FILIPINO HIP-HOP

Filipino hip-hop or Pinoy hip hop (also known as Pinoy rap or Filo rap) is hip hop
music performed by musicians of Filipino descent, both in the Philippines and overseas, especially
by Filipino-Americans.
The Philippines is known to have had the first hip hop music scene in Asia[1] since the early 1980s,
largely due to the country's historical connections with the United States where hip hop originated.
Rap music released in the Philippines has appeared in different languages or dialects such
as Tagalog, Bicolano, Chavacano, Cebuano, Ilocano and English. In the Philippines, Francis
Magalona and Andrew E. are among the most influential rappers in the country, being the first to
release mainstream rap albums. Apl.de.ap of The Black Eyed Peas, Cassie Ventura, and Chad
Hugo of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D. are among the contemporary Filipino-American hip-hop artists.[2]
Hip hop music found their way to the Philippines back when the country was under the American
rule.[2]
The towns and barrios surrounding the numerous American military bases that were scattered
throughout that country such as Clark Air Base in Angeles City and Subic Bay Naval
Base in Olongapo were among the earliest to be exposed to the culture; as contact with African-
American, Filipino-American and Latino servicemen resulted in some of the earliest exposure the
locals had to the new musical genre.

1979-1980s: Seeds of a movement[edit]

In 1979, the earliest rap recording came from Dyords Javier's single "Na Onseng Delight", a parody
of Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang,[3][4] released under Wea Records. That same year,
pioneer Vincent Dafalong released the album Okay Sa-rap, with singles "Ispraken-Delight", and "
Mahiwagang Nunal".[5][6]
Groundbreaking hip hop films such as Wild Style (1982), Breakin' (1984) and Krush Groove (1985)
were influences. In 1982, local breakdancing crews like the Angeles City-based Whooze Co.
International, with members consisting primarily from Clark Air Base, The Eclipse (whose former
members included Francis Magalona, Dance 10's Darwin Tuason and current Federation Sounds'
Glenn "Kico" Lelay), Info-Clash Breakers and Ground Control, whose members included Rap Master
Fordy (later to be known as Andrew E.), and Jay "Smooth" MC of Bass Rhyme Posse became
mainstays in local parks and malls in and around the Metro Manila area such as the Glorietta Mall,
which was an early hotspot for breakers. Several mobile DJ crews of the era included such names
as the Rock All Parties Crew which emerged onto the scene only to produce such future Pinoy rap
pioneers as Andrew E. and Norman B.[7]

1990s: The Golden Age[edit]

