Classic and contemporary Filipino hip-hop took center stage in the Makati Circuit Grounds last October 28 as Spotify presented the Luzon leg of its KALYE X celebration after making stops across the country in Davao and Cebu earlier this year.
Graffiti and beats opened up the show with Trip63’s signature style embellished on a mural for all to see as the Rekta sa Kalye collective burst onto the stage to deliver sick tracks to get the people grooving and moving.
As the crowd continues to buzz with electricity and anticipation, up-and-coming emcees from the island of Luzon and Metro Manila battled it out in the KALYE City Xypher – a competition featuring freestyle verses mixed with raw skills cooked under the heated pressure of the emcees expressing their individual backgrounds and uprisings through rap while also throwing shade at their fellow competitors, all contained in just 16 bars (akin to a fliptop battle with the same spice of the trash talk tournament). From 14 competitors, the cream of the crop rose to the top with E-Kove and JMakata battling it out in the final round to see who’s the king of the Luzon underground – the latter winning unanimously as he impressed notable judges like Moe Feliciano, Ghost of Ghost Worldwide, and Xy of Blazing Style with his mix of free flowing verses and incomparable swagger to show why he deserved the crown.
Back-to-back crowd favorite performances were then dished out by Hev Abi and O $ide Mafia to show why they are THE homegrown hip-hop artists to look out for in the coming years. Hev Abi’s smooth beats were able to pull the crowd in as he commanded them to gaze upon his emotions that seeped deep into his performance, which goes to show he is not only reserved para sa streets but also on the big stage. O $ide Mafia meanwhile brought their signature hype and energy to the festivities, opening up with SMD blasting through the speakers as an unavoidable splash zone was imminent for the audience members up in front.
Finally for the night’s main event, the ever talented triple threat of fast talk Ramdiss, Hero, and Gloc-9 blessed the stage with their respective machine gun-esque tempos and lyrical prowess – especially with their newest collaboration Umaga which delivers a message of individual empowerment through communal connections. From an exclusive partnership birthed out of Spotify and Wish 107.5, the trio performed the newly minted hit both inside the famed WishBus and on the main stage later in the night.
Ramdiss provided a different kind of focus and intensity with his raps, with standout songs like Underdawg and 44 Beats telling a story from rags to hip-hop royalty through sheer passion and dedication to the art. Hero then added his powerful combination of vocals and relatable lyricism into the fray with Sumpa and Ipakita Mo. Rounding out the rhythmic music festival is one of the most iconic and prolific hip-hop artists in the country: Gloc-9. A classic setlist ranging from his booming excerpt in Bagsakan to urban essentials like Simpleng Tao and Sumayaw Ka, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand all throughout his performance while reminding us how he is a certified staple not just in the local music scene, but also firmly ingrained in our country’s culture by his constant pursuit of addressing everyday issues faced by our fellow countrymen and turning them into memorable tunes.
Confetti and Gloc 9’s rendition of Kaleidoscope World ended the show, with a pleasant surprise revealed that the Spotify KALYE X branding has been plastered all across New York Times Square – signifying that Filipino rap and hip-hop has always been part of our past and present, with an exciting future ahead for both its artists and listeners.
Don’t forget to keep up with Spotify PH’s Instagram and Facebook pages for future events like this! In the meantime however, keep blasting the KALYE Hip-Hop playlist to add some more fire and flavor to your usual listening habits.
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