Black Eyed Peas want to inspire African children with music

SOWETO, South Africa - Hit US hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas want to inspire African children with the story of their own escape from poverty and say solving the continent's woes is not just a celebrity fad.

The double Grammy-winning group from Los Angeles played a free concert in South Africa today for people usually too poor to see global musicians live, and also used the occasion to launch their own children's charity.

Frontman William Adams, known as will.i.am, said ahead of the gig he hoped his own struggle to pursue a music career growing up in the tough LA projects would inspire South African kids to strive for a better life.

"My family was really, really poor," he said at a community centre in Soweto, where the group held music workshops with children from South Africa's most famous township. "I've got cousins in prison and I've got friends who are dead, but we got out."

Will.i.am and Black Eyed Peas diva Fergie -- real name Stacy Ferguson -- told reporters they were shocked when they first came to Africa's richest country in 2004 to see plush golf courses alongside shantytowns.

They were even more stunned when they arrived on stage to meet a roaring crowd of mostly affluent white fans, and vowed to return to play to ordinary people for free.

"I saw such a dichotomy between the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor and that hurt my feelings," said Fergie, decked out in skin-tight jeans, a gold chain belt and killer heels. "If I inspire one child then I have done something."

The group, whose hits include party anthem Let's Get It Started and more lyrical Where Is The Love, are the latest of a string of celebrities including Angelina Jolie and U2 frontman Bono to highlight worthy causes in Africa, after last year's Live 8 concerts revived interest in the continent.

While aid workers depend on celebrities to attract money and attention for their causes, some have questioned how much film stars and musicians can really achieve and wonder if they oversimplify the issues.

Will.i.am was vague on how the group could help Africa fight poverty, arguing that 'dreams' could conquer HIV and poor education.

But he dismissed the criticism, saying the Black Eyed Peas were well placed to inspire kids from poor backgrounds because they had been there themselves, explaining that band member Allen Pineda Lindo -- or apl.de.ap -- grew up in the Philippines before he was adopted and brought to Los Angeles.

"Celebrity schmelebrity -- it doesn't mean anything, it's your heart that counts," he said with a grin.

"Whatever the reason for (celebrities) coming here, as long as they are inspiring someone, as long as they ain't coming here shooting people, it's all good."

- REUTERS