New faces on the Pinoy rap scene

Thanks most probably to the huge success of Salbakuta’s S2PID Luv, interest in rap music is again at an all-time high. There is a continued flow of albums from established Pinoy rappers like Andrew E. (Porno Daw), comeback bids from other rap acts like BB Clan with Bonafide Bastards and new artists like L. Smith. They have surfaced to inject new blood into the genre and render it more viable for the local music industry. Here are some of the most interesting among the new releases.

L. Smith is only 16, but her kind of rap already packs as much chops as that of more established hip hop artists. She is also quite a looker, tall and pretty in a dusky sort of way. I will not be surprised to find her taking up modeling one of these days. But then those things are only to be expected. L was born in Los Angeles, California and as her surname suggests, her American father is related to Will Smith. As rap music fans surely know, long before he became a big movie star, Will Smith as a teen-ager was the rapping Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Some of that rapping know-how probably rubbed off on L and by the time she was 13, she was rapping on local TV as a contestant in the Calendar Girl contest.

Offers to record soon followed and recently L. Smith was finally able to release her self-titled debut album for the hip hop label III Kamp. Under the able hand of Noel Macanaya, one of the first Filipino producers to go into rap music, L has come up with an album she can be proud of. There are seven cuts written by Vintogis Albama, Give It Up, Check It Out, Bump Me All Nite Long, Bring Ma Booty, Feelin’ Alright, Freak Me and Jam on It and one by Mark "Krook" of Trilogy, Play Wit Me.

I find it unfortunate that L relies on other writers for her rap. But she is young and if she puts her mind to it she should be able to learn how to put her thoughts and feelings down on a music track. If not, there are many competent writers around who can continue doing the job or she could move on to other things like TV hosting. L. Smith is now the co-host of the Rap-public of the Philippines rap contest in the noontime show Eat Bulaga.

Veteran rap act BB Clan returns with a new album titled Bonafide Bastards. Serious rappers known for their hand-hitting social commentary and infectious dance grooves, the duo offers 15 new tracks in the album. These include Impeach Them, Ibibigay Ko ang Lahat, Ayos B Tayo Jan?!!, Hand to Mouth Habit, ’Til Da Breakadawn!, Gigibain Namin ’To, Kapit-kapit ang Braso, Da BB Clan, Ambigat!, One to Sawa and others. Also featured in Bonafide Bastards are Urban Flow’s DJ Arbie and DJ Mick plus guests Quaizy, Owpo & Dash, The Misteazas, Klutch B & Jhego, Lowkey & Chi-nig, D-Coy and Eleutario Ignacio.

Like Salbakuta, BB Clan is also one of rap guru Andrew E.’s discoveries. The duo is made up of Ali Jason E. Amerol, a.k.a. Ali and a.k.a. Berting Birtud and Simeon P. Monte a.k.a., Simon and a.k.a. Bustamante.

For more rap sounds, check out the Rap Attack Mall Tour featuring Salbakuta, EHP, Razzamanazz, Kruzzada and Quickie. Coming shows include SM Iloilo on Saturday, June 8; SM Davao on Sunday, June 9; Robinsons Metro East on June 15; Robinsons, Pampanga on June 16; Ever Gotesco Commonwealth on June 22; Robinsons Novaliches on June 29; and Robinsons Imus on June 30.

It was a very good week in the charts for Gary Valenciano and Kyla. Both of them have two entries in the local hit list. There is a solo song for each and then there is their duet of the Jose Mari Chan classic Can We Just Stop and Talk a While from Gary’s duet album One 2 One. Top favorite of the moment though is Dadalhin Kita, by Regine Velasquez from the album Reigne.

The others in the list are the following: Akala Mo by Aiza Seguerra; I Feel for You by Kyla; S2PID Luv by Salbakuta; Can We Just Stop and Talk a While by Gary Valenciano and Kyla; Warrior is a Child by Gary Valenciano; Di Karapat-dapat, a new single by the sensational Salbakuta; Got to Believe in Magic, a duet from the soundtrack of the movie of the same title by the late Rico Yan and Claudine Barretto; Huwag Ka Na Sanang Babalik by Roselle Nava; and Baka Ikaw by Company.