The genre soon entered the mainstream with Francis Magalona's debut album, Yo! (1990),[8] which
included the nationalistic hit "Mga Kababayan" (My Countrymen). Magalona became an
instant superstar thereafter.
More artists followed in Magalona's footsteps. The list includes Andrew E. who released his first
single, "Humanap Ka Ng Pangit" (Look For Someone Ugly) in 1990[9] and Michael V. with the release
of his first song "Maganda Ang Piliin" (Pick Someone Pretty), a cover of Andrew E.'s "Humanap Ka
Ng Pangit!", in 1991.[10]
Known as the "Golden Age" of Pinoy Hip Hop, the 1990s marked the beginning of many rapid
stylistic innovations beginning in 1991 with the establishment of the Disco Mix Club Philippines
which was one of the earliest platforms for Philippine DJ mixing battles. Early innovators of the style
included DJs Carlo Yalo, Noel Macanaya, Rod "DVS" Torres and Omar Lacap among others.[11]
Following the path set forth by their Bass Rhyme predecessors, the tri-lingual rap group Rapasia
released their self-titled debut record in 1991, garnering the hit "Hoy! Tsismosa". One of the earliest
Filipino hip hop groups to embrace such an abstract format, the album's lyrical content often
contained a mixture of various Philippine languages (including Tagalog and Chavacano) along with
English.[12] Rapasia's innovative style would later be built upon years later by other Pinoy rap groups
such as Zamboanga's Ghost 13. Rapasia's members included Martin "Bronx" Magalona, brother of
Pinoy rap entrepreneur Francis Magalona. The other two members are Filipino-American, Ronald
Jamias a.k.a. Ronski J and the Tausug born Ben Mohammad a.k.a. Brother BM. The group was
initiated via an International Rap Competition sponsored by VIVA records and was held at the Music
Museum in Mandaluyong. Andrew E emceed the program.
Mastaplann was also another group that did all their music in English. The group had 3 DJs and 2
MCs. The MCs were known as Type (Johnny Luna) and Tracer One (Butch Velez, brother of famous
actor Vivian Velez). They released 3 albums that went multi-platinum. The group was formed in 1992
in the Philippines, with original group members Butch Velez a.k.a. Tracer One, Johnny Luna a.k.a.
Type Slickk, Disco Mix Competition DJs Sonny Abad, Noel Macanaya a.k.a. DJ MOD, Lopie
Guzman a.k.a. DJ Ouch (also of 89.1 DMZ-FM & RSL Sound & Lighting Company), and managed
by Jesse Gonzales and DJ GILBY. Butch and Johnny were balikbayans from the San Fernando
Valley near Los Angeles, CA, Sonny a balikbayan from Hercules, CA, near the San Francisco Bay
Area and Noel and Lopie native Filipinos. In 1992, Mastaplann was signed by Universal Records,
where they released two records; in 1993, their debut eponymous release, and in 1994, The Way of
tha Plann. These albums eventually obtained platinum status and are still selling worldwide.
The pioneering Pinoy hip hop act Bass Rhyme Posse would release their self-titled debut album
on VIVA Records in 1991 which spawned the cult hits "Let the Beat Flow", "Buhay Estudyante"
(Student Life) and "Juan T." becoming the genre's first rap group to release a record.[13]
1992 marked a turning point for Pinoy rap with the release of Francis M's influential second
album, Rap Is Francis M, which is highly regarded as one of the greatest Pinoy rap albums ever.
Ushering in a socially awoken wave not seen in the Philippine music industry since the heyday
of Juan De La Cruz, Sampaguita and 1970s Pinoy rock, Magalona's tracks dissected the various
cultural, social & political problems that plagued his country such as drug addiction in "Mga Praning"
(The Addicts), political corruption and instability in "Halalan" (Election) as well as the detrimental
effects of a colonial mentality to Filipino culture in "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy" (We Are Filipinos). The
record's complexity and socially sentient message quickly earned it its classic status and became
the standard by which future albums of the genre were to be compared to. Magalona's enduring
contributions to the genre would later be recognized in the All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The
Definitive Guide to Rap and Hip-Hop (2003) published by Backbeat Books;[14] as well as in the U.S.-
based hip hop publication The Source (May 2004).
