Popular Filipino rappers Flow-G and Skusta Clee of Ex Battalion are being criticized by K-pop superstars BTS’ ARMY fans who accused them of plagiarizing the 2018 song “Ddaeng” by RM, Suga and J-Hope.
Under the name 90’s Gang, Flow-G featured Skusta Clee in the song “DEYM” and BTS fans charged that it sounded very similar to “Ddaeng,” which was released during BTS Festa in 2018.
On Facebook, Flow-G (aka Archie Dela Cruz) denied the plagiarism accusations, saying he used generic flow, words and beats for “DEYM.”
“Gumamit ako ng ‘generic flow’ ‘generic words’ at ‘generic beat’ na pinagawa ko kay Flip-D para sa promotion video ng sarili kong brand (I used ‘generic flow’ ‘generic words and ‘generic beat’ which I asked Flip-D to make for the promotion video of my own brand),” Flow-G said.
He added, “Sorry sa mga fans na ibang klase sumuporta sa mga idolo nila. Di ko kayo masisisi kung anong pumapasok sa isip nyo. Wag kayo mag alala naiintindihan ko kayo. sana lahat ng taga hanga ganyan sumuporta. At nagpost din po ako tungkol dito para din sa promotion ng brand. Bili na po kayo damit na malupit DEYM (Sorry to the fans who are on another level when it comes to supporting their idol. I don’t blame you for what comes into your minds. Don’t worry I understand you. I hope that all fans have the same support. And I also posted here for the promotion of a brand. Please buy my cool clothing line DEYM).”
In a comment on the same post, Flow-G added, “Hindi ako fan ng BTS at Mas lalong hindi ako HATER. kaya yung mga comments agains sa kanila hindi ko yan kailangan dito. Labas na ko jan sa mga nararamdaman nyo (I’m not a fan of BTS and more importantly, I’m not a hater. So the comments against them, I don’t need them here. I’m out of what you are feeling).”
Daniel Tuazon, aka Flip-D, said “Flow G's DEYM was made to promote the clothing line Brand for 199x.”
“Recently, we've discovered that there has been allegations made that we copied a song made by BTS with the same musical phrasing, or flow. Songs like Fukk Sleep by A$AP Rocky, Sway by Quavo, and Swimming Pool by Kendrick Lamar, with the latter two being released way before the song we allegedly copied, all use the same generic flow,” he wrote on Facebook.
He added, “It's difficult to keep track where generic beats and flows originated from, but all of these artists are still talented in their own way. I hope we can all come together and support each other instead of bringing each other down.”
Ex Battalion’s YouTube channel has 3.2 million subscribers with combined views of 967 million.