BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Recording artist will.i.am speaks during the 13th annual Entertainment Law Initiative luncheon hosted by the Grammy Foundation at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 11, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California.
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Will.i.am and Black Eyed Peas bandmate apl.de.ap returned to the stage in Beijing Saturday night in support of study abroad programs for underprivileged American students, in a concert that also featured multiple Grammy winner John Legend along with Chinese pop stars.
The “Booey Lehoo” show, organized by Americans Promoting Study Abroad, with backing from the U.S. State Dept. and the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, opened with a performance by will.i.am, before he was followed by China’s Sa Dingding and her ethnic pop.
She was followed by a five-song set by Legend, who ended with a duet with Beijing-born, U.S.-raised Shunzi, who was later joined by Coco Lee, herself born in Hong Kong but grew up in San Francisco. Both Shunzi and Lee made their names singing in Mandarin Chinese.
Apl.de.ap did three songs before being joined by will.i.am for a Black Eyed Peas-led set that saw Lee playing the Fergie role. The will.i.am set finally got a rise out of the crowd, which filled less than half of the National Indoor Stadium’s 18,000 seats.
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