Another Filipino hip hop artist who achieved prominence during the 1990s is the formerly Los
Angeles-based DJ Andrew E (born Andrew Espiritu), whose tracks "Humanap Ka Ng Pangit" (Look
For Someone Ugly) and "Makati Girl" (as done by Norman B. of Bass Rhyme Posse; the first Pinoy
rap track recorded to contain beatboxing) became monster hits in the Philippines, rivaling even
Francis M's previously untouchable reign on top Pinoy rap's throne. Prior to landing a recording
contract, the rapper had competed in various rap contests around the Philippines; the likes of which
also produced Pinoy rap stars Michael V., Denmark and Martin "Bronx" Magalona. Andrew E's 1991
hit "Humanap Ka Ng Pangit" was the first to spawn a plethora of response records from other
rappers in the country, such as Michael V's "Maganda Ang Piliin" (Pick Someone Pretty). The
rapper's ability to combine unique storytelling with raunchy and humorous wordplay laced with
catchy beats made Andrew the first of his kind in the genre.[15] He then went on to release a movie
entitled Andrew Ford Medina: Huwag Kang Gamol in 1991 which was the first film in the Philippines
to include a full-on freestyle battle on screen. By the mid-1990s he had established his own record
label, the controversial Dongalo Wreckords, as well as many successful rap groups,
including Cebuano rappers The Anthill Mobb, Madd Poets and Bicolano rappers Salbakuta. The
former, known for their complex and versatile lyrical ability, achieved fame with their debut
album Ikatlong Mundo. In 1997, Andrew E produced and hosted the first Pinoy rap television
show, Rap 13.
1994 saw the emergence of another rap group, headed by a female balikbayan from New York. The
group called 4 East Flava consisted of 3 homegrown rapistas - Von "Mack" Padua (who was molded
by Martin "The Bronxman" Magalona and now with the group Pinoy Republic), Bernard "P-Slick"
Santiago, and Paul "Shorty" Navarro, 2 DJs (DJ Edge and DJ Mec), and Jug "Honeyluv" Ramos,
hailing from New York who was known as "the rose among the thorns". They brought out the hit
"Check the Hood" (used for a shoe commercial) which was misunderstood as a diss towards
Mastaplann.
The same year, going against the wave of radio-friendly rap tracks that dominated at the time, the
group Death Threat, founded by rappers Beware and Genezide, released the first Filipino gangsta
rap album which told tales of the daily lives and struggles impoverished Filipino youth faced growing
up in the slums of Metro Manila's barrios entitled Gusto Kong Bumaet (I Want To Be Good).[16]
In 1997, the underground Pinoy rap group Pamilia Dimagiba released their groundbreaking
album Broke-N-Unsigned on Tenement Records, marking the re-emergence of the conscious emcee
in Pinoy rap. A coalition of sorts, Pamilia Dimagiba composed itself of several underground Pinoy
rappers and crews such as 8th Messenger, Shadowblyde, Spoon, Murder-1 of Khan's Assassins,
and Young Galaxy of Iron Triangle among others. The raw seven-track, politically minded album was
a breath of fresh air at the time; as Pinoy rap during the era had taken a more hardcore, gangster
persona. Known for their coarse lyrics, serious subject matter complemented by heavy beats fused
within traditional Filipino folk music, the camp's records by the names of "Duelo", "Manila's Finest",
"Reality Hurtz" and "Brainstorming" among others were largely in essence a throwback to the early,
nationalistic Francis M inspired days of the genre.[17]
The widespread popularity of Pinoy rap in and around the islands has resulted in the spawning of a
new breed of Pinoy emcees: Junior "Rapistas". Far from being a new trend, Jaymie "Baby" Magtoto
and her 1991 hit single "Eh! Kasi Bata" (Cause I'm a Kid) was an early example of Pinoy kiddie
rappers. The single was also included in the soundtrack for Jaymie's motion picture debut of the
same name released later that year.[18]
The 2000s saw the resurgence of grade school rappers in Filipino hip hop. 2005 was a breakthrough
for kid rappers in the Philippines as Aikee, through the Madd World/Circulo Pugantes Camp
released his debut Ang Bawat Bata (Every Child) on Alpha Music and at eleven years of age,
became the youngest Filipino rapper to release a full rap album.[19]

