Melbourne, Oct 10 : American rapper will. i. am of the band Black-Eyed Peas has nothing but praise for Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, saying that he is a source of inspiration.

Will. i. am, 34, said at the Melbourne opening of reconciliation-inspired art project Nomad Two Worlds, that Rudd’s apology to the stolen generations inspired people around the world,

“I salute your prime minister, Prime Minister Rudd, if it wasn’t for that I believe there would not have been that wave of conscious shifting happening and I don’t think there would be an Obama,” the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“I think seeing a potential leader of a country as wonderful as Australia take a stand and do that inspired other world leaders and potential world leaders on what they can do and change to move forward into this whole new era with its technology and nationless collaboration happening.

“The future leaders of the world are breaking down the walls of what once held us back in the past,” he added. (ANI)