A lot of opportunities have opened for 27-year-old FlipTop rapper Raymond “Abra” Abracosa after getting nominations and even awards for his performance in the movie "Respeto." Yet ask him and he'll tell you: " I am foremost, a rapper." “Rapping is where I found myself," he said in Filipino. "It's the reason all of these things are happening to me right now." He added: "It may have dragged me into this unexpected world of acting, but rap will stay in my life forever." ABRA Recall that at the 2nd Eddys or Entertainment Editors’ Choice Awards, “Respeto,” a hip-hop film starring Abra, bagged six awards. And although Abra missed the mark in his category, being nominated alongside Aga Muhlach, Joshua Garcia, Edgar Allan Guzman, Ronaldo Valdez is not something to sniff at. "I feel grateful for these kinds of recognitions because it assures people to trust the kind of art we’re doing.” Since that movie was a resounding success, including the official soundtrack, is he open to writing songs for other films in the future? “I think that would be a fun challenge though it’s such a huge responsibility. But artists should be open to such opportunities because we must strive to be versatile.” A SCENE from 'Respeto' “And to use rap to build connections between people, that would be a wonderful experiment,” he added. Shooting "Respeto" got Abra thinking about his craft from a different perspective. “I realized why I enjoyed shooting music videos. The filmmaking process itself is so fun and it also served as a creative outlet for me,” he mulled. Abra said everything he learned as a rapper helped him play his role well in the film. "I wasn't shy when I faced the camera as I knew how to project," he pointed out. Will he do another film, we asked. “Maybe next year. Let’s see. If there’s an opportunity and it’s a good movie then count me in! ”