2000s: The rise of Philippine hip hop scene[edit]

In the new millennium, Filipino hip-hop rivalled Pinoy rock's traditional popularity amongst Filipino
youth. Artists who are currently active and have released both rap albums and music videos in the
Philippines since 1990 include: Andrew E, Denmark, Francis M, Beware, K-Ozz, Micheal V.
and Gloc-9. Other popular rap artists and groups of the 2000s included: 2 High, 6 Signs, 7 Shots Of
Wisdom, 8th District, Anak Ni Bakuko, Lawiboi, Apokalipsis, Artstrong, Akuma, Bass Rhyme Posse,
BB Clan, Black Pro, Blanktape, Boom, Brownstyle, C-4, Candy Cousart, Chill, Chinese Mafia,
Circulo Pugantes, Cris Asero, Cypha-Sis, Dagtang Lason, D.O.P.E. Rekordz, D-Coy, Deceivious,
DFT, Death Threat, Defuca Zapata, Down Earf, Dugong Pasay, Dugong Ponebre, EHP, El Latino,
Flipz, Fungzoi, Genezide, Ghetto Doggs, Gio Alvarez, Grounded, H-Bom, Heaven Scent, Hidyas
Clan, Hi-Jakkk, IPK, Jawtee, John Rendez, Johnny Krush, K-9 Killaz, Kain @ Abel, Kartada Nueve,
Karayama, Katuga, Kawago, KFS, Kruzzada, Kulay, Kut-5 Trilogy, Lady Diane, Legit Misfitz, L-
Smith, Lyrical Assault, Madd Poets, Mastershock, MC Lara, M.C.M.C., MC Dash Calzado, Mega
Force Crew (formerly known as Grand Assault Tribe), Rapskallion Familia, SYKE, O-Man, O.G.
Sacred 1, DMJ, Mike Kosa, Mike Swift, Godswill, Mista Blaze, Misteazas,Nuztradamuz, OBLAXZ,
Quickie, Rap Asia, Razzamanazz, Renegade Souljaz, Sakit ng Sucat, Salbakuta, Seedz, Sly Kane,
Stick Figgas, Sun Valley Crew, Syke, Urban Flow, and Verbal Sativa.
In 2000, the golden-era rap group Mastaplann released a third album through BMG Records, under
the new sub-label, Francis M's Red Egg Records, entitled Mastaplann.com, a reference to their
newly developed website.[original research?] Additionally, the group scaled down their line-up to just Butch
and Johnny, and then added Johnny Krush, another balikbayan from the San Francisco area. This
album has already obtained gold status in the Philippines, and is also still selling. Currently, the
group is based in the States where they still perform and make music. Mastaplann is currently
working on their fourth album, yet to be titled, to be released under True Asiatik Productionz.
Since 2004, the Philippine Hip-Hop Music Awards has been held annually in Metro Manila. The
show is reminiscent of The Source Awards in the US. Gloc-9, considered to be the fastest rapper in
the Philippines and former member of the rap group Death Threat, held the title for Best Rap Artist at
the awards show for four consecutive years, from 2005 to 2008, achieving mainstream popularity
and releasing successful commercial albums every other year. Like the American hip hop industry,
music videos have become an important trend (even containing small cameos from different Filipino
rappers) and air on TV channels like MTV Philippines and MYX. Despite Metro Manila's powerful
position over the music industry, rap groups in the south have started to gain their own share of
popularity, like Dice & K9 a.k.a. Mobbstarr from Cebu City with their first hit single "Itsumo" in
2003,[20] Thavawenyoz from Davao City with their debut album Hubag in 2005,[21] and Zambo Top
Dogz from Zamboanga City, known for their Chavacano rapping in the songs "Noticias" and
"Conversa Ta". It is also not uncommon for Filipino-American artists to perform live, sell records, and
win awards in the Philippines while living in the States, for example Pikaso from San Francisco,
California who won the Producer of the Year award in 2008.[22]
In 2002, Carlo Maniquiz and Nick Tuason, together with the assistance of FUBU's headquarters
in New York City, established the FUBU Philippines clothing line, opening up several stores in the
Philippines. In promotion of the new franchise, Francis M released a compilation album showcasing
new local hip hop talent[23] as well as two volumes of Tha Rappublic of the Philippines series, which
featured young unsigned Filipino rap artists that were discovered through the nationwide talent
search of the same name (including groups Crazy as Pinoy, Kamandag ng Marikina, and the Stick
Figgas). Francis M would also go on to form his own clothing line in 2006 called Francis Magalona
Clothing Company (FMCC) which are sold at his own branches of stores called Three Stars & a
Sun.[24] The F-Word was an album Francis M was rumored to be working on in 2008 to follow his last
album from 2000, but leukemia and other health problems interfered later that year.[25]
The popularity of artists such as Dice & K9 a.k.a. Mobbstarr (Singing the popular combination
of Japanese and English Pinoy hip-hop single, "Itsumo"), Pikaso, Audible,[26] and Krook and J.O.L.O.,
who primarily use English lyrics in their tracks, has given way to the ongoing divide between Tagalog
lyricists and English lyricists. With English tracks dominating the airwaves, several Tagalog-based
emcees have felt a sort of bias in the Philippine music industry, which favors artists who use English
rather than Filipino. The conflict over language became evident in the 2004 Black Eyed Peas concert
in Manila in which rapper Mike Swift's Tagalog-based track was cut short halfway through the song
due to the "English Only" policy enforced by the event's organizers towards Black Eyed Peas'
opening acts.[27]
Rap group Salbakuta, under Andrew E's Dongalo Wreckords, recorded the track "Ayoko Ng
Ganitong...", which contained lyrics partly attacking such "English Only" Pinoy rap artists.
In 2006, the group Stick Figgas,[28] runners-up in Francis M's Rappublic of the Philippines talent
search, released their debut album Critical Condition under joint-release with Dice & K9's 6000
Goonz imprint and Francis M's Red Egg Records sub-label, which, amidst critical acclaim, sparked a
resurgence and renaissance of sorts in Tagalog rap. The Stick Figgas relied on clever punchlines,
creative lyricism and intricate rhyme schemes, re-introducing a technical poignancy that has been
absent in Tagalog rap since B.B. Clan's first album Mabanges. This rap style has arguably inspired
the current generation of Tagalog rappers to place much more emphasis on multi-syllable rhyme
schemes, punchlines and metaphors than before.
Some Time in 2008, B-Block (Bhok and Oman) from Navotas City Release a single titled, "Ika'y akin
lamang".
In 2009, after the death of Francis Magalona, independent rap label and production emerged in the
local rap scene such as Wika Records of D-Coy and PR Records and Entertainment (as owned by
Von Padua of Pinoy Republic), Pikaso's Hustlin Records, Longevity Records and Turbulence
Records, Young JV's Doin' It Big Productions. Pinoy hip hop fashion has also emerged such as
Pinoy Republic, Turf Clothing, Rapista Clothing, Boss Balita and Wika following Francis M's clothing
line FMCC.

