43:01.4
it's a crazy way to sign a sign.
43:09.4
can we EV your car?
43:12.9
he gave us the car,
43:14.4
Dan started the process,
43:19.4
when we finish it,
43:22.9
we could bring this knowledge back home,
43:35.4
their vanishing the jeepneys.
43:40.4
we could still keep the jeepneys,
43:41.4
and just retrofit them.
43:44.9
that's how that came about.
43:46.9
we started building on it.
43:50.4
we wanted a garage up first.
43:53.4
A garage to a school.
44:00.9
is part of our team too.
44:02.4
shout out to Adi Vergara.
44:05.9
got it all connected with the ADB.
44:09.4
made us part of the delegation,
44:14.4
I was able to talk about it there.
44:24.4
there's purpose now for the Apple De App Foundation International.
44:27.9
Black Eyed Pizza.
44:35.4
what I like about her,
44:39.4
you know how it is,
44:40.4
we always say the same thing.
44:41.9
things happen for a reason.
44:43.9
She never got to be champion.
44:47.9
the journey led her to where she is now,
44:49.9
which is with you guys.
44:52.9
just like Jennifer Hudson,
45:01.4
that's how I see J. Ray,
45:07.4
she's able to use our,
45:11.9
that's just an experience,
45:13.4
just added experience for her when she does her thing,
45:17.4
When she does her solo show.
45:19.9
she got a new song right now.
45:21.9
Under your label?
45:27.4
me and Will's label.
45:28.9
she's on her way,
45:32.4
She got an album.
45:33.9
She had her next single,
45:42.4
What's next for the piece?
45:45.4
Is there no more backflips for you?
45:51.9
a modified version.
45:54.4
let me just say that,
45:56.9
you still get the same illusion,
46:04.9
you're gonna have to,
46:06.4
you can't go and get popcorn,
46:07.4
you might miss it,
46:15.9
you still got it,
46:20.9
I have my flip master,
46:23.9
and then I box as well.
46:27.4
to be more agile.
46:33.4
he does Pacquiao as well.
46:34.4
Shout out to you.
46:36.4
he does Pacquiao,
46:38.9
Filipino fighters,
46:44.4
And the training,
46:45.9
If you wanna get a good workout,
46:49.9
who's your favorite boxer right now?
46:58.9
I like Devin Haney,
47:08.6
Terrence Bud Crawford.
47:10.4
Mark Magsayo is dope.
47:14.0
How about Cuadro Alas?
47:18.0
You think he could be tank?
47:21.5
you gotta fight the right way,
47:25.4
you gotta box tank,
47:28.1
You can't go toe-to-toe.
47:29.4
Like what happened to Ryan?
47:32.3
you gotta Floyd Mayweather,
47:35.0
you know what I mean?
47:37.1
like shoulder roll,
47:39.5
You cannot go toe-to-toe.
47:46.8
let's go back to the voice,
47:48.5
with regard to you,
47:52.6
your mentees home.
47:57.6
I think I got an ulcer,
47:59.6
during the voice.
48:01.7
can we talk about,
48:02.8
can you detail that?
48:04.2
because when you,
48:04.9
when you get stressed out,
48:08.2
you get invested emotionally,
48:10.3
with the artists,
48:11.8
you want everyone to win,
48:18.7
when you send them home,
48:25.1
at least we try to like,
48:29.4
like I still include them in like,
48:30.9
when I do solo shows,
48:34.4
they still have exposures,
48:39.8
we stay connected,
48:41.5
to send someone home is,
48:42.9
it's heartbreaking,
48:45.7
you just gotta be like,
48:48.6
It's the show's fault,
48:53.0
those are the kind of deflecting things,
48:56.0
while doing the show,
49:01.1
everyone's amazing,
49:02.7
they all work hard,
49:06.1
you gotta find little things,
49:08.7
you didn't look at the crowd that time.
49:13.5
you didn't connect.
49:14.2
You start running out of things to like,
49:18.5
to let them down easily,
49:21.6
That's always the hard part.
49:23.5
you gotta find that,
49:24.7
you gotta give them hope,
49:28.7
and let them go at the same time.
49:35.1
That's why I'm like,
49:36.5
I could do like a hundred shows in a row,
49:39.7
but I never get tired like that,
49:47.3
I could breathe now,
49:50.9
but the thing is,
49:52.0
we still keep in touch with everyone.
49:57.1
if I ever do like a whole tour in Philippines,
50:01.3
I include all of them.
50:03.7
People think though,
50:04.5
you just mentioned,
50:06.5
People think that being,
50:08.0
being a celebrity,
50:08.8
being a rock star,
50:09.7
being a pop star,
50:11.8
they think it's cakewalk that you just show up to the show.
50:16.5
this conversation that we've had,
50:25.1
When did you find out for yourself that you've arrived?
50:28.9
I'm not done yet.
50:34.2
I got things to do.
50:36.6
when I'm passionate about something,
50:44.2
I recently wrote a song called,
50:47.1
And it's about like,
50:49.1
when you love something so much,
50:50.9
you sacrifice other things,
50:56.3
sometimes that's love.
51:01.6
and not about love,
51:03.9
that creates a problem,
51:08.8
those are kind of the legend things,
51:11.0
legendary things that,
51:12.8
sometimes you do.
51:14.9
To get something,
51:16.5
I'm just getting started,
51:25.1
people always ask me to like,
51:30.5
I'm not done yet.
51:38.8
I wanna get my entrepreneur.
51:40.7
You're also a philanthropist.
51:44.3
follow the footsteps of my,
51:49.0
Pearl S. Buck Foundation,
51:54.9
Ted keeping that,
51:57.6
all the projects.
52:01.5
Ted Benito is in the house,
52:07.2
If this was the voice in our audience,
52:10.2
were people with dreams,
52:11.3
regardless of whether it's music or not,
52:13.4
what would you advise them?
52:16.4
believe in yourself.
52:18.4
Believe in yourself.
52:20.7
Don't take no for an answer,
52:23.6
it takes longer than other people,
52:27.7
people get it quick,
52:31.5
is gratifying at the end.
52:40.0
and something will come of that.
52:45.0
Would you send 75 cents to the Philippines?
52:56.6
I think it's about,
53:03.8
met with an organization that support
53:06.1
abandoned liberation kids just like me.
53:09.2
sponsored about 20,
53:11.2
20 kids right now.
53:13.1
Then they possibly could also attend the
53:16.4
EV education program.
53:19.5
Are you happy where you are?
53:31.2
can't thank God enough
53:34.0
for all the blessings,
53:44.3
directing me to the right path and,
53:48.5
the right thing to do
53:51.6
help other people.
53:53.8
you're not gonna take this.
53:55.0
You're not gonna take this with you anyway.
53:57.0
So, might as well make a mark.
53:58.3
While you're here.
53:59.3
And do as much as you can.
54:01.3
Ladies and gentlemen,
54:14.8
comments down below.
