‘Rekta sa Kalye’ pushes through with 30 performers

MANILA, Philippines — The Black Summer Festival in cooperation with “Rekta sa Kalye” was conceptualized quite in a haste last year. Originally, it was supposed to be mounted in November 2023.

“We didn’t plan the festival well,” engineer Grace Cristobal told The Philippine STAR. “When you don’t plan an event, there are things that can happen unexpectedly and we are also expecting some things to happen as planned.”

The Black Summer Festival was from breakout entertainment company, Black Entertainment Production, Inc., in cooperation with Rekta sa Kalye, which mounted its first event last year.

Black Summer Festival gives opportunity to the new of rappers and hip-hop artists in the music industry.

“We are also giving opportunities to new artists who want to go mainstream in the music industry,” Grace stressed.

This music event is set to showcase the talents of budding underground artists, especially when it comes to those whom you see on the streets.

“We aim to present as many talents as we can who get their chance to showcase their abilities out in the streets,” Grace added. “There are many who will be featured in the festival.”

They will be joined by mainstream bands who will share the stage with underground artists.

“Rekta sa Kalye,” which started in the bustling streets of EDSA in 2017, was conceptualized by Drop Out, according to the music festival’s chief operating officer (CEO), director Mong Feliciano.

“Our vision remains, to give opportunities to new talents and give a platform to new talents,” Mong disclosed. “That was what we’ve been doing for the last six years. Today, we were blessed to work with Black Entertainment.

“Our show faced problems last year, that was why it didn’t push through. But Black Entertainment became our resolution because it’s aligned with their vision. That was how it started.

“We are looking at the same route. Right now, it came to a point where the event will really happen on April 13 at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) concert grounds. This music festival will be a sun-soaked celebration of local Filipino music and culture.”

“Rekta sa Kalye” was previously an underground movement that was turned into a music festival. “It became so diverse with the people the festival helped in the past,” added Mong.

As many of the festivals that had a tendency to be rescheduled, that was what happened last November with “Rekta sa Kalye.” “Unfortunately, we were one of those,” Mong lamented. “That was a nightmare for us. We were not different and we realized, that could really happen to us.

“If ever that pushed through, I believe we would have encountered more problems. That was our turn to get into a really tough trial. We learned to talk more seriously with the people we deal with and work with. I sincerely apologized as the CEO of ‘Rekta sa Kalye.’ Our main intention was really to mount it successfully.

“It’s not always about the money. We can get the money somewhere else. This has long been our dream. And right now, with everybody helping us, thank you so much for being with us today. That is such a big help to us.”

“Rekta sa Kalye” mounted its first event in January 2023. That prompted Black Entertainment to stage another event in November. That was the one that didn’t push through.

“They received a lot of bashing because of that,” disclosed Grace.

“We’ve been reading a lot of those, although we are not part of their page. We were simply observing how we can explain the side of Rekta sa Kalye. Refund of concert tickets was also an important issue.

“You cannot blame them if they still didn’t have an official answer. They will eventually have a process for that. Everything is on process.”

Today, however, Mong is brave enough to face everybody and announce that “Rekta sa Kalye” is officially pushing through in April.

The concert will feature Billboard chart toppers O Side Mafia, presently on the No. 1 spot on Billboard Philippines’ top songs charts with their hit song, Get Low, for five weeks.

FlipTop rappers Smugglaz and Basilio are also on board as part of Black Summer Festival on April 13.

Aside from hip-hop and OPM (Original Pilipino Music) artists this year, rock bands and P-pop are also in the present line-up of the concert.

The festival’s line-up includes Rico Blanco, Sandwich, Franco, December Avenue, Al James, Flow G, Omar Baliw, Allison Shore, Nobita, Kiyo, Gins and Melodies, Crazy as Pinoy, Carm, 6ense, Blvck Flowers, Blvck Purple and Yara will perform.