A couple of days ago, I chanced across a Facebook post about this guy who calls himself Abra. Truth be told, I did not take much stock to it and moved on scrolling down on my Home page for more relevant updates. Then I got a call from a friend who told me that Abra is an up and coming rapper whose single "Gayuma" is currently Myx's number 1 song. Ok...so...? To be honest about it, with the exception of Francis M. and Gloc9, I'm not really into rap music. During the course of our discussion, Looney and Fliptop were also mentioned---which really got me at a loss. Who the hell is Looney and what is Fliptop?! Oh, well, still not interested. And then it was mentioned that this young dude Abra is being compared to Gloc9---and that's what got both my ears up at attention and my head protruding like a guard dog roused from stupor! Really now? So I check out Gayuma on YouTube and give my own opinion about the matter.
Well, Gayuma had a nice beat to it but I don't think it's near any of the works of Gloc9. "Gayuma" is more a novelty song in the league of Andrew E. and Michael V. Apparently, Abra's following, has not penetrated the general public yet and is limited to the Fliptop enthusiasts So I research on what Fliptop is all about and discover that it is some sort of a "battle royale" for rappers. A modern day Balagtasan they are calling it.
Balagtasan, if I still recall my Philippine Literature, is a poetic debate made popular during the American colonization. Balagtasan topics are usually political or current events. So, is Fliptop really the modern day Balagtasan? Well, in terms of poetry, Balagtasan and Fliptop are more or less the same. Their difference lies in their composition. Where Balagtasan is formal Fliptop borders on the vulgar with lyrics filled with cuss words. Personally, I'd say that Fliptop is a regression of Balagtasan. But this is just me.
So what's this thing comparing Abra to Gloc9? Well, Abra is the new kid on the block and with only Gayuma in his list of hit, doesn't really hold much weight. One thing going for this kid is he's got that boy-next-door look. No wonder many of his followers are teenage girls. Gloc9 has an across the board penetration in terms of demographics. Even National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera follows his works. I'd say that the comparison is more to elicit media mileage. Whoever is handling Abra, they have decided to sow intrigue to get the needed press and attention. Effective really. I'm doing this piece because I was intrigued didn't I? So I guess they got one more more from me and those who are going to read this. It's just sad that the means to get him press is riddled with controversy instead of merit.
Anyway, I wish Abra all the best and if he wants to follow the footsteps of Gloc9, he should always remember to be grounded and strive to be a good influence to his followers.
Well, Gayuma had a nice beat to it but I don't think it's near any of the works of Gloc9. "Gayuma" is more a novelty song in the league of Andrew E. and Michael V. Apparently, Abra's following, has not penetrated the general public yet and is limited to the Fliptop enthusiasts So I research on what Fliptop is all about and discover that it is some sort of a "battle royale" for rappers. A modern day Balagtasan they are calling it.
Balagtasan, if I still recall my Philippine Literature, is a poetic debate made popular during the American colonization. Balagtasan topics are usually political or current events. So, is Fliptop really the modern day Balagtasan? Well, in terms of poetry, Balagtasan and Fliptop are more or less the same. Their difference lies in their composition. Where Balagtasan is formal Fliptop borders on the vulgar with lyrics filled with cuss words. Personally, I'd say that Fliptop is a regression of Balagtasan. But this is just me.
So what's this thing comparing Abra to Gloc9? Well, Abra is the new kid on the block and with only Gayuma in his list of hit, doesn't really hold much weight. One thing going for this kid is he's got that boy-next-door look. No wonder many of his followers are teenage girls. Gloc9 has an across the board penetration in terms of demographics. Even National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera follows his works. I'd say that the comparison is more to elicit media mileage. Whoever is handling Abra, they have decided to sow intrigue to get the needed press and attention. Effective really. I'm doing this piece because I was intrigued didn't I? So I guess they got one more more from me and those who are going to read this. It's just sad that the means to get him press is riddled with controversy instead of merit.
Anyway, I wish Abra all the best and if he wants to follow the footsteps of Gloc9, he should always remember to be grounded and strive to be a good influence to his followers.
No comments:
Post a Comment