Modern Filipino Music Abroad : A List of Hip-hop and R&B Artists That are Just Lit
There is certainly no shortage of Filipino talent around the globe, one such area is the field of music — Hip-hop and R&B to be precise. In 2018, Hip-hop alone accounted for 21.7 percent of total music consumption in the US according to Statista, with R&B slightly following behind.
Which begs the question: Where are the Filipino Hip-hop and R&B artists abroad, and how can I support them?
Well, my friend, they are everywhere, you might probably know some of them already. You can show support by playing their songs on streaming platforms, buying their music and going to their gigs. Follow the playlist above, these song are perfect for zoning out, your commute to and from work, doig work, and for chilling.
Filipinos throughout history are no stranger to the oppressive nature of western society, this is probably why they can relate to certain genres of music better than others. The Hip-hop genre emerged from the systemic segregation, oppression and racism of black people in the east coast. Many African-Americans were not allowed to indulge in certain services such as seats in a theater, drinking fountains, housings, restaurants, and many more. This mirrors what happened in the early west-coast where Filipino men were treated in a similar fashion. Filipinos were stuck in asparagus farms, they weren’t allowed to be in a relationship with whites, they were only allowed housing in certain areas, Filipino businesses were burned, and many other atrocities, but that can be a blog for another day.
BACK TO THE ARTISTS
Filipinos thrive wherever they are placed, a few of the artists that are included in the playlist mentioned above have been hustling and making it big overseas — far away from the sunny isles of the Philippines. I think it’s about time for us to give them the support they need.
Some of the artists included in the playlist:
1. P-Lo → Rapper, producer, and HBK Gang member, P-Lo, is working hard to push the boundaries of the West Coast’s sound. Born in the Bay Area and raised in a Filipino-American household, P-Lo credits his early encounters with different genres of music as the launching pad to his musical career. His unique style and sound reflects these diverse influences. — APG
2. RUSSELL! → Russell (stylized as RUSSELL!) is a Canadian rapper and singer from Brampton, Ontario, and is based out of Toronto, Ontario. He was formerly known as D-Pryde and Pryde before changing stage names in 2017. — Everybodywiki
3. MANILA GREY → Filipino-Canadian group MANILA GREY is here to help bridge the East and West. The R&B duo is comprised of childhood friends Neeko and Soliven, who grew up in Vancouver at a time when there were few Asian personalities to serve as influences. Now, the two want to reshape the outlook of the next generation of of Asian-Canadians. — Hypebeast
4. No Rome → Rome Gomez was born and raised in Manila to a musical family and began recording and releasing his own music at the age of 12. A singer, songwriter, and producer, Gomez began using the No Rome moniker for his laid-back electronic pop songs in 2013, releasing his first EP, Fantasy, that same year. A second independent EP, Hurry Home & Rest, appeared in 2015, after which No Rome signed with London’s Dirty Hit Records, home to acts like the 1975 and the Japanese House. — allmusic
5. Mike-Dash-E → “I rap, I work, and I just want to put my family in a better position. Follow me I do cool things sometimes..” — Mike-Dash-E
6. RINI → Justerini Sandoval, also known as RINI, is an up and coming RnB and soul artist from south east Melbourne. His sound has been influenced by Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar, Kehlani, Bryson Tiller and The Weeknd. His latest self-titled album ‘RINI’ featuring JSPA, Nasty Mars, Olivia Escuyos, with a touch of RMR Productions, outlines themes of love, loss and passion. — Australianhiphopdirectory
These are just a few of the artists that are in the playlist but feel free to suggest other artists and ill add them to the mix.
Filipinos are known to be less assertive and never really used taking center stage in the workforce, but not when it comes to music. I am confident that Filipino hip-hop music in the future will be filling up the airwaves of the world.
