Rap is the new pop said a wise music man. And it has been for some years now. Pinoy rap has been around since the late 80’s but stylistically, it has been at its most creative in the past decade. Besides providing local pop some really imaginative themes, rap can also cut through the core of a topic like no other music style can.
Exactly like what Fliptop champ and hit rap artist Shehyee did on his new single entitled “Aba Okay Din.” Here, the “Trip Lang” rapper goes against the prevalent notion that women always get the raw end of things when it comes to gender double standards. And in this grooving mid-tempo track, Shehyee enumerates his gripes on the matter.
The rapper shared that his inspiration for the track came from a social media post that went viral some three years ago. “I saw a viral post by a woman who took a picture of a guy, whom she labeled as ‘not a gentleman,’ because he didn’t give her his seat at the MRT,” said Shehyee in Tagalog. “I saw this post way back in 2018 and I’ve seen a couple more similar things since then. That’s when I wrote the song and thought, ‘aba okay din,” Shehyee shared.
The title is Shehyee’s sarcastic jab at said post and the song eventually became a virtual listing of the rapper’s pet peeves. From FB comments by smack talking females (‘pwede kang mang-manyak, ‘di ka pwede manyakin / pag ikaw laughtrip ako nakaka-offend’), to female janitors on male restrooms (‘bakit ka andito wala ka namang talong / sagot ng maldita wala naman malisya / pero pag lalaki gumawa n’un may mali siya’), to just plain griping about women with many suitors at any one time. But pressed further about double standards, Shehyee is aware that it happens both ways. He goes on to say “in the field of gaming, female streamers are assumed to be inexperienced players,” adding “people assume and immediately bash them na hindi sila marunong maglaro or nakiki-uso. I think that’s unfair for women.”
This expletive-filled banger is biting in its point of view but fetching in its sonic qualities. Shehyee’s style has come into its own but one can still hear the Eminem influence on his phrasing. But the attitude and delivery? It’s all Shehyee’s. The track is produced by Shehyee’s long-time collaborator Thyro Alfaro. Shehyee adds that, this is the first single of a full album set for release this 2021.
Rap group Allmo$t is keeping it light on their brand new single “Sexing Maliit.” The “Bagay Tayo” rap crew which include rappers Russell, Crakky and hook singers Jom and Clien are just bouncy and hook crazy on this popping new track. Whereas it was Pinay beauties in general in “Dalaga” a few summers ago in that breakout hit, this time it’s all about hot petites on “Sexing Maliit.” Pinay women of all shapes and sizes are becoming a specialty for the Allmo$t crew, and far from being repetitive, they just seem to get better at it.
Blacksheep Manila artist Ezro is a rapping Romeo with a slant. A brown-skinned workingman, Ezro is all about giving it all for his woman in “DGS (Di Gwapo Song).” The premise is right there on the opening chorus: ‘hindi man ako gwapo gaya nila / hindi man ako mapera tulad nila / walang sariling kotse dala-dala / basta may respeto sa babae ang mahalaga.’ And over 3 minutes and 49 seconds of Pinoy Hiphop, Ezro makes his case on why ladies should pick him over the other guy.