The Black Eyed Peas electrified the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday night, September 3, with a hit-filled concert that celebrated Filipino pride, highlighted apl.de.ap’s homecoming, and featured surprise performances from Sandara Park and EZ Mil.
The group opened the party with Let’s Get It Started and Boom Boom Pow, quickly setting the arena alive. J. Rey Soul, a Filipina who joined the group in 2018 after her stint on The Voice Philippines, delivered powerful vocals on Mamacita, a moment she described as life-changing thanks to apl.de.ap, her former mentor.
The night was also deeply personal. Taboo dedicated East LA to his hometown, while apl.de.ap — donning a Barong Tagalog in Philippine flag colors — performed The APL Song against a backdrop of Mayon Volcano, proudly declaring, “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” His set included collaborations with Sandara Park (2 Proud) and rapper EZ Mil, who earlier opened the show and later joined him for Bebot.
Will.i.am showcased solo hits Scream and Shout and OMG, at one point joking about his “best” Tagalog phrase while also paying tribute to apl.de.ap, his lifelong friend and bandmate. Together, the group revisited their biggest anthems like Pump It, Don’t Stop the Party, and The Time (Dirty Bit) before turning reflective with Where Is the Love?, which they dedicated to victims of war, farmers, and those suffering from injustice. The arena lit up with phone lights as thousands sang along in unison.
The concert also became a family celebration, with both apl.de.ap and will.i.am bringing their mothers on stage. Apl’s relatives from Pampanga, proudly waving from the crowd, joined the emotional moment. The night closed in explosive fashion with I Gotta Feeling, Meet Me Halfway, and Just Can’t Get Enough, as confetti rained and the group unfurled the Philippine flag.
As the finale, apl.de.ap wrapped himself in the flag and teased fans with news of the group’s upcoming single, Sagittarius, sealing the evening as both a musical spectacle and a heartfelt homecoming.