2010s: FlipTop battle league, trap genre emergence and Second

Golden Age
The influence of the original rap battle leagues in the West – Grind Time Now (U.S.), King of the
Dot (Canada) and Don't Flop (UK) – all founded in 2008, inspired the creation of other battle leagues
around the world, FlipTop being one of them, in 2010. This local rap battle competition typically
involves both parties (either 2 rappers or 2 duos) hailing mudslinging words and rhymes at each
other, who are then judged at the end based on a number of factors including flow and use of
insults/punchlines and audience impact. The one with the most votes from the judges is declared
winner. Some popular artists who participate in FlipTop include Loonie, Smugglaz, Abra, Dello,
Zaito, Bassilyo, Batas and BLKD. Due to success of FlipTop, many amateur and other rap battles
arose such as Sunugan, Bolero Rap Battles, Bahay Katay, etc. The emcees also began to make and
produce their own music. Famous battle emcees turned musicians from the early 2010s period
includes Abra and Shehyee, the two most popular and also Loonie, Smugglaz and Bassilyo, most of
them signed with big-time record labels in the country. Shehyee signed with Viva Records while
Loonie and Bassilyo signed with Universal Records and MCA Music, respectively. However, Abra
founded his own Artifice Records that would eventually become defunct.
During the late 2000s up to early 2010s, some Filipino rap artists began to concentrate and
incorporate homosexuality issues into their songs. In 2009, indie rapper Dagtang Lason released a
song called "Nagmahal Ako ng Bakla", a song about lads who prefer to love a gay because of their
disappointment with girls. The song became popular among teens, internet cafés and
the jejemon culture at the time.[citation needed] In 2012, Gloc-9 released the song "Sirena", in which the
music video features a gay person from his childhood to teenage years being abused by his father.
Also in 2012, Abra released "Gayuma", which features a man who is in love with his partner, but it
turns out the partner is a gay, which the man realizes later on after being given a potion. Midyear
2012, Tanging iling (Tanging hiling Part 2) by Curse One feat. Jhay Solis was released.
By 2015, several prominent trap & hip-hop recording artists emerged with notable hits, unknowns
from the underground scene became household names. The most popular artists which carries
styles mixed with R&B and soul associated with trap beats influenced by Western hip-hop nowadays
includes the hip-hop collective, Ex Battalion, with the hit "Hayaan Mo Sila" that almost topped the
now defunct Billboard Philippines Top 20 chart, teen prodigy hip-hop sensations Shanti Dope (with
hits including "Nadarang" and Mau"), kiyo, Angelo Acosta and Because. Rising star BJ Castillano
(popularly known as Because) striked a deal with Viva Records after his track entitled "Marlboro
Black" first released on the platform SoundCloud became viral. Other names include Al James,
Arvey, Skusta Clee and his own trap & hip-hop trio, O.C. Dawgs, with the track "Pauwi Nako" that
became a nationwide-hit in 2019. Filipino hip-hop acts also began to incorporate trending hip-hop
sub-genres from the U.S. in their tracks such as lo-fi and trap soul. Hip-hop groups like ALLMO$T
and Manila Grey (based on the U.S.) also made a huge influence and garnered tens of millions of
streams from Filipino music listeners in 2019. Their tracks were used in social media challenges like
the "Dalagang Pilipina Challenge" which uses the track entitled "Dalaga" by ALLMO$T, the one of
the most streamed hip-hop tracks in 2019.
Since 2017, the local hip-hop underground scene led by prominent hip-hop collectives such as
Baryo Berde, 727 Clique, OWFUCK, 357 Pro (Rekta Sa Kalye) and Bawal Clan was established.